Ralph Richardson and Margaret Leighton in John Gielgud’s production of Macbeth, 1952
Like several of his other tragic Shakespearean roles, Richardson’s Macbeth was something of a flop. According to Patrick Garland (who later directed the actor in A Doll’s House), Gielgud was annoyed by his total inability to grasp the the dark side of the character’s nature. At one of the rehearsals, a desperate Gielgud called out from the stalls: “Oh Ralph, for goodness’ sake, can’t you be a little bit more beastly?” To which Richardson plaintively replied: “Oh Johnny, I don’t want to be beastly to anybody.”