The
small film company behind the 1997 box-office
flop, Macbeth, has itself been hit by the curse
of the Scottish play, going into receivership
owing thousands of pounds to investors.
Cromwell Productions hit the headlines four years
ago when it advertised for small-time investors
to back the £1 million Macbeth film starring Jason
Connery and Helen Baxendale.
Now hundreds of Scots who invested a minimum of
£500 have been left out of pocket as the company
set up by Cromwell’s Scottish owner, Bob
Carruthers, to finance the film, has gone bust.
Fife-born Mr Carruthers persuaded an estimated
750 people to invest in the venture with some
sinking as much as £2,000 into the project with
the promise of a walk-on part and credits in the
titles.
One such investor was Colin Simpson, a Scot living
in London, who put £500 into the ill-fated company.
Mr Simpson now insists that all the investors
have been let down.
Mr Simpson has said: "We were given the impression
we were investing in a sure-fire hit and would
make money on it."
He complains that all he got for his money was
a walk-on part that you would miss if you blinked
and a cheque for £75 which was secured only after
a lot of arguing with the producers.
The film was shot on location at Blackness Castle,
close to Linlithgow, in the afterglow of Braveheart,
which was directed by and starred Mel Gibson.
It was hoped that some of the success of that
film at that time would guarantee that Macbeth
was a hit.
However, due to its limited release across cinema
screens and the fact that it was universally panned
by film critics, it went straight to video, wiping
out any chance of riches for investors in the
movie.
Mr Carruthers refutes claims that people got nothing
out of the venture.
Those who turned up to the shoot can see themselves
in the battle scenes as spear-carriers.
He was previously quoted as saying: "We make it
very clear to people that it is a risky business.
Most people see it as a fun investment with the
chance of getting to appear in one of the films."
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The
small film company behind the 1997 box-office
flop, Macbeth, has itself been hit by the curse
of the Scottish play, going into receivership
owing thousands of pounds to investors. 