 The failure of the film to earn a profit in the U.S. during its  theatrical release, together with the untimely death of Alexander  Korda, who had backed the production of "Richard III", effectively  ended Oliviers dream of filming Shakespeare as a director. He is  accorded the honor of being the greatest Macbeth of the 20th  century, but he could never raise the financing to make the film  after the financial failure of "Richard III". Mike Todd expressed  interest in financing an Olivier "Macbeth," but Todd later was  killed in a plane crash. Olivier never again directed a  Shakespearean film, possibly the result of the fabled actors curse  attached to "The Scottish Play".