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Othello
(1952)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Orson Welles | ... | ||
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Micheál MacLiammóir | ... | |
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Robert Coote | ... | |
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Suzanne Cloutier | ... | |
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Hilton Edwards | ... | |
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Nicholas Bruce | ... | |
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Michael Laurence | ... | |
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Fay Compton | ... | |
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Doris Dowling | ... | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Desdemona, daughter of a Venetian aristocrat, elopes with Moorish military hero Othello, to the great resentment of Othello's envious underling Iago. Alas, Iago knows Othello's weakness, and with chilling malice works on him with but too good effect... Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Taglines:
Orson Welles' magnificent screening of Shakespeare's immortal tragedy See more »Certificate:
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Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
June 1955 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Othello See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (TCM print)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Narrator: There was once in Venice a moor, Othello, who for his merits is the affairs of war was held in great esteem. It happened that he fell in love with a young and noble lady called Desdemona, who drawn by his virtue became equally enamoured of Othello...
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Micheal Mac Liammoir and his partner Hilton Edwards founded Dublin's Gate Theatre in 1928. That same year Mac Liammoir served as the first artistic director and Edwards the first technical director of the Taibhdhearc Theatre, Ireland's national Irish-language theatre, in Galway City. Both theatres are still in operation, adding much to the cultural life of their country. Welles acted in the Gate's company early in his career. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Narrator: There was once in Venice a moor, Othello, who for his merits is the affairs of war was held in great esteem. It happened that he fell in love with a young and noble lady called Desdemona, who drawn by his virtue became equally enamoured of Othello...
See more »
Othello, Moor of Venice, loves Desdemonda. Unbeknownst to him, one of his lieutenants, Iago, seething with jealousy, plans to bring him down. Iago slowly builds a web of deceit and lies around Othello that leads him to question the faithfulness of his wife and men, ultimately pushing him to far...
Many a time has a white actor portrayed black Othello. Thankfully, Welles excels in the title role, his hurt palpable. In adapting Shakespeare's play, Welles has done away with subplots he deemed unnecessary. His "Othello" boils down to the title character, his wife, Iago and bit players (and impressive numbers of extras). Fans of the text may regret the absence of a character or the significant reduction of his/her importance. It diminishes the play but enhances the film, giving it a tighter focus and a more fluid structure and running time. But as always, we expect more from an Orson Welles film.
Orson Welles is mostly celebrated for reinventing the look of film. His pictures each possess a unique aesthetic and daring camera work. Othello holds its own even when measured against the impressive Welles oeuvre, a true miracle if you are familiar with the films' history. Shooting it over years and in different locations (Morocco, Spain, etc.) with variations, often within the same scene, Welles managed to create the watertight illusion of a coherent world, leading the viewer to imagine that lavish sets and locations were available. For anyone interested in editing or any other aspect of film-making, this is an indisputable milestone in directorial resourcefulness.
Othello was Welles's second Shakespeare interpretation as star and director, soaring high above his very interesting Macbeth. He would return to the Bard one last time with his apotheosis, Chimes at Midnight. This trilogy is a gift. What a joy it is to see America's greatest director work with the world's greatest playwright...