Othello
Directed by Orson Welles
Written by William Shakespeare
1952/USA/Italy/Morocco/France
Mercury Prodcutions/Les Films Marceau
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Iago: Oh beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.[/box]
The music and sound quality of the version I watched really got in the way of this movie for me.
Probably all my readers know the plot of Shakespeare’s Othello. Othello (Orson Welles) is a black Moor who is a general in the Venetian army. He secretly marries the beautiful Desdemona (Suzanne Cloutier) against her father’s wishes. Iago (Michaél MacLiammóir), an ensign, is consumed with jealousy of Othello not only for his conquest of Desdemona but for promoting the younger Cassio above him. Iago tries to get Othello executed for “using witchcraft” to seduce Desdemona but Othello is saved by his convincing story and by the fact he is needed to lead troops agains the Turks on the island of Cyprus.
Iago vows to destroy his rival and concludes the best way is though the general’s love for his wife. By various stratagems, he convinces Othello that Desdemona has been having an affair with Cassio. The play ends in tragedy.
The last time I saw this film I rated it highly but this time the music ruined it for me. Add to that the very murky post-synched dialogue track and I was unable to get lost in the film. As could be expected from Welles, he did make it look great on a shoestring budget. I saw some kind of a cheapo public domain version. I see there is a restoration and seeing that might have aided my appreciation.
Orson Welles won the Grand Prize at Cannes for this film.
Restoration trailer
