Othello
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Oliver Parker
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Fishburne, Irene Jacob
Now screening
Reviewed by Natasha Simons
Whatever your likes or prejudices regarding Shakespeare, put them away when seeing this 1995 film production. Othello is a tale of romance, jealousy and betrayal. Written between 1602 and 1604, it is one of Shakespeare's finest tragedies.
Its success in production depends on the skill of the actors in interpreting and developing their character. On screen, it also depends on an ability to produce a screenplay that draws on cinematic techniques to relate the play — without changing much of the dialogue — to the modern world, where action and pace are the essence of Hollywood film success. Under the direction of Oliver Parker, both these ingredients are present.
The setting is the rugged and beautiful castle Bracciano, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, just north of Rome. Renaissance lamp stands and candles were used for lighting the interior, revealing beautifully preserved frescoes from Renaissance times. Outside the castle, the canals of Venice provide the backdrop for actors in colourful costumes from the late 16th century.
Laurence Fishburne is Othello. Best known for his role in action films such as Boys in the Hood, he may appear more suited to the mean streets of Los Angeles than a Shakespearean tragedy. But his strong screen presence, exotic looks and intense brooding eyes enhance his passionate portrayal of a man consumed by his own emotions. Fantasy sequences, in which Othello imagines his wife in bed with the once trusted Cassio, add to an intense performance of Othello's jealous rage.
Kenneth Branagh is at his best as the manipulative and villainous Iago. Famous as a Shakespearean actor, on screen and stage, Branagh delivers his lines with perfect timing and skill. Iago's close-up monologues make the audience accomplices to his terrible scheme but powerless to stop it. Branagh appears to delight in the role of a man turned evil by his own jealousy, and he adds his own humour to lighten a dark script.
Director Oliver Parker chose a stronger role for Desdemona, the innocent victim of a heinous crime. "Irene [Jacob] has a unique combination of sweetness and strength which together makes her Desdemona more than an equal to Laurence's Othello, rather than the passive victim she is often presented as", he says.
Othello is a beautifully made film. The obvious pleasure of the actors in their roles, and the chemistry and passion between the characters, make the film linger on the mind long afterward.
Laurence Fishburne says of Othello: "Kenneth Branagh said something to me when we first met that really meant a lot to me. He said 'I'm an Irish kid from Belfast; I'm not supposed to be able to do this stuff'. I'm a black kid from Brooklyn; I'm not supposed to be able to do this stuff either. But it speaks to me. It's the most beautiful poetry in the English language. Once you get past the initial intimidation and fear, you just step into it and try to be as honest as you can, and it's delightful."