Othello (1995)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Oliver Parker

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Oliver Parker (adaptation)

Release Date:

15 December 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Envy, greed, jealousy and love.

Plot:

The evil Iago pretends to be friend of Othello in order to manipulate him to serve his own end in the film version of this Shakespeare classic.

Plot Keywords:

Jealousy | Passion | Husband Wife Relationship | Suicide | Deception

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Laurence Fishburne	...	Othello
Irène Jacob	...	Desdemona
Kenneth Branagh	...	Iago
Nathaniel Parker	...	Cassio
Michael Maloney	...	Roderigo
Anna Patrick	...	Emilia
Nicholas Farrell	...	Montano
Indra Ové	...	Bianca
Michael Sheen	...	Lodovico
André Oumansky	...	Gratiano
Philip Locke	...	1st Senator
John Savident	...	2nd Senator
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Duke of Venice
Pierre Vaneck	...	Brabantio

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality.

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (bw) | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Orsini Castle, Bracciano, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

Oliver Parker's directorial debut.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the beach scene, equipment boxes are visible on the upper slope of the beach as Iago and Othello walk along.

Quotes:

Othello: Soft you; a word or two before you go. I have done the state some service, and they know't. No more of that. I pray you, in your letters, When you shall these unlucky deeds relate, Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate, Nor set down aught in malice: then must you speak Of one that loved not wisely but too well; Of one not easily jealous...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Century of Black Cinema (2003) (V)

Shakespeare would have been pleased

While maintaining the location and time period of the original play, this film gives us a much clearer insight into Othello as a character and as a story than many of the supposedly more important versions. The dialogue is trimmed to what is essential, the settings are atmospheric, and the cast is great. You will never forget the story after you see this version.