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Welles or Olivier or Fishburne

Who is Othello, the Moor of Venice?  A classic outsider, who, no matter how much he accomplishes, is always exposed to danger from outside forces?  Old sooty breast (as he was affectionately referred to in my Shakespeare class) is one of the puzzling characters -- he is so strong -- a general in the Venetian army, yet he is so weak -- universally human in his deep seated fear that he is not good enough to be loved.  

After every performance (on stage or on film) I always ponder the question:  Is this play about Othello, or is it about Iago?  Iago is an angry, jealous, manipulative man.  In contrast to many of Shakespeare's "villains," Iago has no redeeming qualities.  This makes him a slightly under-developed character -- his only transition is from bad to worse -- yet he is so compelling.  It is a rare Othello whose performance eclipses Iago.

My personal favorite is the Orson Welles Othello.  Highly stylized with lighting and camera effects -- sparse sets and costumes -- and Welles himself as the paradoxical Moor.  I regret that at this time I can only offer you a link to a book about the making of this Othello, written by the actor who played Iago.   I have e-mailed Amazon requesting that they stock this item, and I will add a link to order the video if and/or when they do.

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Olivier made an Othello.  I have owned it for about three years.  Each time I sat down to watch it, I was put off by Olivier's black-face.  He looks like he is covered in shoe polish.  I got past this bias when I realized that Derek Jacobi plays Cassio, Othello's Lieutenant; and I was truly interested in seeing Jacobi's performance.  If you can get over the black-face, this is an excellent version.  Olivier's Othello, like his Henry V, is a virile general. 

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There is also an Othello made in 19, with Laurence Fishburne as Othello.   Fishburne looks striking.  His head is shaved and his body is covered with exotic tattoos.  Kenneth Branagh is Iago.  Branagh's performance is understated, which makes Iago's deception absolutely complete.  I've seen many characterizations where when Iago delivers his soliloquies, he is ranting -- giving him kind of an insane, split personality.  Branagh's Iago is cold, calculating and seamless.  He is not mad -- only very angry.  Indeed, when Othello says, " I look down toward his feet, but that's a fable," the viewer understands how Othello was drawn into Iago's web.  The understated  Iago took some getting used to, I always loved Iago's rants, especially when an actor punctuates them by throwing back his head and maniacally laughing.  Branagh's understated Iago has its own merit, retaining Iago's humanity, making him more fearsome than a raving lunatic.  This understated performance makes Othello's fall more tragic, because he is brought down by a coldly calculating, ordinary man and not a deranged mad man.  This film really raises the question; is this play about Othello or about Iago?  You decide.

Last updated 11 November, 1998