OTHELLO (Warner Bros./B.H.E. Productions 1965) Warner Home Video

Widely regarded by critics and fans as the greatest of all productions of this Shakespearean tragedy, Stuart Burge’s Othello (1965) seems a modestly dated and not terribly engaging translation of the stage play – its one salvation, some truly fine acting from the players then assembled at Britain’s National Theatre. Unlike Lawrence Olivier’s cinematic – and Oscar-winning adaptation of Hamlet (1948), as well as his Richard III (1955), Othello retains most of the original stagecraft, and does not alter the play’s chronology; the one exception, the excision of ‘the fool’s scene’ with a few minor dialogue tweaks interspersed throughout. In retrospect, noted thespians, Derek Jacobi and Michael Gambon mark their film debuts here, while Edward Hardwicke embarked upon 7-years with National following this production. As Olivier found it increasingly impossible to raise the necessary funds to produce more truly ‘cinematic’ incarnations of Shakespeare for the screen, this movie uses enlarged duplicates of the original set decorations rather than having elaborate new sets built. Olivier’s Othello represents the first documented English-language version of the play photographed in Eastmancolor and Panavision. In the U.K., the picture had a wider theatrical release, but in the U.S., it was given only a 2-day, roadshow engagement – treated with all the reverence of a stage presentation, though never given the opportunity to earn back its money. Again, owing to limited funds, Othello’s score is sparse. Indeed, Iago and the soldiers sing a drinking song in one scene, while in another, a small quartet of musicians is glimpsed playing exotic instruments. Otherwise, there is no extemporaneous underscore.

Plot wise, Venetian officer Iago (Frank Finlay) is driven to wild distraction over the appointment of Cassio (Derek Jacobi) to the rank of Lieutenant by his own general, Othello (Lawrence Olivier). Together with Roderigo (Robert Lang), Iago baits the benevolent Brabantio (Anthony Nicholls) into believing that his only daughter, Desdemona (Maggie Smith) has been disloyal to her husband – an allegation vehemently denied by both Desdemona and the innocent Othello. To separate the two and therefore quash whatever rumors and doubts may linger in court, Othello is commanded to Cyprus to fight against the raging Turkish hoards. Othello is victorious. But Iago has other plans – inviting Desdemona to celebrate Othello’s win, while planting the seed of jealousy in Othello’s ear – that his wife is having an affair with Cassio.

Othello on film is likely Shakespeare as Shakespeare might have envisioned and approved of, if the movie camera had been around during his time. This is a dark and moody bit of indirect and rather static stagecraft. The camera is relegated to perfunctory moves only, everything shot with the fairly one-dimensional feel of a play and with a distinctly marked proscenium. The characters maneuver their way within the frame, conscious of their marks; the action, generally contained within single camera set-ups that often remain fixed. Unfortunately, what works on the stage grows tiresome on the screen. This is a very stilted adaptation, transparently hampered by insufficient funds. Worse, Olivier’s central performance seems upset by the lack of vigor in recreating what was then hailed as one of the master craft exemplars of his entire acting tenure. Olivier’s ‘blackface’ also tends to obliterate his rather descriptive and subtle facial expressions, except, of course, when he is photographed in close-up. Maggie Smith is magnificent as Desdemona – having mastered the cinema and stage arts, able to identify and navigate her way through the pitfalls of each with effortless finesse. Unfortunately for a movie, the rest of the cast overplay their hand. They are still projecting to the back of the house, with highly stylized gestures. Again, superb as live theater, but rather awkwardly meshed into this pseudo-cinematic experience. In the end, Othello remains only marginally compelling – ever-mindful its roots are stage bound, not screen savvy.

Warner Home Video’s DVD presents an average visual presentation with contrast levels that are just a tad below what one might expect. Overall, the image is quite dark, favoring reds and oranges. Colors tend to lean into a muted brown palette and fine details are often compromised. With the exception of Olivier’s dark mask, flesh tones tend to be a tad pasty – mostly soft pink, but occasionally ruddy orange. Age-related artifacts are kept to a bare minimum and digital artifacts are not an issue. The audio is Dolby Digital 1.0 mono but presented at an adequate listening level. Extras are limited to a brief vintage featurette where Olivier – usually gracious, but herein sounding quite pretentious – pontificates as a self-anointed auteur about his involvement on the project. We also get the original theatrical trailer. Bottom line: not a great experience, and should be considered for Olivier purists only.

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)

2

VIDEO/AUDIO

3

EXTRAS

1