I was especially delighted that in this movie Othello himself was dark-skinned and Desdemona didn't have fair hair like almost always. The cast played very well, too, and I liked the script following Shakespeare's original text so faithfully. But I must say some scenes were acted too erotically for such a character as Desdemona. I have always thought she is very modest, and that's why it is not proper at all to show her in bed with Cassio - although it was happening only in Othello's imagination. At first, I was a little surprised even that a love scene between Othello and Desdemona was shown so openly. But as a whole, I liked the film and especially Desdemona crying in the dying scene.
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Ariel-2821 June 1999
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lescamer27 January 2008but could have been better. First of all, I would like to say that Laurence Fishburne's performance as Othello did not impress me. Although he is good, I think he maintains a bit too much dignity at the end of the film, making his tragedy less tragic. However, Keeth Branagh is amazing in this film. Like Glenn Close as the Marquise de Merteuil, but better, he makes Iago human, but still very sadistic. The beginning of the film is perfect. We see everything from the point of view of Iago, making us his accomplices in many ways, as he talks directly to us. Then, at the end, we lose him and Oliver Parker makes the great ending of the play way too long and we quickly get bored and annoyed at the melodrama of the last scene. Until the end, it is a great Shakespearian film. It is almost as if the same director as The Merchant of Venice (2004) made this. This is because both Parker and Redford adapt Shakespeare, not to make auteur films, like Orson Welles did, but to make them as Shakespeare would have were he alive at the time of cinema. Therefore, it would be a flawed but very good Shakespeare, but a worse auteur film.
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peacham28 October 1999Othello in fast forward ! No softer moments, no time to savor the dialouge and very little real emotion. Branagh is in fine form and lifts the production beyond the mediocre. Fishburne is a good actor but illicits no sympathy for his Othello and Irene Jacob is a total waste as Desdemona she did not even seem to know what she was saying!) Oliver Parker redeemed himself with IDEAL HUSBAND but Othello is a take it or leave it adaptation.
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barnabyrudge27 November 2003Director Oliver Parker wanted to make Othello a more "pacy" story, so he omitted quite a lot of the original text when writing this version for the screen. Luckily, the cuts and alterations that he has made do little damage to the old Shakesperean chestnut. I wouldn't say that any of the tweaks are particularly for the better, but the essence of Shakespeare's tale of envy, jealousy and deceit is so powerful that it would take a bungling fool - an Ed Wood wannabe, for instance - to rob it of its power. The weighty themes shine through as strongly as ever in this latest presentation.
Laurence Fishburne plays the titular character, a renowned Moorish soldier. His courage has impressed young Venetian lady Desdemona (Irene Jacob) and the pair of them secretly marry. However, her father is displeased by this secret ceremony and he warns Othello that if she can deceive her own father then she may one day do the same to him. One of Othello's soldiers, Iago (Kenneth Branagh) fails to get a promotion of rank which he feels he deserves, and to gain revenge he engineers a series of lies and incidents designed to convince Othello that his wife is being disloyal to him by fornicating with another man.
Inevitably, viewers may find themselves comparing this version with other productions. How does it rank alongside the 1952 Orson Welles version and the 1965 Laurence Olivier one? To be honest, it depends upon the viewer. Purists would probably opt for the Olivier offering, since it is only very slightly abridged and contains such strong performances that all four lead actors earned Oscar nominations. Film buffs might go for the Welles version, with its moody b&w lighting and a now-classic murder scene, not to mention the fact that the production history itself is as fascinating as the story. This version will undoubtedly find favour with viewers more inclined towards modern tastes. It has high production values, a sweeping score, accessible delivery of the lines, flashy photography, and "cool" stylistic touches (Fishburne's head tattoo, for instance). Personally, I feel the 1952 Othello will always be the benchmark, but this one is reasonably well made and it compares quite favourably with other versions. -
Mike C.-212 November 1999Branagh and Fishburne deliver excellent performances in this version of the Shakespeare classic. Branagh plays Iago better than I've seen the character played in film or on stage. Some might say this film is overly Iago-centric, but I disagree. Fishburne, the first black Othello in film history ironically, delivers a powerful performance. Fishburne has always been a good actor, but this performance as the Moor of Venice may be one of his best.
The one problem I have with this film, is the simple subtraction of a number of important scenes. Desdemona's character is given far less depth than she has in the play. In this film, she might as well not be added at all. One of the worst cuts made by Branagh in this film, was the subtraction of a conversation between Iago and Desdemona at the beginning of the second act. This part of the play shows that Desdemona may not be the innocent child she is portrayed as in this film. There were a number of subtractions that hurt the integrity of this film.
However, if you have not read the play, or seen a film version of Othello before, I recommend this movie. The story, cut or not, is still incredibly enthralling. The acting, as stated previously, is very good. If some important scenes had been added, and Desdemona's character been prioritized a bit further, this would be a great movie. As it stands, it's still an admirable version of the original. I give it a marginal recommendation. -
Doc-5713 June 1999Laurence Fishburne is a fine actor, and deserves respect for trying this, but he is not in a class with the great Shakespeareans like Olivier and Welles; and he further suffers from Kenneth Branagh. This Irishman, always brilliant, cleanly steals the show away. Olivier recognized that potential in his production, and cast Iago with someone he knew he could upstage. I didn't nearly realize the possibilities of Iago, Shakespeare's most evil character, but Branagh shows us the depths. Nice to see the views of Venice, too.
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EFRA10 July 1999I've always enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's versions of the Shakespeare classics, as he always does a very good job, but in this movie, the one who lifts the whole movie, is none other than "the-always-great-actor" Laurence Fishburne. Surely he has made some poor choices in films, even though he's a wonderful actor, but in this one we're truly given the real Othello: the passion, the intensity of jealousy as it grows stronger alongside with Fishburne's well portrayed paranoia and, furthermore, we're finally given a black Othello!
I don't think they could have chosen a better Othello. Who else could have given him that blend of sympathy/antipathy, love/hatred and, not to forget, those fiery eyes...? Branagh is good as always, but not at his peak, Iréne Jacob's Desdemona is fairly good but a bit bleak, whilst Laurence Fishburne truly lifts it and makes it a very interesting and enjoyable movie. Do watch it. -
a-cinema-history11 January 2001How to transform one of the masterpieces of literature into a standard Hollywood movie : first cut-off the text so that it is not too long for the average public (even if major scenes disappear); add some postcard views of Venice; add some sex (which does not even fit with the story) and sprinkle with blood... A missed opportunity which is regrettable because it is nice to see the Moor played by a real black, and Fishbourne and Branagh are quite good.
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gutterbox206 February 2003shakespeare's plays have a way of transcending time. The language somehow breaks the time barrier. but perhaps it is the actors who really do that.
after the disappointment in Romeo and Juliet (the version with Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio), was hesitant take on another modern rendition of Shakespeare. To my surprise Othello was great!
Iago's character was played so well by the Kenneth fellow! even thoough Iago is really evil and despicable, the character was played so well that it does what shakespeare intended for the charater to be, a pleasure for the audience to hate. i have to say that fishburne's performance here was really good as well.
i recommend this for shakespeare scholars and lazy students (who refuse to read the book) alike. -
Scheming, seduction passion and betrayal. All of the elements of Shakespeare's classic tragedy are here, but they add up to only a rather tepid melodrama thanks to a bland leading lady, a flat supporting cast and the ham-fisted and uninspired direction of Oliver Parker.
Thankfully, there's Lawrence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh. The former skillfully portrays the Moor's decent from charming hero to jealous madman, while the latter deliciously steals the show as the plotting and treacherous Iago. This may not be the best version of 'Othello' put on film, but it's worth watching thanks to the performances of its two leads. -
kevin c25 October 2001Working with one of the best Shakespeare sources, this film manages to be creditable to it's source, whilst still appealing to a wider audience.
Branagh steals the film from under Fishburne's nose, and there's a talented cast on good form. -
Othello, the classic Shakespearen story of love, betrayal, lies, and tragedy. I remember studying this story in high school, actually I found Othello to be probably my favorite Shakespeare story due to the fact of how fascinating it was, the fact that Shakespeare captured the feeling of friendship, love, and racism perfectly. I mean, when you really do study this story, you could go into so many philosophies on why Othello went insane with jealousy in the blink of an eye. But later on for my report I also watched this version of Othello and I have to say that it was absolutely brilliant. Lawerance and Kenneth just capture the story so well and understood it's darkness.
Othello is the big time soldier in his city, he is loved by everyone, including the king. But when the king finds out that Othello snuck off with his daughter, Desdemona, the king is infuriated, but excepts it. Othello is welcome in the city and makes his best friend, Cassio, his side man instead of Iago, who has stood by Othello. Due to his insane jealousy, he's out for revenge. Still pretending to be Othello's best friend, he just mearly hints at Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio, never says that they are, just makes Othello think that it's happening. Othello is driven insane and doesn't have pleasant plans for Desdemona or Cassio and Iago is more than happy to help him out.
Othello is an incredible story, I highly recommend that you read it. It's an incredible story that keeps you thinking after you've read it. Othello the movie is also great and once again I recommend it, it captured the story perfectly and has a big tearjerker type of feel, or you could just be in utter shock of what happens between Othello and Desdemona, how quickly he believes that his true love would betray him. This is a terrific movie, great acting, good sets, and good direction, this is what Shakespeare meant when he wrote the story.
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oOoBarracuda3 April 2016Oliver Parker directed the 1995 version of William Shakespeare's Othello starring Laurence Fishburne in the titular role. This version also boasts the acting talent of Kenneth Branagh as the antagonist. Enraged that he has been passed over for a promotion, Iago develops an elaborate plan to strike revenge against the man who passed him over, Othello. Presenting the danger of isolation as a master manipulator takes advantage of another man, Othello plays out a cautionary tale of power and struggle.
Iago (Kenneth Branagh) is furious that his loyalty and civility has been overshadowed by another, and he instantly begins devising an elaborate plot to seek revenge against Othello and bring about his downfall. Becoming obsessed with his master plot, Iago develops a narcissistic addiction to bringing about Othello's downfall.
The highlight of this film is the acting of Kenneth Branagh's Iago. He plays the role in a deliberate calculating method, just as the character begs to be played. Laurence Fishburne's turn in the titular role was excellent as well. the action is centered around Fishburne, but he is a secondary character to that of the manipulator Iago. Fishburne plays this distinction well and the film prospers from his lead role.
Days ago after my initial viewing of this film, I thought it was wonderful; after taking some time to process it, however, I think it was pretty forgettable. Initially, I thought the wall-breaking of Branagh was a fun way to engage the audience, but otherwise, I wasn't much engaged. As good as Branagh's Iago was, it was played differently than I imagined from the Shakespeare original. He was much closer to the Desdemona (Irène Jacob) character than I ever thought he was in the play. This may be the most faithful adaptation of Othello, but the characterization was different than I ever expected. -
jboothmillard14 September 2005It wasn't actually my choice to watch this film based on the story by William Shakespeare, it was part of a study in Secondary School. It wasn't directed by him, but I really like Kenneth Branagh in this film. Basically in the old days of England, black people weren't liked that much and were mostly slaves, and Othello (The Matrix's Laurence Fishburne) was a black man who tried to possibly become hero or king, whichever, of Denmark. At the same time, with his villainous lying skills, the nasty bastard servant Iago (the very well cast Branagh) tried to become king himself, and get people against each other. There are some good bloody moments, and good acting, I suppose I would want to see this again for my own purposes. Worth watching!
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deedee200530 November 2000I rented this film mainly to see Kenneth Branagh once again, but was totally surprised by the entire cast, especially Laurence Fishbourne who portrayed Othello brilliantly. The dignified, regal Fishbourne transforms Othello into a tragic figure with restraint, control and believability. It was also an added surprise to see two actors from Brahagh's Hamlet: Michael Maloney and Nicholas Farrel. And any film with Nathaniel Parker is a pleasure. Branagh brought a depth to Iago that I hadn't seen before, especially during the scene on the beach when he and Othello hug. Iago in tears? And then again at the final scene. Iago was evil, yes, but for an actor to find a few moments to make him human -that's when the audience knows something extraordinary has happened on stage or screen. See this film.
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On the whole I felt Oliver Parker's rendition of Othello was fairly good. The way he rendered the complex character dynamics and themes such as race in particular were believable and effective. In addition, the visuals were decent and the execution for the most part pretty good.
Despite my praise for it there were a few elements of the film that I felt detracted from its overall quality. First off, I felt the pace was much too fast. The way the original story is structured, I feel it could have unfolded over a significantly longer span of time, or else certain bits omitted to draw out the length. Secondly, Iago's monologues were sometimes a little strange, the way the fourth wall breaking as executed by Parker was a bit uncomfortable and out of place.
Considering both the good and bad aspects of this movie, it feels like a 7/10. -
iquine8 April 2022First off, I hate Shakespeare. I really like his stories but I can only grasp maybe half the dialog most of the time. But I enjoyed this film. I may have missed the character's motivation for mischievously twisting the emotions of Othello into a fit a rage but it was interesting to see him work to cleverly twist facts, emotions to mislead many people. It was a well-acted story and fun to see Laurence Fishburne busting out his drama acting chops. Good sets and costumes and some solid tension even though I pretty much knew what was going to happen.
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TheLittleSongbird13 January 2012Having loved Shakespeare's play since my third year at secondary school, and also the Welles and Olivier films, I heard much about this film. And I was very impressed; I am not sure whether I can add much to the other wonderful reviews here but I'll try.
Some people may find this is not their most ideal Othello, some may despair at the cuts and the short length, but on its own and as a introduction to Shakespeare films it is very impressive. Just for the record, the Olivier film is perhaps the one I recommend the most for its amazing performances especially, though the Welles film is also superbly made, atmospheric and Welles himself directs and acts Othello in an extraordinary fashion.
This Othello, this being said, is a very well made film, with beautiful locations and cinematography, and the score is suitably sweeping. The story even with the cuts is still the incredible, complex story that I fell in love with. The love scenes have such a haunting and erotic quality to them especially. The very final scene is perhaps a tad too drawn out but it is also very beautifully played especially by Fishburne and the last moments are moving. The dialogue is wonderful as you would expect, it is not always the Shakespearean language but it is still intelligent and thought-provoking with a lot of complexity.
Oliver Parker brings an assured and efficient touch to his direction, and the acting is superb. Michael Maloney, Nicholas Farrell, Nathaniel Parker and especially Anna Patrick are excellent in support, but the standouts were Laurence Fishburne's brilliant and very powerful yet restrained Othello and Kenneth Branagh in a literally seething albeit sometimes human account of the evil-incarnate character of Iago. Irene Jacob wasn't quite as good, Desdemona is a very delicate and poignant character, and while Jacob does what she can looking suitably delicate and beautiful her performance was a little on the dull side for me.
I also have to agree on a side note that those into opera should see or hear Verdi's Otello, the music is phenomenal and Iago's Credo is living proof in my opinion that the original source material can be improved upon as you see much more of Iago's villainy. Overall though for this 1995 Othello, this is an excellent film and while not my favourite I do recommend it. 8.5-9/10 Bethany Cox -
DereksDumbReviews26 April 2019Scoring: 1-Plot. 1 -Characters. 1 -Acting .5 -Writing. .5 -Cinematography. .5 -Direction. .5 -Pace/Tone. .5-Score. 0 -Special Effects/ wadrobe. 0 -Cultural Impact/Influence. 5.5 Total. Rounded total to 6
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artemis_516 December 2002You do not get more dark or tragic than "Othello" and this movie captures the play fairly well, with outstanding performances by Lawrence Fishburne and Irene Jacob. Fishburne's expresses to the viewer Othello's torment as he falls prey to Iago's lies very convincingly, even providing a realistic epileptic episode. Jacob is the loving and loyal wife who becomes either the instrument of Iago's revenge against Othello, or the object of his wrath (it is not clear which since no motive for Iago's behavior is offered). Although Kenneth Brannagh (sp?) displays his usual talent for Shakespeare in this movie, he is somewhat marginalized. The characters of Cassio and Emilia also wander in and out of scenes even though they, like Iago, seem more crucial to the plot. I have not checked the movie against the play to see how many lines were cut out, but I know that Shakespeare tends to develop his characters, even the seemingly unimportant ones, very well.
If I had any criticism of the movie it would be that the story unfolds too quickly, and that the relationships between some of the characters are not laid out more. The director had a great cast, and no one offered a bad performance. The relationship between Cassio and Othello and that between Emilia and Desdemona need to be further developed earlier in the film. I have a feeling that they were closer to each other than the movie suggests, although you get a sense of this very late into the movie. Also, Othello and Desdemona need more time together. Although their anguish is convincing, the amount of interaction they have with each other makes it seem like they just met. On the other hand, maybe the did just meet---like Romeo and Juliet.
In brief: good performances, too short. -
ballouvince23 November 2022The one time the big studios put on the Marquee a black man and white woman passionate with each other is when the ending is not going to be nice. Very symbolic of the sensibilities past and current. This viewer fell asleep at the beginning of the movie. You think because it's Shakespeare is supposed to be great. Think again. This movie stunk. The story is tired. You shouldn't look forward to a professional critics positive review. That's never a good thing. Many a year many an actor was willing to do the job and pay the bills and be graceful and pretend like Shakespeare's great and so you have to do it. Never has a culture been more graceful.
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Zekesboy221 March 2007I don't pretend to be an authority on actors who have played Othello, but I've never witnessed a performance of the play, on film or on stage, wherein Othello was portrayed with more humanity and authenticity.
According to the biographical notes, Fishburne never received any professional training as an actor. Perhaps this explains why his acting, in this beautifully edited film, comes over as so believable and so powerful. Instead of chewing the scenery in the approved fashion for such high-powered roles, Fishburne's portrayal is focused more on Othello's love for his wife, and on his profound sadness at her supposed betrayal, than on violence and vengeance. In a word, the performance is understated, and made far more impressive by Fishburne's extremely intelligent interpretation than it otherwise would have been.
The acting throughout is superb, and the (abridged) speeches gain grace from their light editing. (Even Shakesspeare, after all, can be improved upon, now and again -- and if that be treason, make the most of it! -
As my Shakespeare Professor had mentioned, the part of Othello is highly challenging, which is why many don't perfect it or intend to play it. Larry Fishburne however did a magnificent job! He provided us an astonishing portrayal of how even a noble, righteous and even intelligent man, can succumb to "the green eyed monster." The calculatingly evil Iago was FLAWLESSLY portrayed by veteran Shakespearian actor Kenneth Branagh, who occasionally stared into the eyes of the camera itself, explaining his dark plans and expectations.
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stancym-129 December 2010I just watched the full length version of the play, televised by BBC in 1981 with Anthony Hopkins in the title role of Othello and Bob Hoskins playing Iago. It made me realize just how much the Fishburne/Branagh version from 1995 suffers by being cut to ribbons to fit in a much shorter time slot. The director finds time for sex scenes but leaves out scenes that are vital to fully understanding the background and the relationships and what is going on.
The film is good, but should have been longer. Laurence Fishburne is good in the title role but not incredible, and again, he is missing some of his best lines due to editing. Irene Jacob is a bit weak as Desdemona and I do think it may have to do with English not being her native tongue. Kenneth Branagh as Iago virtually steals every scene he is in. He is just delicious. Fortunately he is in most of the scenes. He is evil even when he is about to make love to his wife, perhaps not in a way that she would like at all, from what I could tell.
See it but then see one of the versions that does not have so much text cut out. -
ChrisTheBard11 June 2009... or was Honest Iago actually smirking at the end, as he died?
Loved how the Bard's iambic pentameter just rolled of Fishburne's tongue, with excellent clarity and emotion.
And how Branagh made Honest Iago seem to celebrate his own evilness...
This is a wonderful film.
I have often thought that Shakespeare is inherently not film-friendly: He uses words to create pictures in our minds, which creates a perennial battle with the camera, which only knows to show us what we need to think and feel. Every effort to film Shakespeare ought really to be celebrated. It is not an easy thing to do.