Othello (1995 film)
| Othello | |
|---|---|
|
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| Directed by | Oliver Parker |
| Produced by | David Barron |
| Written by | William Shakespeare |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Charlie Mole |
| Cinematography | David Johnson |
| Edited by | Tony Lawson |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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December 15, 1995 |
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Running time
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123 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11 million |
| Box office | $2,844,379 (United States) |
Othello is a 1995 film based on William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name. It was directed by Oliver Parker and stars Laurence Fishburne as Othello, Irène Jacob as Desdemona, and Kenneth Branagh as Iago. This is the first cinematic reproduction of the play released by a major studio that casts an African American actor to play the role of Othello, although low-budget independent films of the play starring Ted Lange and Yaphet Kotto predated it.
This film is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. Othello is a Moor who has left his hometown Venice to fight against the Turks on the island of Cyprus. During the battle, he was accompanied by his faithful lieutenant, Cassio. As the film opens, Othello is returning to Venice from the long fight against the Turks. With much excitement, he meets with his love, Desdemona.
Iago, Othello's trusted companion, envies Othello's life and plans to ruin it by manipulating Othello into believing that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio and is pregnant with Cassio's child. He arouses Othello's suspicion and jealousy gradually, and then plants Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's clothing for Othello to find. When he does, he is convinced of Desdemona's infidelity and, in a rage, decides to kill both her and Cassio.
Othello smothers Desdemona, who dies just as Iago's wife, Emilia, enters the bedroom. Emilia then tells Othello the truth behind Iago's lies and he realizes what he has done. In despair, Othello stabs and wounds Iago. Othello then kills himself, and Iago is taken away to be tortured and executed.
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