Screening of Othello (1995, Dir. Kenneth Branagh)

23 April 2016
BFI Southbank
Part of the BFI Shakespeare on Film season

Review by Jenna Byers, PhD candidate, History

‘Othello’ is one of Shakespeare’s more thought-provoking plays, in that it very clearly demonstrates an attitude which modern society deems entirely inappropriate, but which would have been perfectly acceptable to Shakespeare’s contemporaries in the fifteenth century. I refer, of course, to the racism experienced by Othello, and to the fact that men, throughout the play, can calmly respect him for his military achievements while simultaneously denigrating him for the colour of his skin.

This film version of the play, made in 1995, brings the issue to the fore when it makes it clear that racism, as much as Othello’s personal jealousy, is responsible for his downfall. Abridged, and with some scenes in different places, this production is more of a thriller than Shakespeare may have intended, but that in no way diminishes the experience. The film is fast-paced and engaging, making it more accessible to a modern audience than perhaps a more traditional adaptation might have been.

This accessibility is also enhanced by the casting. Laurence Fishburne, who had no previous experience playing Shakespeare, plays the role of Othello, and does a superb job. He has the presence, intelligence and depth to make you believe that not only would Desdemona betray her father for him, but that he would also be able to overcome the racial aversion that he has faced, to become the highly-respected figure he is at the beginning of the play.

Opposite him is Kenneth Branagh, playing a cool and flippant Iago. As is ever the case, the dialogue trips off Branagh’s tongue as easily as if he were having an ordinary conversation, and this casual competence lends Iago a wonderful insouciance which means that even though you know he’s the villain of the piece, you quite enjoy his time on-screen anyway. There is also a clever trick here, as the director, Oliver Parker, had Branagh deliver some of his lines in a close-up aside to the camera, thus drawing us in and making us feel like co-conspirators in his complex game.

The female cast members are perhaps a little less successful. Irene Jacobs plays Desdemona, and while her naïveté is highly appealing, the actor’s struggle with the language sometimes makes her seem stiff and stilted, which is a shame in such a passionate play. Anna Patrick, however, plays a wonderful Emilia, Desdemona’s lady-in-waiting. She has an ease with the language which allows the wit and humour in her lines to come to the fore, as well as the range to ensure that the emotional moments strike home.

This is not an artistic, intellectual interpretation of Shakespeare. It is predominantly designed to entertain, and this it does in abundance. It has retained the themes of passion and jealousy present in the original play, showing us that Shakespeare’s genius was not necessarily in his choice of words, but in his fundamental understanding of human nature.