This is not 'filmed' Shakespeare as such, as are those of 'Othello' made by Orson Welles and Sergei Yutkevich but a record of the National Theatre production of 1964. Stuart Burge was certainly no great shakes as a film director, witness his 'Julius Caesar' of 1970(!) but here he has done a first rate job of transferring John Dexter's original production to the screen.
When interviewed for television by Kenneth Tynan in the mid-sixties, the viewing of which I would strongly recommend to those who are genuinely interested in the art of great acting, Laurence Olivier freely admitted that even by Shakesperean standards the role of Othello is 'a terror and almost unplayable'.
There were no half-measures for Olivier of course and having taken on the role at the tender age of 58 he proceeded to dazzle us with the bravest and most strikingly original interpretation of modern times. He plays him as a savage who deludes himself that he is not easily made jealous. Not only did he build up his physique with weights but also added a few bass notes to his voice. Those to whom I have spoken who saw him on stage have described his performance as 'electrifying'.
Olivier knew full well, having played Iago to Ralph Richardson's Othello, that Iago can easily steal the show. After all he is onstage almost as much as Othello and W. H. Auden considered his to be the most interesting character.
As played by the excellent Frank Finlay, Iago is a thoroughly dislikeable, charmless and humourless malcontent. Finlay's 'down to earth' style represents the perfect contrast to that of Othello's flamboyance and he certainly does not steal Olivier's thunder.
By all accounts the production was not a happy experience for Maggie Smith and although on paper she is miscast as Desdemona her natural sensitivity shines through.
Olivier brought Derek Jacobi to the National Theatre from his Chichester Festival Company and here he excels as Cassio. Jacobi remains one of the few actors alive who can still speak verse.
The production design is superb and Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography is ravishing.
It is such a pity that Olivier's inspired interpretation is now frowned upon by the self-righteous PC brigade. I have also heard younger actors, who should know better, describing it as 'inappropriate' at best or at worst 'racist'. The simple fact is that since the film's release there has been a seismic social and cultural shift that has rendered it unacceptable; to the majority anyway. At the time, believe it or not, Olivier's portrayal was much admired by Sammy Davis Junior!
When interviewed for television by Kenneth Tynan in the mid-sixties, the viewing of which I would strongly recommend to those who are genuinely interested in the art of great acting, Laurence Olivier freely admitted that even by Shakesperean standards the role of Othello is 'a terror and almost unplayable'.
There were no half-measures for Olivier of course and having taken on the role at the tender age of 58 he proceeded to dazzle us with the bravest and most strikingly original interpretation of modern times. He plays him as a savage who deludes himself that he is not easily made jealous. Not only did he build up his physique with weights but also added a few bass notes to his voice. Those to whom I have spoken who saw him on stage have described his performance as 'electrifying'.
Olivier knew full well, having played Iago to Ralph Richardson's Othello, that Iago can easily steal the show. After all he is onstage almost as much as Othello and W. H. Auden considered his to be the most interesting character.
As played by the excellent Frank Finlay, Iago is a thoroughly dislikeable, charmless and humourless malcontent. Finlay's 'down to earth' style represents the perfect contrast to that of Othello's flamboyance and he certainly does not steal Olivier's thunder.
By all accounts the production was not a happy experience for Maggie Smith and although on paper she is miscast as Desdemona her natural sensitivity shines through.
Olivier brought Derek Jacobi to the National Theatre from his Chichester Festival Company and here he excels as Cassio. Jacobi remains one of the few actors alive who can still speak verse.
The production design is superb and Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography is ravishing.
It is such a pity that Olivier's inspired interpretation is now frowned upon by the self-righteous PC brigade. I have also heard younger actors, who should know better, describing it as 'inappropriate' at best or at worst 'racist'. The simple fact is that since the film's release there has been a seismic social and cultural shift that has rendered it unacceptable; to the majority anyway. At the time, believe it or not, Olivier's portrayal was much admired by Sammy Davis Junior!