As you can see by reading the other reviews here, people either love, like, or loathe Olivier’s performance. I’m definitely in the like category. I don’t love it but neither do I hate it. I don’t have a problem with the black make-up in view of the overtly theatrical nature of the film (Olivier’s Arab make-up in KHARTOUM the following year would have been more accurate) and as for his accent, listen to recordings of Paul Robeson’s Othello (they exist) and you’ll hear a startling similarity. The new widescreen DVD transfer restores some of his body movements which were virtually impossible to see in the old VHS version.
What we have is a very theatrical performance of its time captured on film and it needs to be viewed as such. In fact all of the performances are larger than life even Maggie Smith’s Desdemona which is stronger than most Desdemonas. It is, however, this very theatricality that gives the film its power. I can clearly understand Shakespeare’s text (people not used to it should use the subtitles which are a great help) and the motivations of the characters while Geoffrey Unsworth’s photography, when seen in the proper aspect, helps to focus our attention on the play especially when Iago is on screen.
Frank Finlay’s Iago is the centerpiece that all the other characters gravitate to. In this version we can not only see his villainy at work but the thought processes behind it. His astonishing performance takes full advantage of Shakespeare’s lines. Derek Jacobi’s Cassio allows us to see more of the man than I have seen in other film versions (his drunk scene is very revealing) and makes him more of a character than a pawn in Iago’s scheme. Finally praise needs to be given to Robert Lang’s Roderigo who is not just a two dimensional dupe. Throw in Joyce Redman’s Emilia and you have the strongest overall cast that I have ever seen in the too few film versions of this play.
In fact they are not only on a par with Olivier but often surpass him. It goes without saying that this movie won’t be for all tastes. For those of you looking for a more modern and realistic film of OTHELLO, watch the 1995 Laurence Fishburne version and no version is more cinematic than Orson Welles’ 1952 film. However for sheer acting firepower and interpretation of the text, this version can’t be topped. Incidentally, standing against a column in the center of Cassio’s drunk scene (and in other crowd gatherings) is none other than Michael Gambon.
The Capsule Critic 