Othello (1951)

The production of Orson Wells theatrical version of Shakespeare's Othello was notably troubled, even by the standard of a director with a history of troubled productions. After the films Italian producer went bankrupt in the early stages of shooting, Wells production become an on and off effort for the next three years, with the director/star halting production to make other movies so he'd have enough money to resume production. At one point Wells and several of the principal cast members even went on a theatrical tour of other plays to raise money. The production was such and odd and straining experience that actor Micheál Mac Liammóir, who plays Iago, wrote two memoirs just about it.

Filmed on two continents the movie is beautifully and inventively shot, the perspective skewering opening sequence alone is worth seeing the movie for. As is inherent to Shakespeare plays the dialogue can be somewhat tough going if your unfamiliar, rusty, or just not in the mood. Othello is not a play I was that familiar with, the plot is about a vengeful man sabotaging an interracial marriage, so it feels way more current then its 16th century setting. One of relatively few films for Canadian actress Suzanne Cloutier, who plays Desdemona and was married to the actor Peter Ustinov. ***1/2