Othello

Desdemona, the daughter of a Venetian aristocrat, elopes with Othello, a Moorish general, provoking Iago’s envy and resentment. Knowing the hero’s weaknesses, Iago manipulates him through suspicions and intrigues that gradually lead Othello towards distrust and emotional destruction. An adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name, Othello is one of Orson Welles’s most personal projects: he directed, produced and played the leading role. Historically significant, the film also reflects the racial representation conventions of its time, which require critical framing today.