Othello

My acting teacher, the late great Hayes Gordon, used to say that no acting was too big, as long as it was filled. In other words, if the emotion was real, an actor could chew the scenery and still create empathy from the audience. I have never seen a better example of this than in this superb silent adaptation of Shakespeare's classic.

Emil Jannings and Werner Krauss, probably the two best German actors of their generation, give HUGE performances as Othello and Iago - but both are completely believable, and utterly compelling, because every emotion is felt, not indicated. As a result, this could be the best of all the film "Othellos".

Strikingly shot, on brilliantly realised sets, the director also makes sure that nothing distracts from the magnificent performances of the actors. Every performance in this film is brilliant - but Jannings and Krauss climb to the pinacle of silent film acting.

See this film, and see two of the greatest actors of all time convey the essence of Shakespeare without uttering a single word!

I was looking forward to this release of OTHELLO with the same sort of anticipation that I had reserved for Kino's RICHARD III. Therefore I must confess that I found this DVD something of a disappointment which has nothing to do with the film itself but rather with the presentation. My biggest complaint is with the piano score written to accompany the film. It's not a bad score but it seems inadequate for the story and for the visuals especially after hearing Ennio Morricone's score for RICHARD III. An orchestral or chamber music score would have been more appropriate. There's also a considerable lack of information about the main feature. Where are the credits?

Having said that I found the film itself a delight. While not a literal adaptation of OTHELLO, it conveys the psychological essence of the play quite well. This is after all a German silent with the appropriate visual look and stylised performances that are to be expected with such a film. The performances of Emil Jannings and Werner Krauss are simply marvelous especially Krauss whose Iago resembles the Mephistopheles that Jannings would portray in FAUST two years later. His remarkable resemblance to Terry Jones of MONTY PYTHON adds a little something extra for today's audience. It's interesting but not surprising that Lya De Putti as Emilia receives higher billing than Ica von Lenkeffy as Desdemona. Her relationship with Iago is far more interesting than that of Othello and Desdemona. Hungarian actress De Putti appeared in a number of important German silents including THE INDIAN TOMB and VARIETY. Ica von Lenkeffy, another Hungarian actress, has little to do except stand around and look pretty which is often the case with Desdemona on film.

Director Dmitri Buchowetzki mixes potent visuals, close ups, and large scale crowd scenes to great effect. The print is less than perfect but is probably the best available and is still very fine. The supplements are a definite plus and here the piano accompaniment fits quite nicely. The 1911 DESDEMONA takes the top honors. The resemblance of Ronald Colman's A DOUBLE LIFE to it did not go unnoticed. Check out Biograph's 1908 TAMING OF THE SHREW for a rare glimpse of Florence Lawrence, the original Biograph Girl, who portrays Katherine. There is also early Max Linder in ROMEO TURNS BANDIT and interesting costumes in DUEL SCENE FROM MACBETH. All in all a valuable release and a must for silent film fans. It's really good but it could have been even better...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

I like this adaptation of Shakespeare's play, mostly for the performances by two of Weimar Germany's greatest screen actors, Emil Jannings as Othello and Werner Krauss as Iago. There are many alterations to the original text in addition to the expected truncation. Director Dimitri Buchowetzki achieves a good pacing out of it. Lotte Eisner (author of "The Haunted Screen") says the language is naïve, but I don't consider that very important in a silent film. There are plenty of better ways to get that if one wants. For a silent film especially, visually adapting the play is essential.

Visually, the film has survived well over the years. The photography is crisp. The sets look nice, as well. They're studio built, which is a convenience in controlling lighting, but they're not exceptional, nor used very effectively. One of the better-filmed moments is when the sets are blacked out during the dramatic dénouement. Jannings and Krauss, who both came from the stage, compensate for many of the shortcomings, though. In moor makeup, Jannings again demonstrates his versatility, and he gives a strong performance. But, I think Krauss steals the show; he is thoroughly dastardly, with tights and occasional dance-like movements, and his character directs the plot throughout. This film was worthwhile for me because of those two performances.

After the Russian director Dimitri Buchowetzki had made the film 'Danton' in 1921 with Emil Jannings and Werner Krauß in the leading roles, he cast the two greats of the Berlin stage again a year later, this time for his film version of the Shakespeare drama 'Othello'. Jannings plays the 'Moor of Venice', as was customary at the time as a white actor in blackface. In this classic role, he is able to set off all the fireworks of his' acting artistry, from affably jovial to imperiously dominant, but above all he has ample opportunity for his special showpiece: the portrayal of someone who has been overpowered by circumstances and whose control over himself has been torn away by an unbearable fate. Krauß plays Iago, probably the most despicable villain in Shakespeare's canon.

Buchowetzki, who is also responsible for the screenplay, sticks to the original until shortly before the end of the film. Othello, a successful admiral of the Venetian fleet, loves Desdemona (Ica von Lenkeffy), the daughter of a councillor, and she loves him. As Desdemona's father (Friedrich Kühne) refuses the African his daughter's hand in marriage, they marry in secret. Iago, whom Othello trusts completely, envies him his happiness, especially after Othello has promoted Cassio (Theodor Loos) instead of him. Iago now secretly plots to take revenge on Othello. In doing so, he shamelessly exploits the good faith of Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, his own wife Emilia (Lya de Putti) and the rich fool Rodrigo (Ferdinand von Alten). Iago has realised that Othello's greatest weakness is unbridled jealousy. He therefore skilfully sows more and more doubts about Desdemona's fidelity until he has driven Othello and everyone else involved to disaster.

At the end, Buchowetzki deviates from the original. The great French director René Clair praised him for this free interpretation, which follows the spirit rather than the letter of the play. Overall, 'Othello' was well received by contemporary critics. Even the American trade journal 'Variety', which was traditionally rather critical of European films, wrote: 'From an artistic point of view, the film is a triumph. Emil Jannings' Othello is a magnificent acting performance, and the production leaves nothing to be desired', only to immediately question the commercial value of such art films in America.

Today, Werner Krauß in the role of Iago seems more remarkable than Emil Jannings, who can be seen playing a similar role in many films. There is probably no other film in which the busy Krauß plays such a perfidious villain. He does this superbly here, knowing full well that the villain Iago in 'Othello' - as so often - is the real star of the play, because he is much more interesting than the naive hero and also always informs the audience in advance about his diabolical plans. The matter becomes particularly remarkable when one realises that Krauß' portrayal of Iago can certainly be seen as a foreshadowing of the inglorious, inhuman positions and roles that the later bearer of the Iffland Ring took on in the Third Reich. Just think of his 'embodiment of the Jewish people' in Veit Harlan's infamous propaganda film 'Jud Süß'.

The essence of Buchowetzki's film is above all the interplay between two masterful actors, who are provided with grandiose buildings and effective sets. Like 'Danton', 'Othello' often appears stage-like, which is of course appropriate for the subject matter. However this Shakespeare is not academically anaemic, but a juicy adaptation.

"German expressionism" is not so much in the film as it is as on the faces of Emil Jannings (Othello) and Werner Krauss (Iago), in this silent version of "Othello". The production is nicely staged, with everyone finding their marks. Its costumes and sets are very well designed. The adaptation is faithful enough to Shakespeare's envious storyline. But, watching two overly grand old actors is the film's main calling card, presently. Mugging uproariously in a fat-clinging black outfit, Mr. Krauss renders darkly-skinned Mr. Jannings positively subtle, in comparison. The most sensual scene has Krauss delivering Jannings' handkerchief while arranging the pillows for his head.

***** Othello (2/22) Dimitri Buchowetzki ~ Emil Jannings, Werner Krauss, Ica von Lenkeffy