|
Orson Welles, one of the greatest American filmmakers, revered Shakespeare's works and was determined to bring his own vision to the Bard's classics on screen, though the Hollywood studios resisted the idea. His Othello (1952) was a daring and visually adventurous production distinguished by dynamic editing, flashy camera work and dramatic visual compositions, recalling Welles' classic Citizen Kane more than the typical "stagy" Shakespearean films of the time. Welles also starred in the title role as the hot-tempered Moor who is consumed with jealousy when his devious underling, Iago, leads him to believe that his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. Lack of studio financing meant that Welles himself had to struggle over three-year period to raise funds for the film. Because of the financial shortfall, he often was forced to improvise during production, following his dead-on artistic instincts and actually producing a mor | | |