Shakespeare's Othello - end, part 1/2 (Laurence Olivier)

Shakespeare's Othello - Act 5, scene 2, line 243 (Iago, Montano and Gratiano exit) to end of play.

go here to view interview with Olivier about performing this role (thanks kiopelus!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlXcUikh06M

Laurence Olivier ... Othello
Maggie Smith ... Desdemona
Joyce Redman ... Emilia
Frank Finlay ... Iago
Michael Turner ... Gratiano
Edward Hardwicke ... Montano


Directed by Stuart Burge and John Dexter

from John W. Hales, "Notes and Essays on Shakespeare" (London, 1884):

For the most part Shakespeare delights in tracing the action of the great moral laws of the world, and showing how fearful is the penalty of transgression.
But sometime he exhibits a yet more dreadful spectacle,--a spectacle mysterious, inscrutable, soul-prostrating. It is Fate, blind, inexorable, rapacious.
Desdemona is one of Fate's choicest victims. Her 'graces serve' her 'but as enemies'. Her very virtues bring on her ruin. What is most innocent is
construed into evidence against her. In obeying the best instincts of her clear spirit she excites the evilest suspicions and secures the bitterest
condemnation. The truth from her lips is turned into a lie. In the present passage, her answers, by an almost incredible infelicity, are, through the
very purity of her nature, just such as to confirm Othello's detestable impeachment. Could replies be more unfortunate? She lies in the toils of Fate,
and there is no escape for her. We may go further than her name in Greek, desdaimon, 'ill-starred', and say it is merely a variation of desdaimonia,
'ill-starredness'. She is not only unhappy, she is unhappiness itself.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Shakespeare
• Othello
• LaurenceOlivier
• Desdemona
• Iago
• MaggieSmith
• JoyceRedman
• performing
• arts

[Lynn15]

Maggie Smith ftw

[fabrizzzio48]

For Olivier, playing Othello is his acting Mecca, as one of Shakespeare's most difficult roles. Othello could have been, Mongolian, Skimo, Chinese, French, Norwegian, or PuertoRican, in the play the role is a moor.

So, Olivier, needs make up.

That racism existed and exists in the world's theater and film communities, is one thing, but the work of Olivier, is another.

He did not just put blackface, he portrayed a complex Othello with dignity and respect, honoring thus, the character's race.

[cgt2816]

I am an Olivier fan, but not of his interpretation of Othello. I understand that he didn't intend to offend anyone, but I can see how his performance could be offensive to some. I'm black and when watch this, I laugh. Olivier's "make up" is overdone and his overacting appears more like a comedy skit gone horribly wrong than an actual tragic moment in someone's life. Is it just me or does he sound like Bill Cosby? Maybe thats why I can't take his interpretation seriously.

[bugmusk6]

@pukinowt Maggie is the one who shines in this!!!! Olivier looks like he's trying out for a high school play!!!!

[AtLastOnTheGround]

The make-up he had to put on to play this part each night took three hours to apply. He worked for months to lower his speaking voice a full octave. That's craft that we don't see nowadays.

[JamieAmeliaClarisse]

@Shakespeareandmore: Could you please put the whole movie on YouTube? Thanx :)

[pukinowt]

@cornishpastie9 Well of course it's a matter of opinion, but all the great directors and major players in theatre will tell you that he is the best stage actor, and I'd guess they know more about their profession than you do. Additionally this was originally a play on stage, and the make-up was convincing and well done at the time, even if it did come off slightly worse on film. Olivier wanted to play Othello, he was nominated for an oscar for his performance, and they wanted the very best.

[cornishpastie9]

@pukinowt

The 'greatest stage actor ever' is a matter of opinion. To me, he's not very good. And, to be honest, the makeup isn't convincing enough not to make the whole thing seem humorous. Plus, since when do you need the greatest actor in the world to fill a role? It's not like having a slightly-worse-in-your-opinion black actor would do the play any harm.

[pukinowt]

@cornishpastie9 Olivier is widely regarded as the greatest stage actor ever. Anyone who holds any clout in the theatre world and they will tell you that. In honesty I would prefer the greatest actor of the time who was a perfectionist about his roles, ensuring that everything was perfect, blacking up to be Othello, than a black actor who was not as good as he. This is echoed by the fact that this is seen as a phenomenal and definitive portrayal of Othello by actors, directors and critics alike.

[psychoreactive]

You know what? If white actors didn't traditionally dress up in blackface and denigrate African Americans with damaging stereotypes that persist to this day. Then maybe I could say "Oh this isn't racist it's just great acting!". But since that's not how it went: blackface is and will continue to be a white supremacist practice.

[KilldozerRocks]

Wow. I should incredibly offended that it's a British guy in blackface, but damn, it's just the power of Sir Laurence I guess.