Othello

Alternative title
Moor, The
Synopsis
A version of the play, based on both Cinthio’s original tale and Shakespeare’s play, with echoes of Reinhardt and Expressionism. Emil Jannings is Othello.
Country
Germany
Medium
Film
Technical information
Black-and-white / Silent
Year of release
1922
Duration
8,731 feet

Credits

Director
Dimitri Buchowetzki
Producer
Paul Blumenthal
Cinematographer
Friedrich Paulmann; Karl Hasselmann
Writer
William Shakespeare
Screenplay
Carl Hagen; Dimitri Buchowetzki
Art Direction
Fritz Kraencke; Karl Machus
Cast
Emil JanningsOthello
Ica LenkeffyDesdemona
Werner KraußIago
Theodor LoosMichael Cassio
Lya de PuttiEmilia
Ferdinand von AltenRoderigo
Kuhne. FriedrichBrabantio
Magnus StifterMontano

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Plays
Othello
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Available on DVD region 1 only. DVD extras include four silent Shakespeare films: Four silent Shakespearean shorts: DUEL SCENE FROM MACBETH (1905), THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (1908), ROMEO TURNS BANDIT (1910) and DESDEMONA (1911); Essay by Douglas Brode.
History
Released in the US in 1923 by Export & Import Film Co.
Textual information
The BFI National Archive copy is the American version, produced by Ben Blumenthal and David P. Howells, and edited by Don Bartlett. This 16mm print with English titles, is 2,341ft (65 minutes). The original German release length was 2,662m (8,731ft 35mm).
Reviews
Ball, Robert Hamilton. Shakespeare on Silent Film: A Strange Eventful History. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1968 (pp279-84, 376-377), Ball, who heavily criticises the film "the production was tasteless and unimaginative", and "the acting in general is incredibly bad", details each reel.

Production Company

Name

Wörnor Film

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7436 0165
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Name

Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division

Web
http://catalog.loc.gov/ External site opens in new window
Phone
(20) 707-8572
Fax
(20) 707-237’1
Address
Motion Picture & Television Reading Room
James Madison Building, LM 336
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C.
20540-4690
United States

Distributor

Name

BFI Film Bookings Unit

Email
bookings.films@bfi.org.uk
Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7957 8938 / 8935
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web
http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Othello". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/15827 (Accessed 12 Nov 2024)