Othello (film, 1995)

Othello is a 1995 drama film adapted from William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name. Directed by Oliver Parker, who also wrote the screenplay, the film was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment as a co-production between the United States and the United Kingdom. It stands out as the first cinematic adaptation of the play released by a major studio to cast an African-American actor as Othello, although low-budget independent versions starring Ted Lange and Yaphet Kotto had preceded it.

In the story, Othello's trusted ensign Iago convinces the Moorish commander that his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful; driven by schemes of his own, Iago's deception unravels into a tragedy of jealousy, rage and regret. Laurence Fishburne stars as Othello, with Irène Jacob as Desdemona and Kenneth Branagh as Iago, while Nathaniel Parker appears as Cassio. Running about 123 minutes, the film was released on 15 December 1995.