Othello (character) Othello (character) Othello () is a character in Shakespeare's "Othello" (c. 1601–1604). The character's origin is traced to the tale "Un Capitano Moro" in "Gli Hecatommithi" by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor. Othello is a brave and competent soldier of advanced years and Moorish background in the service of the Venetian Republic. He elopes with Desdemona, the beautiful daughter of a respected Venetian senator. After being deployed to Cyprus, Othello is manipulated by his Ancient (pronounced Ensign) Iago into believing Desdemona is an adulteress. Othello murders her and, upon discovering Iago's deceit,
Filming Othello for an engagement at the Film Forum, a nonprofit cinema, and that presentation was acknowledged by Vincent Canby of "The New York Times" as "entertaining and revealing" and "full of priceless anecdotes." "Filming Othello" was released on home video for the first time on 10 October 2017 by The Criterion Collection. It was included in DVD and Blu-ray sets featuring newly restored 4K digital transfers of both the 1952 European and 1955 U.S. versions of "Othello". Filming Othello Filming Othello is a 1978 documentary film directed by and starring Orson Welles about the making of his award-winning 1951 production "Othello".