Black military general Othello (Laurence Fishburne) elopes with Desdemona, the fair-skinned love of his life against her father's wishes in this adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy. Desdemona's father employs Iago (Kenneth Branagh), one of Othello's officers, to convince Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful. Tricked into jealousy and driven to madness, Othello murders his devoted Desdemona.

"An intelligent, respectable adaptation."

- Leonard Maltin

"A solid reading that pulls out the stops."

- Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

"Moments of painterly richness . . . almost too good to last."

- Robert Hurwitt, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER

"Kenneth Branagh turns in another fine Shakespeare-on-film performance."

- Dan Savage, FILM.COM