Tonight’s movie: Othello

As a longtime Oz fan, I noticed that PBS was showing a modern take on Shakespeare’s Othello starring Eamonn Walker and thought I might watch it. Very interesting, Walker plays John Othello, a police commissioner in present day London who has the misfortune to be jumped up over his friend and mentor Ben Jago (Iago). Jago, played here by Christopher Eccleston, goes a little mad and plots his revenge. The dialogue–script is by Andrew Davies (Bridget Jones’ Diary, Emma, personal fave House of Cards)–is modern but echoes the original nicely. Walker and Eccleston, along with Keeley Hawes playing Othello’s wife, are all strong. Check out the PBS website linked to the title if you want some background and good reference material on this production and the original. Recommended.