The Big "O"

In the film adaptation of the Shakespearean play Othello, "O", there are many interesting interpretations of the text by the director, the writers and the actors themselves.

The school is one of the most obviously adapted to present day times. The kingdom-like qualities are translated into a community-like form where there is status, where money and power take their toll, where race is still a very controversial topic and where all of it is very relevant just like in Othello's time. The uniforms that the students have to wear very accurately imply the uniforms that soldiers would have to wear right down to the suit that Desi's father wears that gives him a sense of power, and the uniforms that the girls wear showing their status and separating them from the boys they are with. The kingdom that is the school is clearly run by popularity much like any other school, everything is handled by Odin. When Hugo (Iago) starts to try to change the status quo everything went to hell. The students all but went insane with the new developments and any viewer could tell that nothing would ever be the same .

Rodger's (Roderigo) character is depicted in more of an exaggerated form of a used character than he is in the play. His money and status are more blatantly used against him and there is an aspect of physical abuse that is painfully obvious within the first hour of the film. Hugo is the character that we all love to hate, however, in an interesting twist he is the character we all feel sorry for because he is so unloved.

The "marriage" between Odin and Desi is also very interesting. In Shakespear's play there is a large controversy over whether the marriage between Othello and Desdemona is consummated. However, in the film the director and the writers take it one step further. The film raises the idea of whether or not the marriage was actually valid by filming the scene where Odin puts a rubber band of Desi's finger and asks her to "pretend for a while". While Desi is shocked and awed by the proposition she gives into this child like mentality of prince charming without thinking about the consequences of her decision. Her "marriage" to Odin didn't make any sense and both in the film and the play both were too naive and young to devote themselves to that type of relationship and commitment.