O

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, Julia Styles, Andrew Keegan, Rain Phoenix, Eldon Henson, Martin Sheen, John Heard.
Directed by Tim Blake Nelson.

O is an adaptation and modernisation of the plot of Shakespeare’s Othello.

During the 1990s there were a number of versions of Shakespeare’s plays on screen including Richard III, Othello with Laurence Fishburn and Kenneth Branagh, Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet, Twelfth Night, as well as Baz Luhrman’s Romeo and Juliet. There were also a number of modernisations of Shakespeare at this time including Ten Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew) and Hamlet. Both of the latter films starred Julia Styles who is the Desdemona character in this film.

The setting is North Carolina and a college with a focus on basketball instead of the original’s warfare. The film follows Shakespeare’s plot quite closely. The updating and change of names is close: Odin for Othello, Hugo for Iago, Michael Cassio, Desi, Emily for Amelia, Roger for Rodrigo. Martin Sheen, the basketball coach, is Duke Goulding.

The film focuses on the only black student, a champion basketball player, in the North Carolina school. He is played well by Mekhi Phifer who makes the stardom, the aggressiveness, the tenderness towards Desi and then the jealousy quite credible. However, Josh Hartnett is surprisingly good as the sinister and manipulative Hugo.

The film is brief, has a lot of hip-hop music, substitutes a lot of contemporary swearing for Shakespeare’s more poetic oaths. However, the drama builds up well, the original plot of the play serving very well for a universal plot, any time, any place.

The film was directed by Tim Blake Nelson, writer and director (The Gray Zone) and actor (O Brother, Where Art Thou).

1.The impact of the film? As a drama in itself? A contemporary college basketball story?

2.The use of Shakespeare’s plot? The strong parallels? The characters, the drama, the deceptions, the jealousy, the violence?

3.The North Carolina settings, the school, the basketball matches, the dormitories, the countryside? Realistic? The musical score – and the hip-hop background of the end of the 90s?

4.Shakespeare’s plot, dramatic, persuasive – and well able to be adapted to a contemporary setting? The lack of Shakespeare’s verse and language?

5.The basketball setting, the number of matches, the play, the training? Duke Goulding and his intensity as coach? His ambitions for Odin? His wanting him to get scholarships? His taking his own son for granted? His celebration of Odin’s victories, the award for the player of the year? His generally ignoring his son, yet his congratulations for his English results? His interaction with the dean of the college, the issue of Desi and Odin’s assault? His defence of Odin? Odin and his erratic play after his mind was twisted by Hugo? The slam-dunk and the applause? His violence towards the ball boy? The bewilderment of the coach? His ultimate bewilderment at the behaviour of his son – and having to leave the match? The importance of the basketball?

6.Odin, his background, age? Getting the scholarship? The only black student in the college? The use of the word ‘nigger’? His relationship with Desi, in love with her? The coach singling him out, his skills in play? His choosing Michael as his friend and support in the team? His not being aware of Hugo’s attitude and jealousy? The scenes with Desi? The scenes with Hugo, Hugo and the insinuations, about Michael, about the scarf? His telling lies? The effect on Odin, going to pieces? His violent outbursts? The brutal sexual encounter with Desi? Going to see her, desperate? His taking the drugs? The slam-dunk and his behaviour? The prospects of his being chosen for scholarship? His ruining his life? Going along with Hugo’s plan, his throttling of Desi? The exposure of the truth, his desperation, the loss of all meaning in his life, killing himself?

7.Hugo as Iago? The son of the coach? His achievements, in the team, not singled out, not noticed by his father? As a student? His plan with Roger? Setting him up, lying about Desi? His attitude towards Desi and wanting to destroy her? His friendship with Michael? Using him to undermine Odin? His talk with Odin, ingenuous, insinuations, self-deprecation? Yet coldly calculating? Taking the scarf, the set-up, Michael’s condemnation? His manipulating Roger? In class, talking with Odin? In the dormitory? Gradually revealing himself, his plan? The visualising of the plan before it happened? Using Roger, Roger and his failure to kill Michael, hitting Michael, shooting Roger? His hurrying back to the dormitory? Stopping Brandy, her refusal to get the police? Going to the room, the confrontation with Odin, Desi dead? His wanting to be silent, the final voice-over, the image of the doves, the eagle, the hawk? His explanation of the images? Sitting in the back of the police car and determined to fly and for people to take notice of him?

8.Desi, the dean’s daughter, love for Odin? Her frank talk with her father, defiant? Michael using this to show that she could be strong-willed and deceptive? Her love for Odin, friendship with Michael, the scarf and the loss of it? Emily as her confidante yet betraying her? Her puzzle about Odin and his behaviour, sitting with Michael, Odin’s jealousy? The ultimate confrontation and her death?

9.Emily, friend, giving Hugo the scarf? Complicit in the plan – but not intending such disaster? Her trying to rectify the situation? Her being shot?

10.Michael, an ordinary young man, in the college? His skill at basketball, praised by the coach? The contrived fights, Odin, Roger? His being off the team, the suggestion that Desi plead with Odin for him to be reinstated? His meanness in tormenting and taunting Roger? His relationship with Brandy? With Emily? His crass talk? His meeting Hugo, Roger attacking him, Hugo killing him?

11.Roger, the outsider, taunted by the others? His love for Desi? His being a tool for Hugo’s manipulation? His failing at the end, shooting Michael in the leg? Hugo shooting him?

12.The dean of the school, his love for his daughter, her defiance of him? Desperation at the end?

13.Life in the high school, relationships, violence? Drugs and the deals?

14.The outline of Shakespeare’s play and its serving for a contemporary story?