Othon (1971)
Straub-Huillet’s first color film, adapts a lesser-known Corneille tragedy from 1664, which in turn was based on an episode of imperial court intrigue chronicled in Tacitus’s Histories. The costuming is classical, and the toga-clad, nonprofessional cast performs the drama’s original French text amid the ruins of Rome’s Palatine Hill while the noise of contemporary urban life hums in the background. Their lines are executed with a terrific flatness and frequently through heavy accents; the language in Othon becomes not merely an expression but a thing itself, an element whose plainness here alerts us to qualities of the work that might otherwise be subordinated.
Director: Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 88 min
Release Date: January 13, 1971
Cast
- Adriano Aprà - Othon
- Anne Brumagne - Plautine
- Ennio Lauricella - Galba
- Olimpia Carlisi - Camille
- Anthony Pensabene - Vinius
- Jean-Marie Straub - Lucus
- Jean-Claude Biette - Martianus
- Marilù Parolini - Flavie
- Eduardo de Gregorio - Atticus
- Sergio Rossi - Rutile
Screenplay
- Pierre Corneille (Theatre Play)
- Jean-Marie Straub (Screenplay)
- Danièle Huillet (Screenplay)
Cinematography: Ugo Piccone, Renato Berta
Editing: Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
Production: Janus Film und Fernsehen
Country: Germany
Language: Français
Original Language: fr
More Films by Director: Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet
More Films in Genre: Drama
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Othon about?
- Straub-Huillet’s first color film, adapts a lesser-known Corneille tragedy from 1664, which in turn was based on an episode of imperial court intrigue chronicled in Tacitus’s Histories. The costuming is classical, and the toga-clad, nonprofessional cast performs the drama’s original French text amid the ruins of Rome’s Palatine Hill while the noise of contemporary urban life hums in the background. Their lines are executed with a terrific flatness and frequently through heavy accents; the language in Othon becomes not merely an expression but a thing itself, an element whose plainness here alerts us to qualities of the work that might otherwise be subordinated.
- Who directed Othon?
- Othon was directed by Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet.
- Who stars in Othon?
- Othon stars Adriano Aprà, Anne Brumagne, Ennio Lauricella, Olimpia Carlisi, Anthony Pensabene, Jean-Marie Straub.
- How long is Othon?
- Othon has a runtime of 1h 28m (88 minutes).
- What genre is Othon?
- Othon is a Drama film.
- Where was Othon produced?
- Othon was produced in Germany.