Othon

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.

Adriano Aprà, Anne Brumagne, Ennio Lauricella, Olimpia Carlisi, Anthony Pensabene, Jean-Marie Straub. See the cast cards above for character names.

Use Watch movie to open the external player, or expand Other ways to watch for alternative viewing information. Playback availability is controlled by the provider and can change. A catalogue listing does not confirm a playable stream.

Check the audio and subtitle controls inside the loaded player. Original language and production details describe the title; they do not confirm which tracks a provider offers.

Browsing title information on Movies New Online is free. External players may show advertisements. Check the player provider for its current availability and terms.