Desdemona (Dame Penelope Wilton) defies her father, Brabantio (Geoffrey Chater), to marry the Moor of Venice, the mighty warrior, Othello (Sir Anthony Hopkins). But Iago (Bob Hoskins), (Othello's old Lieutenant) doesn't like Cassio (David Yelland), (Othello's new Lieutenant), and he plans, with the help of his wife Emilia (Rosemary Leach), to destroy Cassio and Othello through Othello's feelings for Desdemona.
—Kathy Li