Welles's second foray into Shakespeare, and his first feature made in Europe. Structured as an investigation, or perhaps an explanation, of Othello's downfall, Welles's adaptation is unusual in its focus on interactions between Othello (played by Welles) and Iago (Michéal MacLiammoir). Using bold, energetic images juxtaposed in Eisensteinian fashion, Welles eloquently gives visual form to the twisted emotions that characterize the two men's relationship. Under Welles's direction, the destructive power of ambition cannot be contained, and much of the story erupts outdoors, with the wind pounding the bluffs, shrieking gulls diving over the sea, the hot Moroccan sun alternating with thunder and lightning.