All Night Long: Othello in the London '60s Jazz Scene

McGoohan as the ambitious Johnny Cousin.William Shakespeare's plays have provided the source material for science fiction films (Forbidden Planet), Westerns (Jubal), musicals (Kiss Me, Kate), and dramas (Ran). One of the most intriguing contemporary updates is All Night Long (1962), which is set against the backdrop of the 1960s London jazz scene.The story unfolds in one evening at a jam party hosted by a wealthy jazz aficionado (Richard Attenborough). Patrick McGoohan stars as Johnny Cousin, a deeply jealous and ambitious drummer (the Iago figure) determined to break up the interracial marriage of Aurelius Rex (Paul Harris), a prominent bandleader, and his wife, Delia (Marti Stevens), a retired singer. When Delia refuses to leave her husband to join Johnny's new band, he orchestrates a malicious, and manipulative campaign to convince Rex that Delia is having an affair with a fellow band member. As the night progresses, Johnny's scheming causes friendships to fracture and paranoia to…