True Identity

Synopsis: Feature film comedy. Miles Pope is a black actor trying to make a name for himself on the stage. He finds himself in danger when he discovers that a supposedly dead Mafia chief, Frank Luchino, is the patron of a new production of Othello. Miles, is persuaded to make-up as a white man to disguise himself. Complications ensue when Miles gets the job of understudy to James Earl Jones in Othello. The Mafia attempt to run Jones over and Miles takes over from him. In the middle of his triumphant performance he denounces Luchino.
Language: English
Country: United States
Medium: Film
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Year of release: 1991
Duration: 93 mins; 8,386 feet

Director

Charles Lane

Producer

Carol Baum; Teri Schwartz

Cinematographer

Tom Ackerman

Screenplay

Andy Breckman

Music

Marc Mader

Cast

Lenny Henry	Miles Pope (Othello)
Shannon Holt	Desdemona
Judson Scott	Iago
Lynne Griffin	Emilia
Charles Lane	Duane
Frank Langella	Franck Luchino/Leland Carver
James Earl Jones	Himself
Richard Ganoung	Roderigo

General: LENNY IN HOLLYWOOD transmitted 11/9/91 by Thames Television looked at Henry’s experiences in making the film.
Reviews: Ben Thompson, Sight and Sound, vol. 7, November 1992, p53-4. Thompson writes - ‘There is an irritating simple-mindedness in the film’s use of Shakespeare as a signifier of cultural respectibility’ .

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