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Cleopatra (1963)
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Length: 248 minutes
Film Process: 70mm Todd-AO
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison
Martin Landau, Hume Cronyn, Roddy McDowall
A few years ago I watched The Ten Commandments and was duly impressed. Then I set out to watch other epic historical movies from the 1950-60s. One that I watched was Cleopatra. I found it lacking in action and nothing like The Ten Commandments...The other night I watched Cleopatra again. This time I was impressed. Yes, it's 4 hours long and yes there's not much action or heroic adventure.
What Cleopatra offers is an exploration of the personal dreams and aspirations of it's three main characters: Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra. The film was originally planned to be 6 hours and shown in two different movies: Caesar and Cleopatra to be followed by Antony and Cleopatra, each film would be 3 hours in length. Cleopatra might have been a master piece had the original two movie plan been done. With the removal of almost 2 hours of film, the details of the characters lives and motivations is partially lost. Still it's a moving story told in a subtle Shakespearean style.
Right at first the film drew me in with the scene of Caesar landing in Alexandra. In a way, Rex Harrison with his nasally voice and cerebral 'know it all' attitude seemed like an odd choice for the powerful Caesar. However he's a fine actor and added a dimension that I didn't expect. His Caesar was portrayed full of melancholy and angst over his aging life and missed opportunities. It was Cleopatra's belief in him that gave him a new strength of will. Her dreams became his, this was her power.
Elizabeth Taylor added depth to the legendary Queen. She was royal and yet human and of course stunningly beautiful in her 65 different costumes. Her most fabulous costume being the 24-carat gold cloth regally dress with cape and head piece, shown in the photo above.
In the second part of the film, Mark Anthony (Richard Burton) comes to Egypt. Like Caesar before him, he needs the wealth of Egypt to back his personal campaigns in his bid to seize control of the Roman Empire. On screen, like off screen, Taylor and Burton had a tremulous relationship. At first Anthony will have nothing to do with the Queen, even though he secretly loves her. His pride is far too strong to bend a leg to her and that's what she demands, his bowing...on his knees and in his will. Like Caesar before, Cleopatra beguiles Anthony and embarks him on a perilous plan for control of Rome.
The film plays out like a classic Greek tragedy with shades of a Shakespearean drama.The beauty is in the love triangle and the diction of noble spoken words.
Some people seem to dislike this film. But I find the epic telling of unbridled love and what it can do, compelling. If you watch this don't forget to appreciate the sets. Most of the Egyptian sets and especially Roman sets were actually built for the movie, they are huge. This film looks great.
I'm rating Cleopatra against other historical epics of the time period.
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Length: 248 minutes
Film Process: 70mm Todd-AO
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison
Martin Landau, Hume Cronyn, Roddy McDowall
A few years ago I watched The Ten Commandments and was duly impressed. Then I set out to watch other epic historical movies from the 1950-60s. One that I watched was Cleopatra. I found it lacking in action and nothing like The Ten Commandments...The other night I watched Cleopatra again. This time I was impressed. Yes, it's 4 hours long and yes there's not much action or heroic adventure.
What Cleopatra offers is an exploration of the personal dreams and aspirations of it's three main characters: Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra. The film was originally planned to be 6 hours and shown in two different movies: Caesar and Cleopatra to be followed by Antony and Cleopatra, each film would be 3 hours in length. Cleopatra might have been a master piece had the original two movie plan been done. With the removal of almost 2 hours of film, the details of the characters lives and motivations is partially lost. Still it's a moving story told in a subtle Shakespearean style.
Right at first the film drew me in with the scene of Caesar landing in Alexandra. In a way, Rex Harrison with his nasally voice and cerebral 'know it all' attitude seemed like an odd choice for the powerful Caesar. However he's a fine actor and added a dimension that I didn't expect. His Caesar was portrayed full of melancholy and angst over his aging life and missed opportunities. It was Cleopatra's belief in him that gave him a new strength of will. Her dreams became his, this was her power.
Elizabeth Taylor added depth to the legendary Queen. She was royal and yet human and of course stunningly beautiful in her 65 different costumes. Her most fabulous costume being the 24-carat gold cloth regally dress with cape and head piece, shown in the photo above.
In the second part of the film, Mark Anthony (Richard Burton) comes to Egypt. Like Caesar before him, he needs the wealth of Egypt to back his personal campaigns in his bid to seize control of the Roman Empire. On screen, like off screen, Taylor and Burton had a tremulous relationship. At first Anthony will have nothing to do with the Queen, even though he secretly loves her. His pride is far too strong to bend a leg to her and that's what she demands, his bowing...on his knees and in his will. Like Caesar before, Cleopatra beguiles Anthony and embarks him on a perilous plan for control of Rome.
The film plays out like a classic Greek tragedy with shades of a Shakespearean drama.The beauty is in the love triangle and the diction of noble spoken words.
Some people seem to dislike this film. But I find the epic telling of unbridled love and what it can do, compelling. If you watch this don't forget to appreciate the sets. Most of the Egyptian sets and especially Roman sets were actually built for the movie, they are huge. This film looks great.
I'm rating Cleopatra against other historical epics of the time period.