Customer Reviews

Cleopatra

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Despite the legendary excesses and scandals that went on during the making of this unjustly maligned movie, it has three of the most critical foundation stones any work of this scope needs to succeed:

1). A unified vision or point of view, extending from the development of plot and characters to the physical look of the production itself.

2). A literate and compelling script that could play irrespective of the opulence of its surroundings.

3). Four leading actors who instinctively understand how to work their material, making the seams between performer and character invisbile to the spectator.

#s 1 & 2 were supplied by director / screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz, #3 by Taylor, Burton, Harrison, and McDowell.

This is a film that easily bears repeated viewings, and, again, thanks to Mankiewicz and his actors, functions simultaneously on a variety of levels. For example, there are the love stories:

Caesar & Cleopatra / Antony & Cleopatra.

The tender scenes are written and played almost poetically, but there are also political manouverings going on as each uses the other to attain or augment their power. This is made even more fascinating in that these are obviously intelligent, witty, charming, beautiful, ruthless, and influential people whose calculations shape nations and Empires.

Given all of the above, the movie also looks like the enormous sum it cost, has a brilliant score by Alex North, an accomplished supporting cast (in particular, Martin Landau, Pamela Brown, Hume Cronan, Cesare Danova), and spectacular "set pieces" that though fully integrated into the plot, almost play as "movies within the movie" - Cleopatra's Entry into Rome, Cleopatra's Barge & Banquet, the Battle of Actium.

In sum, Mankiewicz and cast succeed in bringing off the big "world stage" themes critical to this genre of historical film. Their greatest achievement however lies in making an audience understand that these ancient archetypes were human beings trying to bear the weight of both history and their emotions.

I think Cleopatra is the best movie ever made, it is also the most expensive movie ever made costing twice more than Titanic in today's money, but it just didn't make it to the screen. Intended to be two movies, Caesar and Cleopatra & Antony and Cleopatra, three hours each. But partly because of the attention of the famous Taylor-Burton affair, Darryl F. Zanuck shamelessly ruined Cleopatra from its 6-hour two movies into ONE 3 hour 14 minute movie, which is the TV version, which is Horrible! But luckily, the 4-hour version, this DVD version, survived the brutal cutting of the film. This movie is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. The sets, clothes, props, and music... they are just FLAWLESS! As many people know, Rex Harrison as Caesar and Richard Burton as Antony both got nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, but because the movie was cut to one, they were nominated against each other in the same movie, and more importantly, their best scenes were cut because of the length, so none of them won (but they deserve to), and Roddy McDowell got nominated in the wrong section and his votes were canceled. Martin Landau was going to be nominated as Best Supporting Actor, but after the film was ruined, the Academy Awards dropped him. Elizabeth Taylor's best scenes were cut off that she was so angry she puked at the Premiere.

The Music of the film is the BEST. Till this Day, I don't know why the Oscars didn't give Cleopatra the award. Of course, Oscars didn't give Gone with the Wind, Gladiator, and lots of other film's beautiful scores the Oscar, it's weird.

How do I know about all about Cleopatra? I have ALL the books, interviews, and even the full movie shooting script of this movie, I am the biggest fan! If you have seen the movie, you'll realize that Cleopatra was usually unhappy and tense. But there is a happy side of her, for example, there was a scene where Cleopatra, Antony and her son with Caesar were in the garden, Cleopatra watching them play swords. Then Caesarian, the son, stubbed Antony with his wooden sword and Antony cried out in "pain", and Caesarian suddenly went crying, saying "don't die, don't die!" Antony suddenly comes back to life and tickles Caesarian, then drags Cleopatra into them and they were all laughing and rolling on the floor... it was so happy, and that's one of the many sides of Cleopatra that's been cut off.

In the four-hour version, we first see Cleopatra dumped out of a carpet. That was NEVER intended to be the first scene we see Cleopatra. From the script I learned that there was a whole story of Cleopatra outside Alexandria, and she and the others planned to meet Caesar and how to sneak her in. Just after they got to the Palace, some soldiers almost caught them and the maid had to lure the guards away... it was thrilling to read the pages of the script! There are sooo much to saying about what Cleopatra should have been, but sadly, no one expect FOX has the missing footage, and they are the best scenes of the movie (some scenes were so humorous that I laughed out loud!).

In the late 70's, 20th Century FOX called a recording session to record the lines of the movie so they can restore it, since the sound elements were missing. But it was called off at the last minute. But the three-and-half hours of missing film footage was NEVER lost! With today's technology, they can totally restore the film back, including the sound. They also have the missing part of the unused scores, but why doesn't FOX, after making a two hour documentary about the film, restore it? No one knows! Movies like "A Star is Born", "Lawrence of Arabia", "Sparticus", and many other classic movies has been successfully restored and loved by many. Why not Cleopatra? I am writing just to let you know the truth about the movie, and hopefully, if more people know maybe FOX will restore the film to the intended way. In a Late interview with four-time Oscar winner Joseph L Mankiewicz, the director and screenwriter of the movie, when the subject Cleopatra went up, he literately cried (on TV!). He said he wanted the film to be perfect that he bit his nails until they were bleeding that he had to wear gloves when he was writing the script... He called Cleopatra his "butchered masterpiece". But however, it's still one of the best movies out there! Totally worth buying!!

FOX: PLEASE RESTORE CLEOPATRA BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, BEFORE THE FILM ROTS OR A STUDIO FIRE AND BURNS THEM TO DUST, LIKE FOX'S 1917 VERSION OF CLEOPATRA!

Cleo's have come and gone. There have been many films and books depicting Cleo as she really was to great melodramatic Cleo. Three other popular Cleo's were the Claudette Colbert (1934), Vivien Leigh (1945), and Leonor Varela (1999). There were many more variations between those years.

The one Cleo that will always stand out and lets not forget Mark, is the one staring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (1963). I was old enough to enjoy it on the big screen. Rex Harrison made a good Caesar; watch him have a similar attitude in "The Honey Pot" (1967).

Enough time, thought, and money have been put into this production that I am bound to overlook a few of the most important items about this film. The movie is more than just the actors are. The characters are very well portrayed. The set and costumes are dazzling. They really showed up in the scene when Cleopatra enterd Rome. And the navel battle was spectacular.

Every one is going to have a favorite Cleo and find flaws in the others. However this Cleo will always the one others are gauged by.

Although Miss Taylor is no match compared to Vivien Leigh in CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA; this i s by far the best epic from old Hollywood - and the most entertaining..... Enough said. Ok, I can`t shut up; the arrival of Cleopatra into Rome is a masterpiece in itself... and the choreography is by the renowned Hermes Pan:-)

"Cleopatra" is a great film released in 1963 about rise and relationships of the woman herself played by Elizabeth Taylor. This five-time Oscar winning spectacular film gives a rise to audiences of all kinds. Its beauty is never to be forgotten. The hard work and dedication placed onto this film shows greatly. Such film quality answers why it's since become a highly remembered classic. Its brilliant plot follows the emotional path of Cleopatra through her rise in power and her life turbulances. The emotional value stands greatly beyond the spectacular surroundings. This doesn't distract from the many history details expressed. The love themes are romantic as any great love classic. The sense of loss and struggle, namely losing those closest to her and trying to stop the wars from erupting, are greatly present.

All five Oscar wins were won for the spectacular surroundings that continue to amaze audiences after forty-one years: costume design, art direction, special effects, sets, cinematography. Few other films from the classic days was as elaborate as "Cleopatra". The multi-million dollars spent was worth it. The backgrounds are accurate desplictions of the actual Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. The buildings and the structure styles are amazing. The wardrobes are accurate to the actual styles worn by the characters. The elaborate costumes, namely the ones worn by Cleopatra, are unforgettable. This set a record for most costume changes by an actress for one film, 32, which would take 33 years to break ("Evita", 68). The make-up work blends perfectly with every costume.

Elizabeth Taylor's role as Cleopatra is unforgettable. Her previous research of the subject is present. More perfect is the Oscar nominated role (Best Supporting Actor) of Caeser played by Rex Harrison. His expressions of love and life turbulances greatly improve the movie's theme. All other actors also play their roles wonderfully: Richard Burton, Martin Landau, Carroll O'Connor, and others.

"Cleopatra" is a great classic film that will continue amazing audiences for many more years. This will leave them with an unforgettable experience. After viewing, those looking for more should also watch the bonus features, which have a lot of interesting details behind the film.

I can't really add much to some of the wonderful reviews I have read about this DVD set (the 5 Star Collection). But I do want to say that if you love this movie or even just like this movie, the documentary that is included with this 3-disc set is worth buying this DVD set just by itself. It's one of the most entertaining and interesting documentaries I've ever seen on the making of a movie and all the interesting and strange events that happened while making the movie and after the movie. The movie is absolutely beautiful - the sets and costumes are magnificent - the money spent on this film is so obvious. I wish they would restore this movie to the director's original plan and put back the other half of the movie that was cut out! I would pay lots of money to buy a director's cut of this movie. But until that day comes, if ever, I highly recommend this DVD set. It's still one of my favorite movies of all time.

What can I say about Cleopatra that has not already been said? It's an epic, powerful, enthralling and magnificent beast of a film, combining breathtaking and expansive visuals with powerful lead performances, and sublime direction by the genius Joseph L. Mankiewicz (responsible for the brilliant 'All About Eve').

'Cleopatra' is the co-ruler of Egypt, exiled by her upstart, puppet-king brother Ptolemy. Enter Julius Caesar, fresh from a civil war with Pompeii, who, ostensibly for the benefit of the Roman empire, ousts Ptolemy and his evil advisors and invests Cleopatra as the sole ruler of Egypt. Hungry for more, the good lady Queen married Caesar and bears him a son in the hopes of extending the Roman empire with Alexandria as its seat of power, but the democratic Roman senate does not agree. Murdering Caesar and forcing Cleopatra and his heir into exile, she returns to Egypt, while Octavian, a heretofore venal and weak man, takes Caesar's place.

Enter Marc Anthony, who, through a series of popular and victorious conquests, rules one-third of the Roman empire. He falls madly in love with Cleopatra, and she with him. Siezing lands and power from her new husband, the couple attempts to overthrow Octavian in a historic battle-at-sea. What follows is real and movie history.

The most remarkable thing about 'Cleopatra' is the fact that it still carries the taboo of failure. This is very much due to a perpetuated myth of financial failure (see the excellent documentary on the bonus disc for clarification of this - lousy money and location management are the culprits) and the fact that this movie is where the Taylor & Burton affair all began. Unpopular as it was in the 1960's, it kept a certain amount of people from giving the picture the praise it deserves. However, mud sticks, and this is another reason for the perceived critical failure of 'Cleopatra'.

Both reasons, happily, are immediately invalidated when one sits down to watch.

In her role as one of the most famus women of all time, Elizabeth Taylor gives a bravura performance, as epic in its attitude as the film itself. She displays a rare feeling for the part, being by turns seductive and regal, human and ethereal. We don't question her authority or her intelligence for a moment.
As Caesar, Rex Harrisson is wonderful. Cleopatra's first powerful lover becomes, in Harrisson's capable hands, a real man, a human bearing the mythical title of Caesar. He is tender and human, wholly believable as a Titan made vulnerable by love.
Richard Burton is similarly magnificent, eclipsing Harrisson's performance with the fire and rash emotion befitting a man in his position. His onscreen chemistry with Taylor is palpable and we are wholly accepting of the fact that she, too, loves him. He is a General of War, and his fierce and passionate battle sequences coupled with his tender, almost innocent love scenes mark him as one of the best actors of his time.

With such excellent performances from the leads, the supporting cast could be forgiven for having been overlooked, but this is happily not the case. Roddy MacDowall is astonishing as the vile and willful Octavian, narrowly and unfairly missing a Best Supporting Actor nomination (again, see the documentary) for his excellent portrayal of an unpopular emperor in uneasy times. Hume Cronyn as Sosigenes is excellent, too.

I can't do any justice to the visual impact of 'Cleopatra' by going into it in-depth, so instead I will just say this. Never before, nor never since, has such a realistic and glorious impression been made by a film. Forget Titanic, and Ben Hur, and all the others - Cleopatra takes the word 'Epic' and utterly redefines it with magnificent temples, sweeping deserts and tempestuous ocean scenes. Taylor as Cleopatra shines like a regal bauble, matched only by her husbands, Caesar and Anthony, in terms of all-encompassing screen presence.

Joseph L. Mankiewicz is, in my opinion, one of Hollywood's most enduring talents. Not content to be responsible for the genius scripting of 'All About Eve', he has created in 'Cleopatra' that which every director surely strives to do: a wholly believable and engrossing setting against which an epic drama is played out.

The DVD quality is superb, with clear and crisp audio and visual elements. The extras are similarly amazing, and the documentary I keep referring to is two hours of fair, unbiased commentary and fascinating insight into one of Hollywood's greatest ever pictures.

I can't recommend 'Cleopatra' highly enough. For scope, beauty, and drama, it is the unquestionable best. The length of the movie is immaterial, further cuts would only diminish its effect. One for everyone's collection.

Box-office results are hardly a measure of the technical merits of a film: Cleopatra is clear proof of that conclusion. Joseph L. Mankiewicz' direction of this 1963 film was, for the longest time, the biggest flop in Hollywood history until Kevin Costner's "Waterworld" (a real flop in every way!) However, when one sees the phenomenal sets and impeccable acting, one begins to wonder why this film had such a bad rap.

The film failed to attract audiences simply because the genre was fading out of the spotlight after the preceding decades' major successes of "The Ten Commandments", "Ben Hur", "Quo Vadis", "Spartacus", etc. "Cleopatra" expected to ride on the wave of success as the latter did but simply found itself at low tide. So much money had been spent on the lavish costumes, sets, locations, and actors that it couldn't make a profit when it was released.

The truth of the film is that it is technically brilliant in every way. The movie brushes over Cleopatra's (Elizabeth Taylor) relations with Caesar (Rex Harrison) because the main focus is Mark Antony (Richard Burton.) Depsite this rushed plot, Rex Harrison's confident and affable performance brings the character of Caesar to life without flaw. This being primarily a romantic tragedy, both Caesar's and Marc Antony's military exploits are very briefly touched upon; the main battle scene in the film is the decisive naval engagement of Actium . Richard Burton delivers an outstanding performance as Marcus Antonius; Caesar's most trusted legate. Burton's powerful acting brings to the forefront Marc Antony's bachid personality. It seems that Burton and Taylor's love affair during the film simply added to the legendary magnetism between the two doomed lovers. Finally, Roddy McDowell delivers an impeccable performance as Octavian; Caesar's sickly adopted son who would soon give the coup de grace to the failing Roman Republic and become the sole master of Rome as Emperor Augustus.

The plot is character driven and the actors deliver outstanding performances. The substance of script is primarily based on the anecdotal history of the characters as recited in Plutarch's classic work "Lives" and this gives the film a sense of authentic classical flair. This is complemented by one of the most lavish sets and backdrops ever to be made in Hollywood history. A simply brilliant film that one can watch over and over again without ever getting tired. I would strongly recommend this edition for one's collection.

If you are occasionally fed up and tired of the eccentric wisecracks that highlight film scripts these days, you will be happy to discover intelligent human conversation and a different Hollywood in this memorable film.

Another important matter is that you will not be offended by the history of this film, because it relates things very closely to what has been recorded in history proper, and you can trust the story to be true, as well as the environs and costumes to be historically correct.

Either filmmaking people knew their history better at the time, or Hollywood had more respect for its audience then-- or both...
This is an example of what was called "a historical film" -- and it transpires an ambition to make something more worthwhile than a moneymaking product.

After all this time, it is proven more and more of a success, by comparison.

Elisabeth Taylor has embodied the psyche of Cleopatra in her performance, and no other actress has surpassed her --this will remain a challenge forever. Burton and Harrison are memorable as Anthony and Caesar, all the cast and thousands of extras are in role and in place.

Like a good book, this film must be revisited again and again, and every time we learn something about ourselves as well. One instance to ponder in thought, now, is when Caesar (accidentally?) lets the Library of Alexandria (one of the seven miracles of the ancient world) to burn. Cleopatra enters his room furious and lets him have it:

"You Roman generals become gods quickly, with a few victories and a few massacres. You can destroy some pyramids, burn and pillage a few cities; but you can not burn my library nor can you destroy one single human thought!"
That's as much as I remember-- but you must see and hear Elisabeth Taylor say this, to understand what it meant and still means in our life and history.
One film that makes filmmaking a lovable profession.

I feel compelled to offer my perspective, since I might not watch this film again for a decade or so. I first saw it as a child, and was dazzled by the spectacle of it, the cast of thousands, and Ms. Taylor's breathtaking costumes. It is, of course, a very different film when viewed from the perspective of adulthood. It definately feels like a 248-minute long film, which makes it hard to get to the "Bonus Features" disk. Where to begin with an epic like this . . . perhaps the performances would be a good starting point. Elizabeth Taylor is wonderful, conveying convincingly the ruthlessness and arrogance of this historical personage as well as the more intimate manifestations of a woman in love. I find Rex Harrison to be a bit tired and stagey in the role of Caesar, but Richard Burton is beautifully cast as Marc Antony. That great voice! Roddy McDowall disappears into his character and almost steals the show as the ambitious Octavian. Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who was often disparagingly called "a woman's director" (Hollywood could use more of his kind right now!), manages exemplary performances out of all of his major players, and it is his vision which holds the whole thing together. The Alex North soundtrack is perfect, the cinematography stunning, the screenplay very powerful and emotionally honest. It's too bad so much Hollywood mythology has surrounded this film from its production onward, because it is a very intelligent and well-done epic.