THE MOTION PICTURE THE WORLD HAS BEEN WAITING FOR!
In 47 BC, Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) helps Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) become the ruler of Egypt, but he’s soon murdered in Rome; Cleopatra eventually begins a tempestuous alliance with another Roman, Mark Antony (Richard Burton). An epic that became famous for its bloated budget, Taylor’s elaborate costume changes, her record-breaking salary and the fact that she almost lost her life during the making of the film. Plenty of visual eye-candy, and watching Taylor and Burton argue has its electrical moments… but the film is deadeningly long and slow, its potential clearly wasted.
1963-U.S. 243 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Screenplay: Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall, Sidney Buchman. Cinematography: Leon Shamroy. Music: Alex North. Art Direction: Herman Blumenthal, Hilyard Brown, Boris Juraga, Maurice Pelling, Jack Martin Smith, Elven Webb. Costume Design: Vittorio Nino Novarese, Renié. Cast: Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra), Richard Burton (Mark Antony), Rex Harrison (Julius Caesar), Pamela Brown, George Cole, Hume Cronyn… Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Robert Stephens, Michael Hordern, Carroll O’Connor.
Trivia: The script was partly based on ”The Life and Times of Cleopatra” by C.M. Franzero. Rouben Mamoulian was originally hired to direct. At one point, Mankiewicz wanted to make two movies out of the story. Audrey Hepburn and Joan Collins were allegedly considered for the role of Cleopatra; Marlon Brando as Mark Antony.
Oscars: Best Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, Special Visual Effects.
