Richard Burton, Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Taylor star in one of the greatest screen spectacles ever made - the story of the Queen of the Nile and her love affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The film is distinguished by superb performances from Burton and Harrison (nominated for an Oscar), but at its center is Elizabeth Taylor in one of the most glamorous roles of her career. Astounding in scope and grandeur, the picture won Oscars for cinematography, sets and special effects. It's famous moments include moviedom's most flamboyant entrance - Cleopatra's dazzling arrival in Rome. Bolstered by a talented supporting cast and utterly stunning backdrops, here is a truly epic portrayal of the woman who conquered two of Rome's greatest soldiers, affected the course of history, and became synonymous with beguiling beauty - Cleopatra.
This 1963 extravaganza, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, is certainly an epic historical drama with all the elements: elaborate sets, intricate costuming, name actors, a factual basis, and an overlong script (just over four hours). But the acting is well performed and the backdrops are lush, making this a film worth seeing. Elizabeth Taylor is Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen who seduces Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) in a political move to hold onto her empire. When Caesar is killed in the Roman Senate, Cleopatra looks to Marc Antony (Richard Burton) for his support, practically enslaving him with her wiles. Taylor is dramatic in her role, at times overly serious, but stunning nonetheless as the woman described as "well versed in the natural sciences and mathematics. She speaks seven languages proficiently. Were she not a woman one would consider her to be an intellectual." While the film does seem to drag at moments, it deserves the four Oscars it won for cinematography, art direction-set direction, costumes, and special effects. Don't confuse this Cleopatra with the 1934 version directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Claudette Colbert. --Jenny Brown
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Good movie, bad extra features disc:
I have seen this movie several times and purchased it to obtain the disc with extra features. The disc would not play due to something being on it that I was unable to remove. I would like to know if there is a way to obtain the extras disc without flaws.
Thank you.
ok movie - try netflix instead:
OK film, but use Netflix to rent movies. Netflix response time is phenomenal. You don't have to buy DVDs anymore.
If You Really Want To See A Hot Marc and Cleo...!:
If you really want to know what went on between these two rent or buy HBO's excellent "Rome" series. Their rendition of Cleo is a short,plain, 32A-cup, homely little drug addict with a realllly bad haircut! That she captures the lust of both Caesar and Marc even though no one might look at her even once on the street is testimony to how "hot" she must be in bed. Contrast this to Liz Taylor who is as white as snow, aging and fairly fat (OK voluptuous to those in the same weight catagory.) Not only... more info
Campy Cleopatra:
"Cleopatra" was the overhyped spectacle of the early '60s that nearly brought 20th Century FOX to its knees. There was the offscreen love affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (both married to other people) that overshadowed the movie. It's got cheesy dialogue, it indulges in camp spectacle... making it a classic. I used to watch "Cleopatra" all the time, and it's got staying power. "Cleopatra" doesn't exactly aim for historical accuracy. It's about Liz Taylor and her numerous costume... more info
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