Cleopatra 1934 by Cecil B. DeMille boasts a great cast with Claudette Colbert, Henry Wilconson, Warren William, C Aubrey Smith. A hockey and extravagant retelling of the infamous Queen who becomes infatuated with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony. The film is one of Cecil B. DeMille's most lavish productions, where he once again demonstrates, as he had already done in 'The 10 Commandments' and 'Kings of Kings', his great sense of spectacle, his ability for mass scenes, his sense of the rhythm and a cast of thousands. The Egyptian Queen Cleopatra (Claudette Colbert), wants to rule Egypt by defeating her brother Ptolomeo and sister Arsinoe but she needs the power of Rome to make things happen, as well as continue the sucession on her child Cesarion, the out-of-wedlock son of Cleopatra and Caesar. Set 44 BC, Julius Caesar (Warren William) is murdered by Brutus and Casius, governing the second triumvirate formed by Lepido who runs Africa, Octavius Augustus ruling over Hispania and Marc Anthony over Egypt and Orient. Then When Caesar's possible successor Marc Anthony (Henry Wilconson), one of the highest ranking Roman generals, comes to Egypt along with his army, she seduces the conqueror in order to gain the kingdom again. Cleopatra transfers her affections to Marc Antony and dazzles him on a barge, but things do not turn out as well. There starts a tragic love story with fateful consequences. And finally they fight in Actium against Octavius Augustus (Ian Keith). A love affair that shook the world!. History's most seductive woman! The screen's mightiest spectacle!. The love affair that shook the world!. Set In A Spectacle of Thrilling Magnificence!
High budget trashy version of the famous Queen of Egypt and Roman lovers, as her lust for Marc Anthony after Caesar's death. Although the best-known version of the story was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz , DeMille's version, which over the years, benefits from the prominence of the French-born hollywood star Claudette Colbert, one of the great female stars of the 1930s and 1940s, thanks to films like ¨Cecil B DeMille's The sign of the cross¨ and ¨Frank Capra's It Happened One Night¨. A glamorous spectacle, especially the scenes aboard Cleopatra's barge, dwarfs everything else, which has the considerable advantage of being less than half the length of the overlong Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton/Rex Harrison epic of almost 30 years later.
This known history about the famous Queen, the popular Egypt temptress who pins her hopes on rash Marc Anthony results to be an extravaganza in huge budget. It is a multifaceted sleeping tablet with historical characters giving plain and simple recreation. It contains abundant matte painting, carton/stone settings, well-staged battles, some opulent grotesque interiors and a few actors hopelessly wooden and full of Cecil B. DeMillean splendor.
This big budget motion picture was competently directed by Cecil B DeMille following his particular style. The film was Academy Award nominated for best picture. DeMille was a great professional who made various epic, historical and Colossal films, such as : "The Ten Commandments 1923" , "King of Kings" , "Cleopatra" , "The Plainsman" ," The Crusades" , "Union Pacific" , "Unconquered" , "Samson and Dalilah" and "The Ten Commandments version 1956" . Rating 6.5/10 . Above average.
Others films concerning this historic figure Cleopatra are as follows : Silent version ¨Cleopatra¨ 1917, starring Theda Bara. ¨Serpent of the Nile¨ (1953) by William Castle with Rhonda Fleming, William Lundigan, Raymond Burr. ¨Two nights with Cleopatra¨ 1954 by Mario Mattioli with Sofia Loren, Alberto Sordi, Paul Muller.¨ Cleopatra's legions¨ 1959 by Vittorio Cottafavi with Linda Cristal, Ettore Manni, Georges Marchal, Conrado San Martin. ¨A Queen for Caesar¨ 1962 by Piero Pierotti with Pascale Petit, George Ardisson, Akin Tamiroff, Gordon Scott, Corrado Pani . ¨Cleopatra¨ 1963 by Joseph L Mankiewicz with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Hume Cronyn, Andrew Keir. ¨Cleopatra miniseries¨ 1999 by Franc Roddan with Leonor Varela, Timothy Dalton, Billy Zane, Patrick Stewart.
High budget trashy version of the famous Queen of Egypt and Roman lovers, as her lust for Marc Anthony after Caesar's death. Although the best-known version of the story was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz , DeMille's version, which over the years, benefits from the prominence of the French-born hollywood star Claudette Colbert, one of the great female stars of the 1930s and 1940s, thanks to films like ¨Cecil B DeMille's The sign of the cross¨ and ¨Frank Capra's It Happened One Night¨. A glamorous spectacle, especially the scenes aboard Cleopatra's barge, dwarfs everything else, which has the considerable advantage of being less than half the length of the overlong Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton/Rex Harrison epic of almost 30 years later.
This known history about the famous Queen, the popular Egypt temptress who pins her hopes on rash Marc Anthony results to be an extravaganza in huge budget. It is a multifaceted sleeping tablet with historical characters giving plain and simple recreation. It contains abundant matte painting, carton/stone settings, well-staged battles, some opulent grotesque interiors and a few actors hopelessly wooden and full of Cecil B. DeMillean splendor.
This big budget motion picture was competently directed by Cecil B DeMille following his particular style. The film was Academy Award nominated for best picture. DeMille was a great professional who made various epic, historical and Colossal films, such as : "The Ten Commandments 1923" , "King of Kings" , "Cleopatra" , "The Plainsman" ," The Crusades" , "Union Pacific" , "Unconquered" , "Samson and Dalilah" and "The Ten Commandments version 1956" . Rating 6.5/10 . Above average.
Others films concerning this historic figure Cleopatra are as follows : Silent version ¨Cleopatra¨ 1917, starring Theda Bara. ¨Serpent of the Nile¨ (1953) by William Castle with Rhonda Fleming, William Lundigan, Raymond Burr. ¨Two nights with Cleopatra¨ 1954 by Mario Mattioli with Sofia Loren, Alberto Sordi, Paul Muller.¨ Cleopatra's legions¨ 1959 by Vittorio Cottafavi with Linda Cristal, Ettore Manni, Georges Marchal, Conrado San Martin. ¨A Queen for Caesar¨ 1962 by Piero Pierotti with Pascale Petit, George Ardisson, Akin Tamiroff, Gordon Scott, Corrado Pani . ¨Cleopatra¨ 1963 by Joseph L Mankiewicz with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Hume Cronyn, Andrew Keir. ¨Cleopatra miniseries¨ 1999 by Franc Roddan with Leonor Varela, Timothy Dalton, Billy Zane, Patrick Stewart.