Cleopatra (1934)

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

From my favorite movies..

Don't Believe the Hype

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

For lessons on how not to write historical dialogue, this film is a must. Notice how the screenwriters tie themselves up in knots to introduce such phrases as Caesar's wife being "above suspicion". Needless to say, we also get "Friends, Romans, countrymen", "Beware of the ides of March", "And you too, Brutus?" and suchlike Shakespearian chestnuts.The acting is on a similarly amateurish level. Have a competition. Take some lines of dialogue (for example, from the scene in which Irving Pichel persuades Colbert to flee after Caesar's death) and note how much more convincingly you and your friends can handle them. It shouldn't be too hard to out-shine plodding old Irving Pichel and determined-to-be-coquettish-at-all-costs Claudette. Mind you, at least Claudette does try to give a performance, even though somewhat lacking in charisma, subtlety, and a sense of drama. By contrast, many of the other players are a just a plain embarrassment. They declaim away with all the emphatic resonance of amateurs biting into Shakespeare. And some of them don't even remotely look their parts (for example, Irving Pichel's Egyptian).Fortunately, a great deal of money has gone into the sets and this heavy expenditure is all up there to admire on the screen. Some of the sequences still have an impressive power, like the much- anthologized track back in Cleopatra's barge as the curtains are drawn on queen and Antony. There are also some mighty exciting battle montages (in which footage from De Mille's original Ten Commandments can easily be recognized) and some marvelously convincing miniatures. I like the music score too, and the titles — both very much in mid-1930's style.Alas! even on its own juvenile level, Cleopatra is often either unintentionally ridiculous or unwelcomely tedious. Nonetheless, a smart film editor could undoubtedly salvage a very persuasive condensation which would give the impression that the complete movie was a much more exciting and splendidly entertaining production than it actually is. If ever there was a case for a half-hour of highlights, Cleopatra is it! After all, that scene in which the curtains are drawn and the camera dollies back down the length of Cleopatra's barge, belongs on any critic's list of the Greatest Moments in the Cinema. What a pity the rest of the movie doesn't live up to that reputation!Other "Cleopatra" movies include a 1928 MGM Technicolor 2-reeler; Serpent of the Nile with Rhonda Fleming (1953); Una Regina per Cesare (1962); Toto e Cleopatra with Magali Noel (1963); and Antony and Cleopatra with Hildegard Neil opposite Charlton Heston's Antony (1972).

The cinema told many times Cleopatra's story,all them tried to be magnificent but just a one got it,this version has a great visual treatment,lavish sets,a large numbers of sexy choreograph,Cleapatra's costumes are fantastically design,but this movie suffer when to compare with 1963 version maybe black and white can explain...another thing Colbert vs Taylor have a great distance,the facts isn't accurate,a lack of hieroglyphics in the sets,anyway the movie is good but wasn't convincing in many ways....maybe too short to tell such complex story and events,sounds that it made be rushed,...however a good epic and dated of course.

Spectacular DeMille hokum that, like most of his work, is hard to dislike despite its flaws. Say what you will about Cecil B. DeMille but he knew how to put on a show. The sets, costumes, and pageantry are excellent. The actors are all very enjoyable even if they ham it up some. Claudette Colbert is sexy and a treat to watch. Warren William's Julius Caesar seems like he would be more at home shooting craps or hustling pool than ruling Rome. Henry Wilcoxon is quite good as Marc Antony. The rest of the cast is solid, as DeMille supporting casts usually were. I have no sympathy for history buffs who gripe about this movie's failure to adhere to historical accuracy. If you watched a movie, especially a C.B. DeMille movie, looking for a history lesson then the fault is on you and not him. It's a fun piece of escapism loosely based on real people and events. Lighten up and enjoy the movie.

Cecil B. DeMille was known as a legendary director and producer, one whose films were the very essence of what is now considered "blockbuster". Big stars, big script, and a cast of thousands were the order of the day for DeMille, and woe be to anyone who stood in the way of his vision. Such films as The Ten Commandments, The Squaw Man, Unconquered, The King of Kings (silent version), Samson and Delilah, and The Greatest Show on Earth are DeMille classics that stand the passage of time. However, to truly enjoy the artistry that *is* DeMille, one only has to look as far as his 1934 epic, Cleopatra, starring Claudette Colbert, Henry Wilcoxon, and Warren William. For anyone who thinks that the Taylor-Burton version is the definitive stamp on the costume drama - well, you'd better view DeMille's masterpiece first! Considerably shorter than the aforementioned Mankiewicz version (263 minutes, director's cut), and coming in at just 100 minutes, DeMille's Cleopatra tightly focuses on her two steamy relationships with Caesar and Marc Antony, an unforgettable seduction scene, and a lively battle sequence. Cinematographer Victor Milner, who worked on It's A Wonderful Life brings his magic touch to all the key scenes. The casting of Claudette Colbert seems out-of-place, until the seduction scene with Henry Wilcoxon's Marc Antony. She handles some decidedly modern lines, which is perhaps the film's weakest link. The dialog reflects the typical 1930s snappy cynicism that was fashionable for the period, but seems oddly out of place in this historical piece. Cleopatra: "Together we could conquer the world." Julius Caesar: "Nice of you to include me." Colbert's costumes by Travis Banton - wondrous in black and white - makes one wish for Ted Turner's colorization process, so we're including these beauty makeovers.