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Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall, Pamela Brown ... see more see more... , Martin Landau , George Cole , Hume Cronyn , Kenneth Haigh , Andrew Keir , Robert Stephens , Francesca Annis , Grégoire Aslan , Martin Benson , Herbert Berghof , Jacqui Chan , Isabelle Cooley , John Doucette , Andrew Faulds , Michael Gwynn , John Hoyt , Marne Maitland , Carroll O'Connor , Richard O'Sullivan , Gwen Watford , Douglas Wilmer , Marina Berti , John Karlsen , Loris Loddi , Jean Marsh , Gin Mart , Furio Meniconi , Kenneth Nash , Del Russell , John Valva , John Cairney , Finlay Currie , Cesare Danova , Marie Devereaux , Peter Forster , Michael Hordern , Jeremy Kemp , Laurence Naismith , John Alderton , Michele Bally

In 1963, this colossal and opulent $60 million spectacular was epic in every sense of the word -- an epic investment, an epic in the annals of Hollywood gossip, and, ultimately, an epic flop that near... read more read more...ly dragged 20th Century Fox down the Nile along with Cleopatra's barge. Handsomely mounted by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who replaced Rouben Mamoulian as director after six days of shooting), the drama follows the eighteen tumultuous years that led to the founding of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) meets up with Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) and plans to lure Caesar to her boudoir in order to forge an alliance with Rome so that she may hold on to her Egyptian empire. When Caesar is stabbed to death in the Roman Senate, Cleopatra is left without an ally, and Egypt is up for grabs. When Roman general Mark Antony (Richard Burton) comes along, she seduces him in order to make him over into her new protector. But, under the charms of Cleopatra, Mark Antony is reduced from a an awesome and dominating general to a sniveling, drunken wimp. At the Battle of Actium, Mark Antony is defeated and Cleopatra withdraws her troops, dooming Mark Antony and his army. With Egypt in peril, Antony and Cleopatra, the doomed lovers, meet each other for the last time, as the enemy forces close in. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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71% liked it

19,370 ratings

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38% liked it

21 critics

G, 4 hr. 6 min.

Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Release Date: June 12, 1963

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DVD Release Date: April 3, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (889)

  • moonrivers
    June 10, 2011
    moonrivers
    Strange now as the film was eclipsed by the love affair it started, so that one now views: 1) the story of Antony and Cleopatra, a real life tragedy for the ages, 2) the Hollywood film to that effect, a tragedy all by itself, and then 3), the two souls playing the leads, Taylor a... read morend Burton, who would go on to nearly live what first they merely played at doing, or tried to live it, or something. They recite lines to each other that they couldn't know was their future and yet we now know as true ... chilling. Opulent to the extreme, a pompous film, bullying, and finally ... perhaps more than merely memorable, a tragedy.
  • theylovealexis
    May 13, 2011
    theylovealexis
    Oh wow, this movie was really, really long. About 4+ hours long. But the costumes were beautiful, Elizabeth was beautiful and the story was very romantic, in a let me gain power kind of way and a bit Romeo and Juliet. Rex Harrison is just too English, I love him, but he did not ... read moremake a good Caesar. Everyone should see this classic.. at least once.
  • animegirlaya
    January 19, 2011
    animegirlaya
    Project 3 (epic films)

    Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and staring Starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall and Martin Landau

    Impressive yes and some major looking sets as well as people, but this is a great and worst project and I didn't rea... read morelly like the film. Sure it set some records being the film with the biggest budget at the time but the movie is just dull or maybe that's just me.

    The story of Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt who wants to stabilize her power by using the tensions in the Roman Empire. Caesar visits Egypt, has an affair with her, and returns to Rome. She bears his child and visits Rome to claim her place at Caesar's side. He is murdered before this can happen. She returns to Egypt leaving Rome in turmoil. Mark Antony follows her to Egypt and they fall in love. However, Octavian defeats Anthony in battle.

    50% for story: it's grand indeed but it's just to length and complex.

    50% for acting: I find it funny that it got Oscars but to me the acting was just average and from our lead female it was terrible.

    70% for characters: I like Cleopatra and she has a whole story on it and as for the others there good as well.

    80% for special effects: I Admit everything is a on a grand scale but that's about the only thing I truly liked.

    50% for everything else: Good costumes, Angles, Bad music, and scenery.

    I rather like the pornographic flick Caligula only because that film has some reason behind it were this just fails.

    Keiko's score 51-100
  • bottcorecords1
    October 26, 2009
    bottcorecords1
    In the tradition of great hollywood epics of the time, such as Spartacus and Ben Hur comes a film often quoted as the most expensive film ever made (according to imdb.com: "Its budget of $44 million is equivalent to 297 million 2007 dollars"). It might be one of the grandest dis... read moreasters ever filmed. Director Joseph Mankiewicz created an ode to hubris that has never been duplicated. Apart from Rex Harrison, who gives an admirable performance as Julius Caesar, the lead actors all display gross indulgences in over-acting; dramatic whispers suddenly upturned by great thunderous bellowing. Roddy McDowall ("Octavian") gives a particularly ham-fisted performance, and there's some unintended humor in his delivery. Granted, many of these performers were originally from the stage, but really, subtlety is nowhere to be found in this film. The dialogue is pseudo-shakespearean, only melodramatic rather than poetic. This film is the early 60s equivalent of a Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie period piece production, and hollywood actors take note: when put something out with the sole intention of making a great spectacle for great profit, it will probaby age just as poorly as Cleopatra.
  • groaningbitch
    June 1, 2009
    groaningbitch
    the legend of cleopatra is literily the original utterance of "femme fatale" in western civilization, the primitive concept of femme fatale is the woman whose sex appeal is powerful enough to cast doom to men. but the progressive term for femme fatale would be more like woman who... read more utilizes her sex appeal to infiltrate into the system of men then earn her position of power among the elites of men. so naturaly cleopatra is THE ORIGINAL FEMME FATALE. any actress prescribed with such role is surely complimentary to the ego. BUT i'm probably so far the only one who says elizabeth taylor doesn't fit the part despite she has the gears to look that part. neither is richard burton or rex harrison. generally the whole flick is a disaster, roughly made just to flaunt how much of cashes it has blown off.

    as my principle calls, whatever you'd like to demean something, give people reasons to do it justice. first of all, it doesn't appear right in the superficial level, clothings. no matter how much people praise over taylor's glamour in it, the costumes look odd as if taylor is showcasing a modern fashion season called "how cleopatra inspires fashion" instead of dressing as cleopatra. thay all appear like some fancy contemporary gowns rushly decorated with few very egytian-looking garments, then here there are. the designer renie is no travis banton who operated the 30s cleopatra with cecil b demile and claudett colbert. anachronism is the word for it.

    second of all, the script softens off every climax the story should have, such as the notable assassination of julius ceasar. where's the classic line "you, too?! brutus!" and it's backfired by its over-ambition on the political renderings of that time on lots of dreary scenes of roman congress and political feuds, or some silly scenes of ceasar teaching his son how to behave like a king, blah blah blah, and also why on earth the scriptors have to put the son of ceasar and cleopatra into the movie...besides, the historical fact would be cleopatra has one son with ceasar and a twins and son with marc anthony. i mention it not for the sake of historical accuracy since we all romanticize ancient tales. my point is why bother?...the attention is obvious: to moralize cleopatra, to maternalize her, to exert on presenting her more like the appendage to the granduer men instead of an empress as the phenomenal woman individual she is supposed to be. if you wanna produce a movie ON CLEOPATRA, why bother to take the major focus away on ceasar and anthony or octavian?

    third of all, and most of all, elizabeth taylor doesn't have a queenly gesture as cleopatra, the most important element of such woman egoist would be her pride, and why cleopatra hooks with ceasar and anthony is for the survival of egypt since roman is quite a menace. her main purpose is POLITICAL, amoral by any means, so it wouldn't trouble her to bed with any married man as long as her purpose is served. but taylor's elizabeth snares at anthony after he reaches her political aganda but married to octavian's sister, why she even bothers to get sour? additionally, would a confident queen like cleopatra be histerically shouting or begging over a man? there's nothing composed or icy cool about elizabeth taylor, and everything is sentimentalized and melodramticized. further, the scriptors make a even bigger mistake to turn burton's marc anthony into an envious wimp over ceasar. except his masculine looks, nothing courageous or virile about his character. the sequence of cleopatra swooning anthony into eloping to egypt with her is ridiculously blatant: the woman provokes the man's envy with unfriendly words and vaudeville mockeries, then he beds her, next day, they confide how they have a crush on each other like a bunch of loverstruck teenagers. frankly it reminds me of the love scenes in "butterfield 8", and the same formula of angering a man into your bed seems a bit too cliched and juvenile here. she presents herself more like a pouty bickering matron who likes to quarreal men into her favors meanwhile un-capable of standing on her own.

    the behind-camera stories tell all, if you read enough of classic hollywood biographies, no one involved in this project has a heart to finish it. taylor has spine issue during the shooting, and the director mankiewicz has to take severe dosage of pain-killers and tranquillizers (same as taylor) to get the nerve having it done. the abscence of the leads and director has deteriorated the schedule into enormous debt. but eventually it's redeemed by the publicity of the illicit affair of taylor-burton to arouse the audience's snooping curiosity to enter the theater. the sountrack is poorly composed, drab without background melodies at most of time except the few crucial sequences like cleopatra strutting over the roman squad or some burlesques to entertain marc anthony.....elizabeth taylor's glamour is always a big selling-point but she's only at her adequate best with helen rose' wardrobe("cat on a hot tin roof", "butterfield 8") or with edith head who sketches her gown in "a place in the sun".


    (ps) another note i would like to make is its brief usage of yellow-face stereotype. one scene features an oriental servent called LOTUS whose profession is to taste the queen's drink and food to prevent cleopatra from being poisoned, why on earth ancient egypt would have a chinese servent? i'm not protesting since the scene is so brief and inconsequential but i just feel extremely absurd over this. see how much thought this movie has put on?!
  • newvogueravyn
    September 13, 2008
    newvogueravyn
    Magnificent, though I grew restless during the battle scenes. Not sure I would watch it again in one sitting though.
  • matertenebraum
    May 2, 2007
    matertenebraum
    That a film as good as CLEOPATRA is was created at all under the madness and panic of it's legendary production is indeed an amazing feat. That CLEOPATRA has been given such loving care in its restoration in this DVD of the "Road Show" print and the attendant bonus materials is a... read more wondrous gift to those who love this film. The documentary, "Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood" is in on it's own an engrossing and informative two hour movie. For anyone who knows little of the history of CLEOPATRA, or who was not around at the time, this documentary will give them the feeling of what those last days of old Hollywood was like. And therein one can find the reasons why this intimate epic is indeed the wonder that it is. Many thanks should go to the Mankiewicz family and the producers of the documentary. The print and the sound of CLEOPATRA seems now to surpass what I recall it to be in its first presentation nearly forty years ago. The depth of the colors and the richness of the shadows are indeed splendid. In this restoration, it is hard to believe this film is as old as it is. The commentary track is in and of itself like finding the lost treasures of the long dead monarch. For there are wonderful recollections by Martin Landau, Tom and Chris Mankiewicz, and even the one of the films publicists Jack Brodsky gets to read sections from his book "The Cleopatra Papers" which gave a blow by blow description of everyday events on the set. But I must give special mention to Landau's part. With his keen eye for the art direction of John DeCuir one sees things in the background and along the edges of the scene that one never noticed before. Such lovingly detailed sets and interiors will never be seen again. The costs today are just too prohibitive. Also his insights into what was cut from the film, particularly his and Richard Burton's contributions in the second act give one the idea of what Mankiewicz was intending. Poor Richard suffered the unkindest cut of all. The presentation of the DVD menus is so clever and exotic. The creators of this DVD are to be commended in their art direction. At last we now know what is behind the massive 20th Century Fox logo!

    The film itself remains what it has always been. It is a good film that might have been a great one if only Zanuck had trusted Joe Mankiewicz' original vision. It is said that they are still looking for the missing film; one can only hope that they succeed in this task. The performances range from good to excellent. Particular praise must go to Rex Harrison, Richard Burton, Martin Landau, Robert Stephens, Andrew Keir, and Roddy McDowall. Lastly in this department there remains Elizabeth Taylor's performance as Cleopatra. At the films release the brickbats were reserved for her and for reasons that had nothing to do with her performance. Many reviewed her behavior as seen through the narrow focus of the tabloids and emerging paparazzi. Even today it is sometimes hard to separate the history of the lady from her film roles. But here is the moment in time, in this film where she became the ELIZABETH TAYLOR she has remained in the mind of the world ever since. In this fact alone she is perfect in the role. But she is more than that. As Cleopatra she is at once regal and commanding, strong and tender, soft and hard. These are all the contradictions that have always been at the heart of Cleopatra herself. She and the Queen are masters of a public enigma wrapped within a mystery. In her performance as written by Mankiewicz Elizabeth Taylor is probably not too far off from the historical Cleopatra. Finally, ever since Judith Crist gave CLEOPATRA the needle in 1963 and in the act made her name, the public, for the most part, has viewed this film a failure. But today, stripped of the scandal, hype and hysteria of its release in June of 1963 it is now possible to view CLEOPARTA as the film it is. A near great film that is the signpost of when Hollywood passed from one age into another. Historically this is an important DVD and I recommend it highly. CLEOPATRA remains as seductive, beautiful, and intelligent as it was in Walter Wanger's original conception. "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety."
    I'd very much vote for a full restoration.

    In terms of performances, Taylor is quite good (people forget how competent she can be, poetically crass goddess though she is), and Rex Harrison is great. Oddly, Richard Burton is the weak link here-- rambling thru his lines furiously. And, for my money, Roddy McDowall and Martin Landau should be playing each others' roles...

    Yes, it IS worth a look as a curio... maybe more if they could piece it back together. The production design eye-popping, and the script is clever and literate, but then Mankiewicz was always a much more inspired writer than a director, as many of the shots and scenes (or what's left of them) are bit static and stagey, the actors seeming to be mostly directing themselves.

    BTW: if you adjust for inflation (which one must, if these lists are to mean anything) the $44 million budget would translate to nearly half-a-billion dollars today... still the most expensive movie ever made, by far.
  • jjnxn
    April 7, 2007
    jjnxn
    not as bad as its reputation but ponderous in many places
  • fb100000398655007
    March 7, 2012
    fb100000398655007
    This is proof that critics have short attention spans. If you read the critic reviews they basically say that the biggest flaw was the time length. Why can't they just sit and stay seated. This film has it's flaws but all films have some flaws. There have only been a few films wi... read moreth no flaws. Critics tend to be bias. If they see a film they like but it has flaws they still give it a high review. If they see a film they don't like and it has flaws then they give it low reviews. If you have read many reviews then you would know what I'm talking about. Getting to the actual review. This was okay. I loved the acting especially by Elizabeth Taylor. I read somewhere that this was going to have a really low budget but once they casted Elizabeth Taylor it all changed. I wonder how much they paid her? I liked the emotions that the cast put on. That's what acting is all about, being able to show emotion. The story seemed a little to weak but it was entertaining. It was easy to identify the key points in the plot. So I don't know what critics are saying that this has a weak plot. Maybe there viewing compensation skills are weak. What I liked best about this film was Elizabeth Taylor. So if you love her like me then watch this.
  • fb1360693664
    July 3, 2011
    fb1360693664
    Mainly an epic because of it's timeline, but it is still one of Hollywood's greatest achievements. Acted, and shot to perfection, filled with beautiful set work, and lots of classic moments in cinema. But the film is too long for it's own good. Most of the film is a drag, the dia... read morelogue is a mess, and the chemistry between between the two leads don't make a realistic, and believable classic romance.

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Critic Reviews

March 23, 2011
TIME Magazine

Sad to say, however, the deep-revolving, witty Mankiewicz fails most where most he hoped to succeed. As drama and as cinema, Cleopatra is raddled with flaws. It lacks style both in image and in action. Full Review

Dave Kehr
May 5, 2008
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

[A] general muddle. Full Review

Variety Staff
September 5, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Cleopatra is not only a supercolossal eye-filler (the unprecedented budget shows in the physical opulence throughout), but it is also a remarkably literate cinematic recreation of an historic epoch. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 9, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

It is a surpassing entertainment, one of the great epic films of our day. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
March 19, 2009
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Much maligned for various reasons, this Cleopatra may be the most expensive movie ever made, but certainly not the worst, just a verbose, muddled affair that is not even entertaining as a star vehicle... Full Review

Ian Nathan
May 5, 2008
Ian Nathan, Empire Magazine

For four hours this moody, glossy pantomime leadenly plods on, saying much more about the hubris and excess of old-time Hollywood thinking than the burnished glories of an ancient world. Full Review

Billy Mowbray
May 5, 2008
Billy Mowbray, Film4

A giant of a movie that is sometimes lumbering, but ever watchable thanks to its uninhibited ambition, size and glamour. Full Review

May 5, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

This is not a film -- it's a deal, decorated with extensive publicity, but weighed down by listless direction and lots of nasal talk, talk, talk. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Harrison, doing his waspish don act as Caesar, alone rises above mediocrity. Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten
March 10, 2003
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle

Taylor, Burton, and Harrison are sublime in this sweeping epic of love and nations. Full Review

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