ABSTRACT: This 1934 movie version of Cleopatra, directed by the legendary Cecil B. DeMille is to my mind the best version ever made.
CONTENT: (©Oct 16, 2008~First published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)
I'm a great fan of the old time movies of the 1930s and 1940s. In my opinion, and not to take away from the talents of newer movie stars, it was during these years that Hollywood was blessed by some of the truly great actors around. Who can ever forget the talents of Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin, Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Ingrid Bergmam, Katherine Hepburn and on and on the list goes for the great classic actors.
Another all time favorite actress of these early years of film-making was the talented and beautiful Claudette Colbert and one of the movies that she radiates and shines in, is the 1934 version of Cleopatra, directed by one of the greatest directors of all time, none other than Cecil B. DeMille who became known for some of the most epic type movies going.
As a girl, and even now, I have been a lover of the Ancient Egyptian culture and very vividly remember seeing Cleopatra as a small child, and even back then I was wowed by this movie, and still am. The later 1963 version of Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor (as Cleopatra) and Richard Burton (as Antony) just cannot hold a candle, despite it's lavishness to the 1934 version.
I think there is hardly a person who is not familiar with the whole Cleopatra story in general. I describe here both the known historical facts, and interlace it with the content of the movie as well which follows the historical facts rather faithfully. Being the Ancient Egyptian lover that I am, I'm pretty familiar with Egypt's history.
Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy XII and sister to Ptolemy XII and XIV during the Hellenistic rule over Egypt after the conquest of Alexander the Great. True Egyptian Dynasties no longer existed then. The historical Cleopatra was actually married to her own brother Ptolemy XIII, which was not an unusual practice in Ancient Egyptian times. In the movie version, Cleopatra's brother has no desire to share power as co-monarch and tries to get rid of her, but her faithful servant smuggles her away, before her brother can assassinate her (another common practice between rulers in Ancient Egyptian times was to kill each other off). Her servant takes her to Rome where he poses under the guise of a carpet seller and presents a carpet to Rome's leader, Julius Caesar...ah, but wrapped in the carpet is Cleopatra herself and in effect asks for asylum in Rome and also beguiles her way in suggesting that if Caesar overthrows Ptolemy and makes her the recognized Pharaoh of Egypt, then peace can exist between the two mighty kingdoms of Rome and Egypt. As a historical note, Cleopatra was not the first woman to declare herself as pharaoh, the first was Hatshepsut of the 18th dynasty, circa 1479 B.C.
A romantic liaison begins between Cleopatra and Caesar. In historical facts about this union, the real Cleopatra was a mere 21 years old, while Caesar was 52. All is not well in Rome however, there are many dissenters against Caesar's rule in general, and a hatred toward Cleopatra and her influences over Caesar, so on the legendary Ides of March (March 15th) he is assassinated by members of the Roman senate, with Brutus as the leader of the assassination.
Cleopatra flees Rome, realizing her own life is threatened now and goes back to Egypt. But the feelings at Rome are still in an uproar, and war is threatened between the two kingdoms, The general feeling is that the Roman Army under the command of Marc Antony is that they want to drag Cleopatra back to Rome and perhaps kill her. A truce is set up between Cleopatra and she suggests a meeting with Marc Antony on her private barge to negotiate. Cleopatra however, is quite the seductress and when Antony does meet with Cleopatra, he too falls under her alluring spell. Her original plan is to kill off Antony, by the sprinkling of flowers that are laced with poison and places the flower in Antony's cup of wine. However, when he is about to drink the cup, she knocks it out of his hand, for she has becomes attracted to Antony.
Antony leaves the Roman world behind him, staying with Cleopatra, but not for long as distention grows even stronger with the Roman army who view Antony as a traitor and also want to once and for all, assassinate Cleopatra and end her rule in Egypt. A battle takes place in Actium where Antony with some of his men who are still willing to fight with him. From a distance, Cleopatra watches the battle, but flees when the battle turns against Antony and he is losing. After the battle a near dying Antony goes to Cleopatra for once last time to be with her and dies in her arms. Now realizing her life is in danger, rather than be seized by the Roman Army plans to take her life by her own hands. All alone, save for her two faithful female servants Iras and Charmion, Cleopatra arrays herself in a beautiful gown, and seats herself on her thrown. Her one servant hands her a basket, a basket containing a poisonous snake (asp) and Cleopatra purposely allows herself to be bitten by it. When the Roman army barges in, it's too late...Cleopatra has died, as well as one servant and her other servant is near death as well. They too had decided to allow the deadly snake to bite them, not wanting to be without their queen, and with the hope that with their death they can be with her in the afterlife.
While I relate many of the historical facts about Cleopatra here, the 1934 movie relates this story wonderfully well just as it has been described in historical records.
Since this is a Cecil B. DeMille movie, you just know this is a spectacular film wonderfully scripted and acted. I believe it will take your breathe away as it has always done for me. I never get tired of watching this movie. One will be rather surprised at the costuming. We are so used to barely clothed actors in movies nowadays, but the costumes worn in this movie were considered rather shocking for that time.
If you do get this DVD, most that are sold now are the colorized versions of this black and white film, I advised that if you can, adjust the picture and switch off the color...this movie is meant to be seen in its natural black and white glory rather than the fake added on color.
How much do I like this movie? I don't like it....I love it!
Cleopatra - Claudette Colbert
Julius Caesar - Warren William
Marc Antony - Henry Wilcoxon
Calpurnia - Gertrude Michael
Brutus - Arthur Hohl
Directed By Cecil B. DeMille (one of the greatest directors of all time)
Music by Rudolph B. Kopp
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