Still the most expensive movie ever made, Cleopatra nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. It also scandalised the world with the very public affair of its two major stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. But Joseph L Mankiewicz's 1963 epic deserves to be remembered for more than its off-screen troubles. An extravagantly elaborate production, the sets and costumes alone are awe-inspiring; Mankiewicz's own literate screenplay draws heavily on the classics and Shakespeare; while the supporting cast, led by Rex Harrison as Caesar and Roddy McDowall as his nephew (and... future emperor) Octavian, are all first-rate thespians and generally put in more convincing performances than either of the two leads. Mankiewicz's original intention was to make two three-hour films: the first being Caesar and Cleopatra, the second Antony and Cleopatra. But before the films completion, and following a boardroom coup worthy of Ancient Rome itself, legendary mogul Darryl F Zanuck took back control of Fox and insisted that Cleopatra be cut to a more economical length. A heartbroken Mankiewicz was forced to trim his six-hour vision down to four. This was the "roadshow" version shown at the films premiere and now restored here for the first time. Then following adverse criticism and pressure from cinema chains Zanuck demanded more cuts, and the final released version ran a mere three hours--half the original length. Capitalising on the feverish publicity surrounding Burton and Taylor, the shortened version played up both their on- and off-screen romance. This longer four-hour roadshow version allows for a broader view of the film, adding some depth to the politics and manipulation of the characters. But the directors original six-hour edit has been lost. Perhaps one day it will be rediscovered in the vaults and Mankiewiczs much-maligned movie will finally be seen the way it was meant to be. Until then, Cleopatra remains an epic curiosity rather than the complete spectacle it should be. On the DVD: this handsome three-disc set spreads the restored four-hour print of the movie across two discs. The anamorphic widescreen print looks quite magnificent and Alex Norths wondrous score comes up like new in Dolby 5.1 sound. Theres a patchy and only intermittently revealing commentary from Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky. Much better is the comprehensive two-hour documentary that occupies disc three, which tells in hair-raising detail the extraordinary story of a film production that became totally out of control. This is accompanied by some short archival material, but the documentary alone is a compelling reason to acquire this set. --Mark Walker [show more]
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Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play. The opulence and grandeur of this epic spectacle has never been more glorious as it comes to Blu-ray for the very first time. This two-disc edition celebrates the Oscar-Winning artistry of this legendary film. Elizabeth Taylor stars as Cleopatra, the glamorous and cunning queen of Egypt. To secure her hold on power, she seduces the rulers of Rome, only to meet her match in Mark Antony, played by Richard Burton. Their passionate romance could decide the fate of the world's greatest empires. Cleopatra Through The Ages: A Cultural History Cleopatra's Missing Footage Fox Movie Channel presents Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman Commentary with Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky The Cleopatra Papers: A Private Correspondence Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood The Fourth Star of Cleopatra Fox Movietone News Theatrical Trailers Actors Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Pamela Brown, George Cole, Hume Cronyn, Cesare Danova, Kenneth Haigh, Andrew Keir, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Robert Stephens, Francesca Annis, Gregoire Aslan & Martin Benson Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz Certificate PG Year 1963 Screen 2.20:1/16:9 Languages English Subtitles English for the hearing impaired; Danish; Dutch; Finnish; French; Hebrew; Icelandic; Mandarin; Norwegian; Portuguese; Spanish; Swedish Duration 4 hours and 11 minutes (approx)
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton star in this Academy Award-winning, epic retelling of the life and loves of the Egyptian queen. Desperate to hold onto her throne in the face of Roman expansion, Cleopatra (Taylor) employs all her charms in an attempt to secure an alliance with Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison). When Caesar is subsequently murdered, however, a vulnerable Cleopatra quickly turns her affections to popular Roman general Mark Antony (Burton). But although the relationship initially fares well, it's not long before the once proud general, now emasculated by the queen's charms, is reduced to a shadow of his former self that presages the doomed lovers' ultimate fate.
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