If I had to choose one movie that best summed up the life and career of the late / great Elizabeth Taylor, then 'Cleopatra' would be that film: Epic, self-indulgent, OTT and very nearly a train wreck of monumental proportions. 'Cleopatra' (1963) was Hollywood's last hurrah in terms of grand spectacle, for Anthony Mann's 'Fall Of The Roman Empire' (1964) would tie a Gordian knot in the genre, one that would remain bound until Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) cut it open.

Veteran director Joseph L. Mankiewicz ('Guys & Dolls', 'The Quiet American') does well to capture the scale and pageantry of the era whilst keeping a close eye on the love triangle between Cleopatra, Mark Anthony (Richard Burton) and Julis Caesar (Rex Harrison). The mise-en-scene can't be faulted, the sets are as good as anything you'd see in a DeMille picture and the stars act up a storm with bombastic, often hammy, larger-than-life performances. It could've done with more battles, but those familiar with what went on behind-the-scenes, won't be at all surprised to learn that they'd already spent themselves into a stupor and simply couldn't afford another big moment.

'Cleopatra' also marked the beginning of the Burton / Taylor love/hate relationship and though there's really no good reason as to why they couldn't have just followed the Shakespeare play in terms of the script, it's still a good 4 hours of solid entertainment. Fans of the epic will rejoice, modern audiences accustomed to a snappy pace will wonder what all the fuss was about.