Caesar and Cleopatra (film)
| Caesar and Cleopatra | |
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| Directed by | Gabriel Pascal |
| Produced by | Gabriel Pascal |
| Written by | George Bernard Shaw |
| Starring | Claude Rains Vivien Leigh |
| Release date(s) | 1945 |
| Running time | 123 min |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
Caesar and Cleopatra is a 1945 film starring Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh, produced and directed by Gabriel Pascal from the 1901 play by George Bernard Shaw.
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Plot synopsis
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For more details on this topic, see Caesar and Cleopatra (play).
Cleopatra hasn't been on the throne of the pharaohs of Egypt very long when Julius Caesar pays a visit. Caesar finds the prospect of romance more tempting than he expected, since Cleopatra is a rare woman who is bright as well as beautiful. And for Cleopatra, a friendly relationship with the most powerful man in the world may pay dividends in the future. [1]
Production
Filmed in Technicolor with lavish sets, the production was reported to be the most expensive film ever made in Britain at that time. Producer director Gabriel Pascal ordered sand from Egypt to get the right cinematic color. It was described as a "box office stinker" at the time, and virtually ended Pascal's career. It was the last film version of a Shaw play approved by the author. After Shaw's death in 1950 Pascal went on to produce one more Shaw film, the 1952 version of Androcles and the Lion.
Cast
- Claude Rains - Julius Caesar
- Vivien Leigh - Cleopatra
- Stewart Granger - Apollodorus
- Flora Robson - Ftatateeta
- Francis L. Sullivan - Pothinus
- Basil Sydney - Rufio
- Cecil Parker - Britannus
- Raymond Lovell - Lucius Septimus
- Ernest Thesiger - Theodotus
- Anthony Harvey - Ptolemy
- A 17 year old Roger Moore appears in the film (uncredited).
- Jean Simmons has a non-speaking role as a harpist.
- John Gielgud was Shaw's first choice for the role of Caesar but declined the offer after meeting with the director Gabriel Pascal and taking an instant dislike towards him.[2]
References
Notes
Bibliography
- The Great British Films, pp 97-101, Jerry Vermilye, 1978, Citadel Press, ISBN 080650661X
External links
- Caesar and Cleopatra at the Internet Movie Database
- Caesar and Cleopatra at the TCM Movie Database
- Movie Production Stills 1
- Movie Production Stills 2
- Trailer for Caesar and Cleopatra (Video)
- Gabriel Pascal directs Shaw's 'Caesar and Cleopatra' 1945 (Newsreel)
- Film Facts
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