Cleopatra

The Egyptian queen Cleopatra is deposed by her brother and shut in a tent in the desert. Julius Caesar arrives at Alexandria. Cleopatra is rolled in a carpet and carried before him, and when it opens the queen stands there. She binds Caesar to her, gets her throne back, and goes with him as far as Rome. When Caesar is killed Cleopatra returns to Egypt. This time Mark Antony comes. She knows how to bind him too, but a woman caught between two rulers has limited chances. Cecil B. DeMille directs. Claudette Colbert plays Cleopatra, Warren William plays Caesar and Henry Wilcoxon plays Mark Antony. It is an American production for Paramount. The film won the Oscar for cinematography in 1934; the cinematographer was Victor Milner. It was nominated in five categories including best picture, and that year's best picture award went to another film with Colbert in the lead. The close fitting costumes Colbert wore were possible because the film was shot just before the production code began to be strictly enforced. The matter it treats is power built through the body; Cleopatra does not do politics directly but through relationships. The film is known for its large scale scenes; the barge sequence and the palace sets are lavish for their time. The narrative pays no attention to historical accuracy and moves in the language of the Hollywood epic. Claudette Colbert plays the character calculating and sharp, not as a victim. The ending closes with two deaths. Its limit is age; the dialogue is stilted for its time and the pace slow today. Who it is for: viewers who like classic Hollywood epics and DeMille's cinema of spectacle. Who it is not for: it is dated, the dialogue stilted, and not for anyone seeking historical accuracy.