BT
Bosley Crowther, The New York Times
Praised it as "one of the great epic films" due to Mankiewicz's colorful, deep characters that brought vitality against a splendid spectacle.
Determined to hold on to the throne, Cleopatra seduces the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. When Caesar is murdered, she redirects her attentions to his general, Marc Antony, who vows to take power—but Caesar’s successor has other plans.
Directed byJoseph L. Mankiewicz
Budget$31.1 million
Box office$57.8 million (US and Canada), $40.3 million (worldwide theatrical rental)
Critical Consensus
7.0
IMDb
60
Metacritic
7.0
TMDB
Cleopatra garnered generally favorable reviews in the US (80% positive) but was unfavorably received in Europe (20% positive). Critics noted its spectacle and ambition but also its flaws and extensive runtime. Despite box office success, its high costs led to initial financial losses.
The Cast
Trivia
Elizabeth Taylor signed on to portray the title role for a record-setting salary of $1 million.
Principal photography was suspended in November after going over budget with only ten minutes of usable footage.
A personal scandal involving co-stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's adulterous affair made worldwide headlines during filming.
With estimated production costs totaling $31 million, the film became the most expensive ever made up to that point and nearly bankrupted the studio.
Despite being the highest-grossing film of 1963, "Cleopatra" initially lost money due to its massive production and marketing costs.
Reviews
0 reviews
Avg: 0.0 / 5
Critics
VV
Vincent Canby, Variety
Described it as a "supercolossal eye-filler" due to opulence and a "remarkably literate cinematic recreation of an historic epoch."
PT
Philip K. Scheuer, Los Angeles Times
Called it a "surpassingly beautiful film" and a "literate, intelligent drama" where screenwriters performed their job with integrity.
TM
Time magazine
Harshly criticized it for being "riddled with flaws," lacking style, and moving ponderously from scene to scene instead of with epic elan.
JR
James Powers, The Hollywood Reporter
Stated it was "not a great movie" but a "vast, popular entertainment" that achieved broader appeal, viewing this as an achievement.
CT
Claudia Cassidy, Chicago Tribune
Summarized the film as "huge and disappointing," praising Harrison/Burton but finding Taylor "hopelessly out of her depth."
PS
Penelope Houston, Sight & Sound
Felt Mankiewicz's ambition failed due to an illustrative visual style, weak dialogue, and actors who dwindled against large sets.
JT
Judith Crist, New York Herald Tribune
Concurred that characters were dwarfed by grand sets, resulting in a "strangely static epic" with unexciting interruptions.
PG
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Described it as a "stately but sometimes mindboggling spectacle" and a "colossus of the analogue-epic era" that shouldn't be missed.
BF
Billy Mowbray, Film4
Called it a "giant of a movie" that, while sometimes lumbering, was "ever watchable" due to its ambition, size, and glamour.
Audience
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