- Actors: Claude Rains, Vivien Leigh, Stewart Granger, Flora Robson, Francis L. Sullivan
- Directors: Gabriel Pascal
- Writers: George Bernard Shaw
- Producers: Gabriel Pascal, J. Arthur Rank
- Classification: PG
- Studio: Carlton
- VHS Release Date: 13 May 2002
- Run Time: 123 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B0000634A1
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 14,605 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Video Description
The most expensive movie ever made in Britain at the time, this breathtaking adaptation of Shaw’s epic was notoriously lavish. Shot in Technicolor and directed by Gabriel Pascal, the film was so extravagant that the director even took sand to Egypt to get the right cinematic colour. As Rome invades Egypt, Julius Caesar (Rains) stumbles across the young and unrefined princess Cleopatra (Leigh), sheltering in the Sphinx. Impressed by her spirit and intelligence, seduced by her charm he determines to make her Queen. Cleopatra learns about power and politics at the feet of a master but her downfall begins when she is seduced by Mark Antony. This witty, brilliantly designed movie features a memorable cast including Stewart Granger (The Prisoner of Zenda), Flora Robson (Wuthering Heights), Stanley Holloway (My Fair Lady) and a very young Jean Simmons (Great Expectations) as the harpist.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a wonderful film of a wonderful play pleading for tolerance and charity in the affairs of state. "And so, to the end of history, murder shall breed muder, always in the name of right and honour and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race that can understand." Highly recommended....
BUT... inexplicably, the famous scene from Act III of the original play where Cleopatra is smuggled to the beseiged Caesar rolled in a carpet has been cut out, despite the DVD having a scene entitled "A gift for Caesar"! This is like Macbeth without "Out damned spot" or Gone With the Wind without "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!"; and it is for this reason that I award 3 stars rather than 5.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I am a great admirer of Shaw -and of this play in particular. The film, it is true does have it's flaws - for one it is quite old - and even this brilliantly remastered version can't entirely compensate for that. The screenplay is by the author and retains its wry wit, its intelligence and a slightly verbose 1930s theatricality.
But it is a joy to watch Vivien Leigh's sexy and spoiled child of a Cleopatra, alongside Claude Rains' gently wise and cynical Ceasar as they play out Shaw's view of what life should be like. The big surprise was Stewart Grainger - A big bold athletic part clothed in the most camp costumes imaginable!
Sets and filming all to the highest standards with no expense spared. Egypt was never quite so vast and gorgeous as it is here, even in the time of the Ptolemys. The Film is a delight, but don't expect Gladiator!
But it is a joy to watch Vivien Leigh's sexy and spoiled child of a Cleopatra, alongside Claude Rains' gently wise and cynical Ceasar as they play out Shaw's view of what life should be like. The big surprise was Stewart Grainger - A big bold athletic part clothed in the most camp costumes imaginable!
Sets and filming all to the highest standards with no expense spared. Egypt was never quite so vast and gorgeous as it is here, even in the time of the Ptolemys. The Film is a delight, but don't expect Gladiator!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
CAESAR and CLEOPATRA,1945,colour,stars the beautiful-VIVIEN LEIGH as Cleopatra,CLAUDE RAINS as Julius Caesar,also in the cast are STEWART GRANGER,FLORA ROBSON,and the beauty who is the Harpist[plays the Harp]in a couple of scenes is the beautiful-JEAN SIMMONS-[she would have been aged about only 15/16 at that time]. Some five years later[in late 1950]Jean Simmons would marry Stewart Granger.
This is a great movie well acted by entire cast. The film on dvd is in glorious colour with terrific sound. This version is more theatrically based and not cinematic-as was the later[1963]epic-CLEOPATRA-that starred the beautiful-ELIZABETH TAYLOR-as the Egyptian Queen.
But both-CAESAR and CLEOPATRA-and-CLEOPATRA-should not be judged together-as both movies are great in their own way. I like them both.
Regards,Bill.
This is a great movie well acted by entire cast. The film on dvd is in glorious colour with terrific sound. This version is more theatrically based and not cinematic-as was the later[1963]epic-CLEOPATRA-that starred the beautiful-ELIZABETH TAYLOR-as the Egyptian Queen.
But both-CAESAR and CLEOPATRA-and-CLEOPATRA-should not be judged together-as both movies are great in their own way. I like them both.
Regards,Bill.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great classic
one for the fan of this topic-
Just great to see such a old film in great colour*****Steven Osze
I think film was originally b/w now colourised
Just great to see such a old film in great colour*****Steven Osze
I think film was originally b/w now colourised
Published 3 months ago by Stephen Osze
Almost forgotten star.
I suppose I had not realised what a good actress Vivien Leigh was. I think she made a much more convincing Cleopatra than Elizabeth Taylor and Claud Raines a very convincing... Read more
Published 4 months ago by SED
Excellent
Wonderful film. Excellent transfer to DVD. Vivien Leigh easily outshines the later portrayal by Elizabeth Taylor. Claude Rains is superb as Caesar. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2009 by Mr. A. Davison
"by george" bernard shaw, it's cleopatra
i came across this DVD after seeing "cleopatra" (taylor, burton et alia) + so bought it out as a curio. Read more
Published on 5 Dec 2002 by "petsim"
Beautifully directed, classic film.
As Cleopatra, Leigh is, as always, wonderful. This film is very enjoyable, however cannot be considered on the same level as the later 'Cleopatra' starring Liz Taylor, which goes... Read more
Published on 7 April 2002
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