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Actors: Claude Rains, Vivien Leigh, Stewart Granger, Ernest Thesiger, Anthony Harvey, Flora Robson, Raymond Lovell, Francis L. Sullivan
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Caesar and Cleopatra |
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Julius Caesar (Rains) has conquered Egypt and decides to journey to this corner of his empire. He approaches the Sphinx on foot appearing as a humble statesman and is not recognized as the great Emperor. He addresses it and is overheard by Cleopatra (Leigh) who doesn't know who he is. He plays up the mistake, so that later she is shocked to find out he is the mighty Caesar. He is very paternal toward the beautiful Queen and would like a more intimate relationship, but her heart belongs to Marc Antony. Caesar meets with King Ptolemy (Harvey), Theodotus (Thesiger) his tutor and others of his council. He learns that Lucius (Lovell) has slain Pompey his rival. Cleopatra is agonizing over the fact that her world has fallen into the hands of the mighty Romans and that she has been ousted from power by Ptolemy who is her younger brother and her husband.
Caesar and his army are under siege as an offensive is mounted by the forces of Ptolemy trying to take the lighthouse at Alexandria. Pothinus (Sullivan) is held as a prisoner, while Theodotus is dismayed by the burning of the great library and released. Cleopatra is rolled in a Persian rug and smuggled into the lighthouse by Apollonius (Granger) to be near Caesar. Cleopatra orders Ftatateeta (Robson) to kill Pothinus. She has crossed Caesar and he will not protect her any further. Ftatateeta is slain by Rufio for her part in the killing. The rebellion is crushed.
Caesar will return triumphant to Rome, but Cleopatra does not want to leave her land. She strikes a deal with Caesar that if he spares her son, she will accompany him to Rome. He places a guard on her fearing she may flee. She breaks the promise once he has left and summons her servant to prepare her some fruit to eat for the journey. She places her hand in a basket full of figs, but it has a snake in it that kills her. Caesar is furious that she has been left alone and mourns her death.
--David Fletcher, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Caesar and Cleopatra |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Time/Era of Movie:
- ancient egypt
Legal/Political Thriller?
Yes
Political Plotlets:
- managing/preventing conflict with other nations
Romance
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Hair color?
- bald
Hair style
- bald (man)
Body type
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Italian
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) long straight
Body type
- ample bosom & buttocks (woman)
Unclothed?
- very tight clothes
How much in movie?
- 90%-100%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Arabic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- enemy army
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Arab
Setting
Africa
Yes
Part of Africa:
- Arabic Africa
Desert?
Yes
Desert:
- hostile arabs
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
- building
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- gory visuals of deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- excited
How many deaths in film?
- 8 or more
Kind of violence:
- knives
- swords
Unusual forms of death
- dropped from large heights
- perforation--swords/knives
Check here if B&W
Yes
Non-American film?
Yes
What language?
- English
Is this movie based on a
- play
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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