Cleopatra

Year:

1963

Duration:

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

IMDB rate:

7

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 12 nominations

Details

Country: UK

Release Date: 1963-07-31

Filming Locations: Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Earnings

Budget: $31,115,000

Gross: $57,777,778 (USA) (8 June 2013)

Cast

Actor

Character

John Alderton

Isabel Cooley

Cleopatra

Elizabeth Taylor

Cleopatra

Richard Burton

Mark Antony

Rex Harrison

Julius Caesar

Pamela Brown

High Priestess

George Cole

Flavius

Hume Cronyn

Sosigenes

Cesare Danova

Apollodorus

Kenneth Haigh

Brutus

Andrew Keir

Agrippa

Martin Landau

Rufio

Roddy McDowall

Octavian - Caesar Augustus

Robert Stephens

Germanicus

Francesca Annis

Eiras

Grégoire Aslan

Pothinus

Martin Benson

Ramos

Herbert Berghof

Theodotos

John Cairney

Phoebus

Jacqueline Chan

Lotos (as Jacqui Chan)

John Doucette

Achillas

Andrew Faulds

Canidius

Michael Gwynn

Cimber

Michael Hordern

Cicero

John Hoyt

Cassius

Marne Maitland

Euphranor

Carroll O'Connor

Casca

Richard O'Sullivan

Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII

Gwen Watford

Calpurnia

Douglas Wilmer

Decimus

Elisabeth Welch

Children's Nurse (scenes deleted)

John Alderson

Roman Officer (uncredited)

Ronald Allen

Minor Role (uncredited)

Audrey Anderson

Minor Role (uncredited)

María Badmajew

Minor Role (uncredited)

Michèle Bailly

Minor Role (uncredited)

Marina Berti

Queen at Tarsus (uncredited)

Salvatore Billa

Egyptian Slave / Centurion (uncredited)

Bruna Caruso

Minor Role (uncredited)

Finlay Currie

Titus (uncredited)

Rod Dana

One of Caesar's Entourage (uncredited)

Marie Devereux

Bacchanal Reveler (uncredited)

Peter Forster

2nd Officer (uncredited)

John Frederick

Captain Palace Guard (uncredited)

María Luz Galicia

Minor Role (uncredited)

John Gayford

Guard (uncredited)

Peter Grant

Palace Guard (uncredited)

Rosalba Grottesi

Cleopatra's Servant (uncredited)

Rupert John

Minor Role (uncredited)

John Karlsen

High Priest

Jeremy Kemp

Agitator (uncredited)

Maureen Lane

Minor Role (uncredited)

Margaret Lee

Minor Role (uncredited)

Desmond Llewelyn

Senator (uncredited)

Calvin Lockhart

Minor Role (uncredited)

Loris Loddi

Caesarion at Age 4

Barry Lowe

Guard (uncredited)

Jean Marsh

Octavia

Kathy Martin

Minor Role (uncredited)

Luigi Martocci

Marcellus (uncredited)

Gesa Meiken

Minor Role (uncredited)

Furio Meniconi

Mithridates

Simon Mizrahi

Minor Role (uncredited)

Violeta Montenegro

Dancer (uncredited)

Boris Nacinovic

Gladiator (uncredited)

Laurence Naismith

Arachesilaus (uncredited)

Kenneth Nash

Caesarion at Age 12

John Pepper

Caesarion

Paola Pitagora

Cleopatra's Servant (uncredited)

Michela Roc

Cleopatra's Servant (uncredited)

Del Russel

Caesarion at Age 7

Sandra Scarnati

Cleopatra's Servant (uncredited)

Mike Steen

Minor Role (uncredited)

Jack Taylor

Minor Role (uncredited)

Larry Taylor

Roman Officer (uncredited)

John Valva

Valvus (uncredited)

Meri Welles

Cleopatra's Handmaiden

Ben Wright

Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Soon after shooting began in England, Elizabeth Taylor became ill and could not work. Her presence was required for almost every scene, and production soon closed down. Director Rouben Mamoulian finally resigned on January 3, 1961. He was followed by Peter Finch and Stephen Boyd, who had to honor prior commitments.

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In principle, Darryl F. Zanuck, did not object to Joseph L. Mankiewicz's idea to make two 3-hour movies. However, he knew the public was obsessed with the Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton affair, and would not show up for the first part, in which Burton did not appear. The two parts were edited into one movie.

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Nunnally Johnson was paid $140,000 for a script polish.

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Goofs

Cleopatra refers to Octavian as "Octavius Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus." The senate also refer to him as "the August." However, Gaius Octavius wasn't given the name "Augustus" or made emperor until 27 BC, three years after Cleopatra's death.

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When the sphinx that carries Cleopatra in her entrance to Rome is about to go under the Arch, the shadow of the scaffolding behind the Arch is visible on the sphinx until it goes under it.

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When Caesar is saying goodbye to Cleopatra in Alexandria before sailing back to Rome, one of his aides hurries him by warning, "You will miss your tide." In fact, Mediterranean has no tides, or more precisely, its tides are so minimal that they don't affect navigation. No ship sailing from a Mediterranean port would have to worry about catching a tide.

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Quotes

Julius Caesar: You all look so impressive. Any one of you could be king.

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Cleopatra: I will not be told where I can go and where I cannot go!

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Cleopatra: [admiring his armor] And I find what you're wearing most becoming. Greek, isn't it?

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Faq

Q

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?

A

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Cleopatra can be found here.

Q

How much did it cost to film 'Cleopatra'?

A

An article in the Chicago Tribune, dated June 24, 1963, says that Fox studios had to file final [accurate] "Cleo" cost figures in California for tax purposes. They report that the total is closer to 25 million dollars as opposed to the widely publicized 40 million.

Q

The film emphasizes Cleopatra locking herself inside her Tomb. But then the film shows the Romans inhabiting it with opened doors. What happened?

A

In a scene deleted from the finished film, Agrippa stands outside the locked Tomb, attempting to negotiate with Cleopatra to open it. However, his 'negotiations' are to distract Cleopatra from noticing Roman soldiers silently scaling the walls. These soldiers invade the Tomb, restrain Cleopatra and her handmaidens Eiras and Charmain, and open the doors.

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