For all its flaws (like Hildegard Neil, and Hildegard Neil), Charlton Heston's Antony and Cleopatra is still much better than Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet, or Michael Almereyda's Shakespearean botchery. _______ John King (Episode, well, all of them) holds a PhD in English from Purdue University, and an MFA from New York University. He has reviewed performances for Shakespeare Bulletin.
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Drama, History | 138 Min Rating: /10 Movie Info Release Date: 18 March 1972 Genres: Drama, History Country: UK, Spain, Switzerland Language: English After the murder of her lover Caesar, Egypt's queen Cleopatra needs a new ally. She seduces his probable successor Mark Antony. This develops into real love and slowly leads to a war with the other possible successor: Octavius. Antony and Cleopatra Movie Trailer Drama, History
Sweet Jebus, there is just so much Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra. Where was I? The script has some excellent moments, I must say. When Marc Antony returns to Rome to meet with Octavius Caesar in Act II, the dialogue takes place in a small arena while two gladiators, providing a bold subtext, battle one another. When Enobarbus suggests a bacchanal for the peace brokered between Octavius Caesar, Marc Antony, and Pompey, a pantomime of Antony's relationship to Cleopatra is enacted in dance. Antony himself, drunk, seems to enjoy the spectacle, especially when she falls into Octavius's lap. The dancer playing Cleopatra in this play-within-a-play would likely have made a better Cleopatra. If Robert Vaughn seems to run away with his scenes as Casca in Caesar, Freddie Jones runs away with his scenes as Pompey. (I know him from David Lynch movies, such as The Elephant Man). Character actors seem to frolic well with Shakespeare. John Castle is both likeable and creepy as the ever even-keeled Octiavius.