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Cleopatra Overview:

Cleopatra (1934) was a Historical - Drama Film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and produced by Cecil B. DeMille.

SYNOPSIS

Grandiose, epic as only DeMille can be, and vintage early Hollywood. Colbert stars as the captivating and powerful Queen of Egypt. When Julius Caesar, the leader of the Roman Empire, succumbs to the charms of the sultry Cleopatra, he creates a scandal big enough to shake the marble pillars of Rome. The ruler pays dearly for his romance, for the outraged Roman Senate repudiates him and the fickle Cleopatra decides to protect her interests by bestowing her affections on her former lover's rival, Marc Antony. Colbert makes an elegantly imperious Queen - particularly in the milk bath! Remake of the 1917 Theda Bara vehicle. Remade in 1963 with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Cleopatra BlogHub Articles:

Cleopatra (1934) (1)

By Angela on Nov 29, 2011 From Hollywood Revue

After being kidnapped and forced out of Egypt, left to die in the desert, Cleopatra (Claudette Colbert) turns to the only person she knows can help her — Julius Caesar (Warren William).  She makes her way to see Caesar and just as he is about to officially support her brother Ptolemy over Cle... Read full article

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Cleopatra Quotes:

Octavia: [about Calpurnia not knowing that Caesar and Cleopatra are involved] The wife is always the last to know.
Cleopatra: Women should be but toys for the great. It becomes them both.
Cleopatra: I admire men who don't love women.
Cleopatra: Together we could conquer the world.
Julius Caesar: Nice of you to include me.
Cleopatra: So Rome would forgive and take you back? And all they demand is for us to part. Why don't they ask the sun to fall right out of the sky?
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Cleopatra Facts
Daily Variety reported that the film was badly panned by Italian critics, one of whom called it a "travesty and a burlesque," when shown in Rome. It also was met with "catcalls and derisive laughter" from the audience.
Costume designer Vicky Williams left the project because she was annoyed by what she perceived as a lack of organization in the department.
A number of day-to-day schedule problems and delays appear to have been costume-related, in many cases because Claudette Colbert felt they didn't fit her correctly and was sending them back to the costume shop.
One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by MCA ever since.
Claudette Colbert was sick from April 10, 1934 to April 16, delaying the production.
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