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Cleopatra Overview:

Cleopatra (1963) was a Biographical - Drama Film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Rouben Mamoulian (uncredited) and Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited) and produced by Walter Wanger and Peter Levathes.

SYNOPSIS

A long, sprawling, and spectacular love story depicting Cleopatra's manipulation of Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian Empire. Film was cut from 243 minutes to 222 at the time of its release. The most expensive film of its time, due largely to overruns caused by Taylor and Burton's tempestuous relationship on and offscreen. Launched in the tabloids. It survived multiple starts and stops, and the near-bankruptcy of Fox, to become big box office.

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

Academy Awards 1963 --- Ceremony Number 36 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best CinematographyVictor MilnerWon
Best Film EditingAnne BauchensNominated
Best PictureParamountNominated
Best ActorRex HarrisonNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Hilyard Brown, Herman Blumenthal, Elven Webb, MauricWon
Best Costume DesignIrene Sharaff, Vittorio Nino Novarese, RenieWon
Best Film EditingDorothy SpencerNominated
Best Music - ScoringAlex NorthNominated
Best PictureWalter Wanger, ProducerNominated
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Cleopatra BlogHub Articles:

Cleopatra (1963)

By Beatrice on Dec 21, 2017 From Flickers in Time

Cleopatra Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz Written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall, and Sidney Buchman based on ancient histories and a book “The Life and Times of Cleopatra” by Carlo Maria Franzero 1963/Switzerland/UK/USA Twentieth Century Fox/MCL Films S.A./Walwa Films S.... Read full article

César e Cleópatra (1945)

By Lê on Nov 2, 2015 From Critica Retro

César e Cleópatra (1945) Você deve saber que Elizabeth Taylor foi a primeira atriz de cinema a receber um milhão de dólares por um único filme: “Cleópatra”, em 1963. Antes dela, outras atrizes já haviam interpretado a mais famosa rainha do Egito, entre elas Theda Bara, Cla... Read full article

Celebrate Cleopatra!

By Jill Blake on Jun 13, 2013 From Sittin' on a Backyard Fence

Here at The Fence, we will be giving away 2 copies of the newly restored Cleopatra 50th Anniversary release, courtesy of Fox. To enter, please send an email to sittinonabackyardfence@gmail.com. In the subject, “Cleopatra giveaway.” Please include your name, email, and website (if applica... Read full article

Win a Copy of Cleopatra 50th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray

By Brandy Dean on May 31, 2013 From Pretty Clever Films

The iconic historical epic Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and and Richard Burton, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In honor of this milestone, Cleopatra has been restored and released on Blu-ray for the first time in a 2-disc package that features a full-color book with rare images a... Read full article

Win a Copy of Cleopatra on Blu-ray!

on May 30, 2013 From Journeys in Classic Film

I mentioned it on Twitter a  few days ago, but the fantastic folks at Cinemark have sent me a few Cleopatra Blu-rays to offer to you lovely people.  I have THREE Blu-rays to give away and here’s what you need to enter: HOW TO ENTER: Since these are awesome, I’m going to have to enforce... Read full article

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Cleopatra Quotes:

Cleopatra: How DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar! Rape, murder, pillage thousands, even millions of human beings! But neither you nor any other barbarian has the right to destroy one human thought!
Julius Caesar: I do not understand why the eyes of a statue should always lack light.
Cleopatra: There are never enough hours in the days of a queen, and her nights have too many.
Julius Caesar: [speaking of the Grand Eunuch] ... a position not acquired without some, shall we say, sacrifices?
Julius Caesar: [after the execution of Pothinus] Return Apollodorus's dagger to him, but clean it first. It has Pothinus all over it.
See More Quotes from Cleopatra
Cleopatra Facts
After firing Rouben Mamoulian as director, Walter Wanger and Darryl F. Zanuck approached Alfred Hitchcock to take over the project. Hitchcock refused and chose to make The Birds instead.
Taylor's illness prevented her from working again in England's weather for several months. Therefore the production moved to Rome. The sets and the footage already shot were scrapped. (See also Carry on Cleo).
The scar from Elizabeth Taylor's tracheotomy, performed during filming, is visible in several shots.
Joseph L. Mankiewicz was never proud of this film and only made it out of sufferance for his friend, Elizabeth Taylor. At one point he even tried to have his name taken off. He was however paid $3 million for making it, a then unheard of sum of money for a director.
Initially Egypt refused entry to Elizabeth Taylor because she was Jewish. They revised their opinion after reflecting on the millions of US dollars that the film's presence would engender.
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