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| Cleopatra - 1934 |
Coming up next, we have 1934's "Cleopatra", the story of a woman whose love life cost her a kingdom and ultimately, her life. Cecil B. DeMille's extraordinary hand is at work as director of this lavish production.
The film's cast includes Claudette Colbert, William Warren, Henry Wilcoxon, Joseph Schildkraut, Ian Keith, Gertrude Michael, C. Aubrey Smith, Irving Pichel, Harry Beresford, and Lionel Belmore.
On the eve of the arrival of the great warrior Caesar, Cleopatra is thrown out of the kingdom of Egypt in a coup. When someone tells her that she is now queen of the desert, she replies coldly, "You'll find to your sorrow I'm still Queen of Egypt."
Rolled up in a carpet, Cleopatra eventually succeeds in gaining an audience with Caesar. He is intrigued by this exotic woman.
At first mistrustful of each other, the two come to realize that they could have a mutually beneficial relationship. Caesar could have access to the wealth of Egypt, and Cleopatra could keep her throne.
After a while, Caesar takes Cleopatra to Rome and shows her off. He intends to become Emperor, divorce his wife, and make Cleopatra the Empress of the Roman Empire.
As Caesar moves in procession through the streets of Rome, a soothsayer bids him to beware the Ides of March. Caesar laughs and shrugs off the warning.
On the day he intends to proclaim himself Emperor, Caesar goes to visit Cleopatra before his meeting with the Senate.
Of course, we know what happens. Caesar is viciously murdered by his "friends".
With Caesar at the Senate, Cleopatra makes herself ready and waits to be proclaimed Empress.
However, her joy turns to sorrow when she finds out that Caesar has been assassinated.
Caesar's place as leader of the Roman Empire is divided between his nephew, Octavius, and his friend, Marc Antony. Both are deeply mistrustful of the other. However, they are united in one thing: Egypt must be brought under their dominion. Marc Antony sets a trap in order to capture Cleopatra.
She, however, is fully cognizant of the danger that she is in and hatches a plan of her own.
On her barge, Marc Antony comes to arrest Cleopatra. She insists that he be entertained with Egyptian hospitality.
She seduces him, and when that seduction is at its peak, Cleopatra gives the order for the barge to sail away back to Egypt with Marc Antony still on board.
Back in Egypt, Antony and Cleopatra give themselves over to a full blown love affair.
A visitor in the form of the Judean King Herod arrives. He informs Cleopatra that Octavian is unhappy with Marc Antony and is planning a war. This war could be appeased if she were to poison her lover.
When he visits Marc Antony, Herod lets it slip that Cleopatra plans on poisoning him. At first dubious, Antony later laughs hysterically at the supposed plot against him.
However, Cleopatra realizes that, for the freedom of her people, she must poison Antony.
She begins testing poisons on criminals condemned to die already. They eagerly drink the poison, thinking it as a mercy from the agonizing death they would have surely suffered otherwise.
Cleopatra invites Marc Antony to dinner with the intent to go through with her plan.
Before the plan can be completed, Cleopatra receives the news that Octavian has already decided to launch his attack.
Antony's advisors beg him to drop his relationship with Cleopatra for his own sake and for the sake of the Roman Empire. Antony refuses.
Cleopatra goes to Octavian and offers him her crown if he will let her take Marc Antony into exile to live their lives. Octavian refuses.
Unbeknownst to her, Antony watched Cleopatra go to Octavian. Thinking that she has betrayed him, he falls on his sword. Cleopatra arrives back at the palace in time for Antony to take his last breath in her arms.
Not wanting to be subservient to Rome, Cleopatra makes plans to follow Marc Antony to the afterlife by summoning a poisonous asp. After having it bite her, she arranges herself on the throne and sends away her attendants.
Cleopatra dies in perfect posture. As Octavian and his army breach the doors of the palace, they look upon the last act of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
Cast rundown:
Claudette Colbert..................................Cleopatra
William Warren.....................................Julius Caesar
Henry Wilcoxon....................................Marc Antony
Joseph Schildkraut................................King Herod
Ian Keith.............................................Octavian
Gertrude Michael..................................Calpurnia
C. Aubrey Smith...................................Enobarbus
Irving Pichel........................................Apollodorus
Harry Beresford....................................Soothsayer
Lionel Belmore.....................................Fidius
And that's it for Cleopatra. Claudette Colbert's performance in this sumptuous feast for the eyes was called the 1934 "Movie Highlight of the Year". In recent years, it has been said that the film has stood the test of the time and stands out as one of DeMille's most intelligent films. Praise is heaped upon all the performances.
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