Cleopatra - Elizabeth Taylor 1963

1280 x 720 *******

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056937/

Elizabeth Taylor
Richard Burton
Rex Harrison

Verenigde Staten / Groot Brittanni?? / Zwitserland
Drama
192 minuten / 243 minuten (roadshow-versie)

geregisseerd door Joseph L. Mankiewicz
met Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton en Rex Harrison

De film vertelt het verhaal van koningin Cleopatra VII van Egypte die haar macht wil stabiliseren door gebruik te maken van de spanningen in het Romeinse Rijk. Caesar bezoekt haar in Egypte, heeft een relatie met haar, en keert terug naar Rome. Ze baart zijn kind en bezoekt Rome om haar plaats aan Caesars zijde te claimen. Hij wordt vermoord voor dit gebeurt. Vervolgens keert ze terug naar Egypte, Marcus Antonius volgt haar en wordt verliefd op haar.

Cleopatra - Elizabeth Taylor 1963

In 48 B.C., Caesar pursues Pompey from Pharsalia to Egypt. Ptolemy, now supreme ruler after deposing his older sister, Cleopatra, attempts to gain favor with Caesar by presenting the conquerer with the head of Pompey, borne by his governors, Pothinos and Achillas. To win Caesar's support from her brother, Cleopatra hides herself in a rug, which Apollodorus, her servant, presents to Caesar. The Roman is immediately infatuated; banishing Ptolemy, he declares Cleopatra Egypt's sole ruler and takes her as his mistress. A son, Caesarion, is born of their union. Caesar, however, must return to Italy. Although he is briefly reunited with Cleopatra during a magnificent reception for the queen in Rome, Caesar is assassinated shortly thereafter, and Cleopatra returns to Egypt. When Mark Antony, Caesar's prot??g??, beholds Cleopatra aboard her elaborate barge at Tarsus some years later, he is smitten and becomes both her lover and military ally. Their liaison notwithstanding, Antony, to consolidate his position in Rome, marries Octavia, sister of the ambitious Octavian. The marriage satisfies no one. Cleopatra is infuriated, and Antony, tiring of his Roman wife, returns to Egypt. There he flaunts his liaison by marrying Cleopatra in a public ceremony. Sensing Antony's weakness, Octavian attacks and defeats his forces at Actium. Alarmed, Cleopatra withdraws her fleet and seeks refuge in her tomb.