Cleopatra (1963)

In a humorous campus novel by David Lodge a group of academics specialising in English literature debate the most important classic novel that they never read.

One wins by confessing he has never read one word by Jane Austen.

Last year at the San Sebastian film festival, over a fine dinner attended by film critics of suckling pig and plentiful Albariño wine, a similar topic came up – namely, the best film you have never seen.

I argued for Cleopatra but – having recently seen the 1963 epic starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison – I can no longer offer this.

Its problem is its length of over 4 hours.

Director Joseph Mankiewicz actually wanted two films – the first covering the infatuation of Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) with Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) – and the second that of Marc Antony (Richard Burton).

This led to the sacking of Mankiewicz by studio boss Darryl Zanuck.

There is apparently two hours of footage uncut still lying around.

It is well known that this was the most expensive film ever made – it cost the equivalent of £400 million in today’s money.

Even after being sued Elizabeth Taylor personally emerged with £7 million.

Although I was often bored by its slow pace, especially in the second half, the film’s set pieces were visually stunning – notably Cleopatra’s entrance to Rome in a barge.

Joseph Mankiewicz – a better scriptwriter than director – does write sparky dialogue, but you can see that this was a troubled production during which Elizabeth Taylor was so ill that a tracheotomy had to be performed to save her life.

In fact she was not married yet to Burton at the time, but Eddie Fisher.

Her conversion to Judaism for that marriage resulted her in being barred entrance to Egypt.

Although critics like to pan the film, it is of interest on Roman politics, control of a woman over powerful men through her sexuality and an interesting cast including Michael Hordern, George Cole, Robert Stephens and Roddy McDowall.

The chemistry between Burton and Taylor – which led to two marriages and two divorces – drives the film but Burton is a much better actor than Taylor.

Elizabeth Taylor had fine breasts and in those days these were important in epics – the décolletage of Sophia Loren won her several epic parts.

Elizabeth Taylor’s breasts were often on view but never fully revealed in her glamourous Egyptian regal robes.

Given the constraints that directors still worked under, the film – and other sword and sandal epics – were surprisingly erotic.

In one scene daring for the time (1963) Cleopatra arranges an entertainment for Marc Anthony.

Scantily clad dancers besport all over him, filling his wine goblet (no doubt Burton appreciated that!) and Cleopatra makes up to the wine god Bacchus, or is this in Antony’s imagination?

Incidentally one of the dancing troupe was a 26 year old Francesca Annis

Apparently these dancing girls required security to protect them from the horny Italian extras.

Life does follow art.

My verdict now that this film deserves to be remembered for something more than its cost, length and production problems.

Certainly – with its extravagant sets, cast of thousands and the last of the great stars in Elizabeth Taylor – we will never see its like again.