Two Nights with Cleopatra (1954)
"Due notti con Cleopatra" (original title)

Sophia Loren plays a dual role, as both the sultry Queen of the Nile with a "man-a-night" appetite and a beautiful slave girl who takes her place and is wooed by a bodyguard who thinks she's the real monarch.

Director:

Mario Mattoli

Writers:

Ruggero Maccari (screenplay), Ruggero Maccari (story),

Stars:

Sophia Loren, Alberto Sordi, Paul Muller

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sophia Loren	...	Cleopatra / Nisca
Alberto Sordi	...	Cesarino
Paul Muller	...	Tortul
Nando Bruno	...	Legionario
Alberto Talegalli	...	Enobarbo
Gianni Cavalieri	...	Taverniere
Ugo D'Alessio	...	Cocis
Rolf Tasna	...	Meros, ufficiale della guardia
Ughetto Bertucci	...	Un mercante (as Ughetto)
Ettore Manni	...	Marcantonio

Storyline

Cleopatra è una donna bellissima ma ha un piccolo difetto: quando un ufficiale della guardia le piace, dopo una notte d'amore lo fa avvelenare dal fido Tortul perchè Marcantonio non lo venga a sapere. Cesarino è un ufficiale nuovo, non ancora al corrente del piccolo vizio di Cleopatra e subito accetta di fare la guardia alla regina. Quando entra non trova però la vera sovrana, ma Nisca, una schiava sua sosia che il perfido Tortul aveva scovato per permettere a Cleopatra di andare in incognito da Marcantonio. Ma, passata la prima notte, la vera Cleopatra torna...

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Plot Keywords:

cleopatra | slave | ancient rome | ancient egypt | double | 

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Taglines:

A Seductive Spectacle of Historic Proportions!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

4 April 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Two Nights with Cleopatra

Filming Locations:

Ponti-De Laurentiis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Excelsa Film, Rosa Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Ferraniacolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title role was actually intended for the Gina Lollobrigida, but she bowed out and Sophia Loren was a last-minute replacement.

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Quotes

Cleopatra: What would you do if you were in my place?
Handmaiden: If I had a husband like Marc Antony I would be faithful to him.
Cleopatra: A dog is faithful, a woman never.

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Connections

Referenced in Forget Poverty and Live It Up! (1964)

User Reviews

Italian romp in ancient Egypt

Okay, this movie is certainly not one of the best Italian epics of the time. However it certainly isn't either one of the horrible sword and sandal of the "Gli Schiavi piu forti del mondo" reputation. The sets and the costumes are very good, Sophia Loren is exquisite, Alberto Sordi looks bloody stupid. I did not manage to understand exactly what was going on, but still it was great fun watching it. I know there was Cleo who used to spend nights with soldiers and poison them the following morning; then one night she wanted to go and meet Mark Anthony and leaves a look alike back at the palace. A silly officer falls in love with her, mistaking her for Cleo. Cloe comes back from her night-time romp and (naturally) does not recognise the officer who swears will love her to death. Somehow someone attempts to murder the queen, but fails. I think Sordi kills the queen at the end by banging her head to a wall, but it is not clear what happens. He manages to escape with the look-alike. Understood? Anyway, Sophia Loren here is at her sexiest and funniest - she manages to make people laugh without acting silly like Sordi - it is an art in itself. Certainly not a memorable film, but still worth seeing just for kicks.