Julius Caesar (1953)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Release Date:

4 June 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

The assassination of the would be ruler of Rome at the hands of Brutus and company has tragic consequences for the idealist and the republic.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Roman | Assassination | Ghost | Soothsayer

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Mark Antony
James Mason	...	Brutus
John Gielgud	...	Cassius
Louis Calhern	...	Julius Caesar
Edmond O'Brien	...	Casca
Greer Garson	...	Calpurnia
Deborah Kerr	...	Portia
George Macready	...	Marullus
Michael Pate	...	Flavius
Richard Hale	...	Soothsayer
Alan Napier	...	Cicero
John Hoyt	...	Decius Brutus
Tom Powers	...	Metellus Cimber
William Cottrell	...	Cinna
Jack Raine	...	Trebonius

Also Known As:

William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Black and White (tinted) (1969 UK re-release)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) (original release)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-8 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #16281)

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The one scene in the play involving Cinna the Poet, in which he is mistaken for Cinna the Conspirator and killed by the angry mob, was filmed but deleted before release.

Goofs:

Continuity: Marc Antony's left hand changes between shots when people from the crowd ask him to read Caesar's testament.

Quotes:

Julius Caesar: [after being stabbed by Brutus] Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Hebrew Hammer (2003)

Roman Plots, Acting Hotshots and an Excellent Shakespeare Adaptation

Well if you're going to bring the Bard to the big-screen you may as well do it properly. Bring in some of the best actors of the day, build some impressive sets, back it with a Miklós Rózsa score and don't diminish the dialogue: voilà! A victorious adaptation of Shakespeare for all to see on the silver screen. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's take on the play Julius Caesar is one such winner.

Louis Calhern is the legendary Roman rex in this retelling of the incidents leading up to and after the Ides of March assassination. The key players however are James Mason as Brutus, Marlon Brando as Marc Anthony and a frighteningly great John Gielgud as Cassius. Throughout, the acting, so crucial in any stage-drama, is superb. All on show exhibit their thespian technique and theatre training to a tremendous degree in order to make an adaptation of both interest and enjoyment. As an exhibition of the excellence on offer, see Marlon Brando's speech to the crowds after Caesar's killing and the gradual fearing up of Mason to readiness to murder. Shakespeare would certainly be satisfied.

The set design and style convincingly recreate a world of stone columns and togas, serving to further enhance the play's power. The revered writer's words aren't weakened at all by any half-hearted attempts to make the work more accessible; it's this kind of performance that school-children need to take on board the brilliant innovation of William Shakespeare. Incredible acting, intriguing and enjoyable throughout in its plotting and ancient setting, Julius Caesar serves both the original play and the audience well.