Antony and Cleopatra (1972)

Director:

Charlton Heston

Writers:

Federico De Urrutia, Charlton Heston,

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Hildegard Neil, Eric Porter

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlton Heston	...	Marc Antony
Hildegard Neil	...	Cleopatra
Eric Porter	...	Enobarbus
John Castle	...	Octavius Caesar
Fernando Rey	...	Lepidus
Juan Luis Galiardo	...	Alexas
Carmen Sevilla	...	Octavia
Freddie Jones	...	Pompey
Peter Arne	...	Menas
Luis Barboo	...	Varrius
Fernando Bilbao	...	Menecrates
Warren Clarke	...	Scarus
Roger Delgado	...	Soothsayer
Julian Glover	...	Proculeius
Sancho Gracia	...	Canidius

Storyline

---

Plot Keywords:

ancient times | soldier | shot with a bow and arrow | last stand | armor | 

---

Genres:

Drama | History

---

Details

Country:

UK Spain Switzerland

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 1972 (Japan)

Also Known As:

All'ombra delle piramidi

Filming Locations:

Hollywood National Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,600,000 (estimated)

Gross:

ESP 39,776,701 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Folio Films, Rank Organisation, The, Transac

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min

Sound Mix:

Mono 70 mm 6-Track

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last feature film of Roger Delgado.

---

Connections

Version of Antony and Cleopatra (1974)

User Reviews

Pleasant, If Nothing Else

Unlike some particularly grating Shakespeare adaptations of recent years, Charlton Heston's overlooked "Antony & Cleopatra" manages to work as cinema and as an adaptation of a work by the world's most famous playwright. The production values-- giant panoramas, expensive battle sequences, glorious period costumes-- are staggering, and Heston comports himself quite well in the triple role of screenwriter/director/actor. Not that I intend to use all my Shakespeare film reviews to bash Kenneth Branagh, but compared to Heston, he's awful, unpalatable in all three capacities. He is that anyway, but even Heston's just-decent acting is well balanced by his expert direction of others. The exception to that is Hildegard Neil, an awful Cleopatra. She has zero dignity in the role, and manages to bear a creepy resemblance to "Rock 'n' Roll High School"'s Principal Togar every now and then. John Castle's performance as Caesar is obviously the best in the film, but still doesn't touch Roddy McDowall's bold, furious, intense Octavian in the Liz Taylor mega-film. Comparisons with that other movie are inevitable, and the winner is hands-down the earlier epic. This version is not very well paced, and, let's face it, it wasn't exactly Will's best dialogue. And Hildegard Neil really drags the movie down a bit, although she's not as bad as everyone says. Visually it's majestic, and that John Scott/Augusto Algero score is certainly pleasing to the ears (though it can't rival Alex North's "Cleopatra"). It's okay, but I can't say I recommend it unless you're on a really serious Shakespeare kick and the only other movies available are Branagh's.