Antony & Cleopatra (TV 1981)

Octavius Caesar (later renamed Augustus Caesar, son of the murdered Julius Caesar), Marc Antony, and Lepidus form the triumvirate, the three rulers of the Roman Empire. Antony, though ... See full summary »

Director:

Jonathan Miller

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

John Paul, Jonathan Adams, Jane Lapotaire

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Paul	...	Canidius
Jonathan Adams	...	Ventidius
Jane Lapotaire	...	Cleopatra
Colin Blakely	...	Antony
Darien Angadi	...	Alexas
Janet Key	...	Charmian
Howard Goorney	...	Soothsayer
Cassie McFarlane	...	Iras
Emrys James	...	Enobarbus
Kevin Huckstep	...	Messenger
Michael Anthony	...	Messenger
Mohammad Shamsi	...	Mardian
Ian Charleson	...	Octavius Caesar
Esmond Knight	...	Lepidus
Harry Waters	...	Thidias

Storyline

Octavius Caesar (later renamed Augustus Caesar, son of the murdered Julius Caesar), Marc Antony, and Lepidus form the triumvirate, the three rulers of the Roman Empire. Antony, though married to Fulvia, spends his time in Egypt, living a life of decadence and conducting an affair with Queen Cleopatra. In Antony's absence, Caesar and Lepidus worry about Pompey's increasing strength. Caesar condemns Antony for neglecting his duties as a statesman and military officer. Hearing that his wife, Fulvia, has died and that Pompey is raising an army to rebel against the triumvirate, Antony feels he must return to Rome. Caesar and Antony try to patch up their quarrel through the marriage of Antony to Caesar's sister Octavia. In Egypt, Cleopatra is told that Antony has married and is furious with jealousy. However, when the messenger says that Octavia is not very beautiful, Cleopatra feels confident that she can win Antony back. The triumvirs meet Pompey, who agrees to keep peace in exchange for ...

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Plot Keywords:

cleopatra | roman | ancient rome | tragedy | shakespeare's antony and cleopatra | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 May 1981 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: Antony & Cleopatra

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Time-Life Television Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

170 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When shooting the scene with the snake, actress Jane Lapotaire, who was afraid of snakes even prior to the shoot, became quite panicked when the snake suddenly slithered down the back of her dress.

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Connections

Version of Antony and Cleopatra (1951)

User Reviews

triumph of unconventional casting?

Starring Jane Lapotaire and Colin Blakely, this BBC production looked unconventional from the start, with the willowy Lapotaire proving an able Queen of Egypt to the squat and rough soldier created by Blakely.

Little glamour here but excellent performances from the leads (plus Ian Charleson as Octavius Caesar and Emrys James as Enobarbus) and an intriguing array of supporting performers. Like all the BBC Shakespeares, this suffers from being a little stage-bound in its feel, a recorded performance rather than a tv drama, but within those confines remains an appealing and accessible work.

Those who have criticised the casting of Blakely have perhaps missed the point of Antony and Cleopatra (or taken too much notice of the glossy Taylor/Burton epic). Antony is first and foremost a soldier, and this is what attracts Cleopatra, not necessarily a physical attraction. This said, Jane Lapotaire puts a certain amount of passion in her portrayal of the Egyptian queen which works well. Although this version of the play has dated it remains in the top handful of the BBC complete Shakespeares.