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Julius Caesar

  • 19531953
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
12K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,017
6,919
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Marlon Brando, John Gielgud, Deborah Kerr, James Mason, Greer Garson, Louis Calhern, and Edmond O'Brien in Julius Caesar (1953)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:25
2 Videos
95 Photos
  • Drama
  • History

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorel... Read allThe growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony.The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

IMDb RATING
7.2/10
12K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,017
6,919
  • Director
    • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
  • Writers
    • William Shakespeare(play)
    • Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Louis Calhern
    • Marlon Brando
    • James Mason
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
  • Writers
    • William Shakespeare(play)
    • Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Louis Calhern
    • Marlon Brando
    • James Mason
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 89User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 7 wins & 7 nominations total

    Videos2

    Julius Caesar
    Trailer 1:25
    Julius Caesar
    Julius Caesar
    Trailer 1:25
    Julius Caesar

    Photos95

    Marlon Brando in Julius Caesar (1953)
    John Gielgud and Edmond O'Brien in Julius Caesar (1953)
    Marlon Brando in Julius Caesar (1953)
    Louis Calhern, Morgan Farley, and John Hoyt in Julius Caesar (1953)
    John Gielgud, James Mason, William Cottrell, John Hoyt, Edmond O'Brien, Tom Powers, and Jack Raine in Julius Caesar (1953)
    Greer Garson and Louis Calhern in Julius Caesar (1953)
    Deborah Kerr and James Mason in Julius Caesar (1953)
    John Gielgud, Louis Calhern, John Hoyt, and Edmond O'Brien in Julius Caesar (1953)
    Marlon Brando, Greer Garson, and Louis Calhern in Julius Caesar (1953)
    Marlon Brando, Douglass Dumbrille, and Douglass Watson in Julius Caesar (1953)
    "Julius Caesar" Marlon Brando as Mark Antony, James Mason as Brutus 1953 MGM/Turner Ent
    "Julius Caesar" Marlon Brando as Mark Antony 1953 MGM/Turner Ent

    Top cast

    Edit
    Louis Calhern
    Louis Calhern
    • Julius Caesaras Julius Caesar
    Marlon Brando
    Marlon Brando
    • Mark Antonyas Mark Antony
    James Mason
    James Mason
    • Brutusas Brutus
    John Gielgud
    John Gielgud
    • Cassiusas Cassius
    Edmond O'Brien
    Edmond O'Brien
    • Cascaas Casca
    Greer Garson
    Greer Garson
    • Calpurniaas Calpurnia
    Deborah Kerr
    Deborah Kerr
    • Portiaas Portia
    George Macready
    George Macready
    • Marullusas Marullus
    Michael Pate
    Michael Pate
    • Flaviusas Flavius
    Richard Hale
    Richard Hale
    • Soothsayeras Soothsayer
    Alan Napier
    Alan Napier
    • Ciceroas Cicero
    John Hoyt
    John Hoyt
    • Decius Brutusas Decius Brutus
    Tom Powers
    Tom Powers
    • Metellus Cimberas Metellus Cimber
    William Cottrell
    • Cinnaas Cinna
    Jack Raine
    Jack Raine
    • Treboniusas Trebonius
    Ian Wolfe
    Ian Wolfe
    • Caius Ligariusas Caius Ligarius
    Morgan Farley
    Morgan Farley
    • Artemidorusas Artemidorus
    William Phipps
    William Phipps
    • Servant to Antonyas Servant to Antony
    • (as Bill Phipps)
    • Director
      • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
    • Writers
      • William Shakespeare(play)
      • Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Brutus, Cassius, and other high-ranking Romans murder Caesar, because they believe his ambition will lead to tyranny. The people of Rome are on their side until Antony, Caesar's right-hand man, makes a moving speech. The conspirators are driven from Rome, and two armies are formed: one side following the conspirators; the other, Antony. Antony has the superior force, and surrounds Brutus and Cassius, but they kill themselves to avoid capture. —John Oswalt <jao@jao.com>
    • speech
    • roman
    • battle
    • conspiracy
    • shakespeare play
    • 89 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • MGM's acclaimed production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • History
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie was shot in just 35 days, using some of the sets from Quo Vadis (1951), which were dismantled, flown from Rome to Hollywood, and then reassembled for this film. Producer John Houseman confirmed that it was never intended that the movie be shot in color, as he and director Joseph L. Mankiewicz wanted it to have the urgency of a newsreel, not to look like a costume epic.
    • Goofs
      A well-known bust of Emperor Hadrian is visible during the early dialog between Cassius and Brutus, and, later, at Brutus's villa. Hadrian wouldn't be Emperor for more than 120 years.
    • Quotes

      Marc Antony: You gentle Romans. Gentle Romans, hear me. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to *bury* Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar.

    • Alternate versions
      Also shown in a computer colorized version.
    • Connections
      Featured in Precious Images (1986)

    User reviews89

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Beware the Ides of March
    Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1953 film exploring the life and death of larger than life Julius Caesar wastes no time engaging the audience. With Louis Calhern in the titular role and Marlon Brando as his faithful friend Mark Antony, the film goes into great detail about what gets Caesar killed by associates of his, and even greater detail of the thirst for power after his death. Julius Caesar, the film, goes down a dark road proving Nietzsche's Will to Power lives within even the most trusted of our allies.

    Caesar is enjoying more praise than ever when he returns to Rome after defeating Pompey. During a victory celebration Caesar attends with his most trusted allies Cassius (John Gielgud) and Brutus (James Mason) he is warned by a Soothsayer to beware the Ides of March. Caesar ignores the warning and goes about the celebration unknowing that conversations are taking place regarding his rise to power. They believe Caesar to be untrustworthy and think he will become a tyrant. Fueled by lies and anger, a plot is masterminded to murder Caesar. On the 15th day of March, Caesar prepares to go to the senate, his wife Calpurnia (Greer Garson) begs him not to go due to a vivid dream she had in which Caesar was murdered. Caesar scoffs and goes anyway, being warned by another Soothsayer along the way. Ignoring this second warning, Caesar makes his way to the senate where the conspirators circle him and begin to stab him one by one. Upon seeing his dear friend Brutus among the murderers, Caesar succumbs to his wounds and dies. Mark Antony (Marlon Brando), who was led away from Caesar on the fateful day under false pretenses, joins with Caesar's adopted son and successor, Octavius (Douglass Watson) to avenge his death. They achieve their goal with Cassius and Titinius (John Parrish) being killed in the war that ensues, leaving only Brutus left alive of the conspirators. Seeing death as inevitable, Brutus kills himself and is pardoned by Octavius as acting, in what he believed, to be the best course of action for Rome.

    Audiences are immediately engaged in the film from the very beginning. A gripping speech in the opening scene catapults the audience to ancient Rome, bringing it alive through the production design mimicking Roman architecture and language. For one, Caesar dies at almost exactly halfway through the film. I personally love a movie that will throw the audience for a loop by killing off its main character. Of course, being familiar with the play Julius Caesar, I knew he would be killed, but I did not know he would be killed so early on, leaving half the film to deal with the aftermath of his murder. Likewise, Marlon Brando's Mark Antony was hardly in the first half of the movie; being a fan of Brando's I was initially disappointed about this, however, he more than makes up for his absence with a strong second act. The costumes and production designs were an absolute treat, recreating ancient Rome, and making me feel like I had gladiator sandals on. The film was more than deserving of the Oscar it received that year for Art Direction (encompassing set decoration). I am shocked however that it wasn't even nominated for a statuette in the Costume Design category. The ghost Caesar that haunted Brutus was a directorial feat considering the time in which the picture was filmed. Its looming presence agonized Brutus, leading him to believe that Caesar was not at rest. The film was a stunning achievement of its time and one that I recommend be enjoyed by all. Personally, I have a yearly tradition of watching this film every year on the Ides of March and it has yet to get old.
    helpful•7
    0
    • oOoBarracuda
    • Mar 16, 2016

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 4, 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Jules César
    • Filming locations
      • Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,070,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,831
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono(Western Electric Sound System, original release)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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