Caesar (2002)

Twenty-year-old Julius Caeser flees Rome for his life during the reign of Sulla, but through skill and ambition rises four decades later to become Rome's supreme dictator.

Director:

Uli Edel

Writers:

Peter Pruce, Craig Warner

Stars:

Jeremy Sisto, Richard Harris, Christopher Walken

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Sisto	...	Gaius Julius Caesar
Richard Harris	...	Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Christopher Walken	...	Marcus Portius Cato
Valeria Golino	...	Calpurnia
Chris Noth	...	Pompey (as Christopher Noth)
Pamela Bowen	...	Aurelia
Heino Ferch	...	Vercingetorix
Tobias Moretti	...	Caius Cassius
Samuela Sardo	...	Cleopatra
Daniela Piazza	...	Cornelia
Nicole Grimaudo	...	Julia
Sean Pertwee	...	Labienus
Ian Duncan	...	Marcus Brutus
Kate Steavenson-Payne	...	Portia
Paolo Briguglia	...	Marcus Portius

Storyline

Epic look at Julius Caesar, Rome's last dictator, whose death also signaled the end of the Roman Republic. Chronicles his campaigns in Gaul and Egypt, his rivalry with General Pompey, and his eventual assassination at the hands of Brutus and Cassius.

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Plot Keywords:

tv mini series | julius caesar | dictator | gaul | roman empire | 

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Taglines:

Feared by enemies. Betrayed by friends.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, and some sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

DeAngelis Film Production and Distribution

Country:

Netherlands Italy Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caesar

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

De Angelis Group,Degeto Film,Five Mile River Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

240 min 180 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The replica of the Forum Romanum was built for three and a half million dollars.

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Goofs

Celts did not ride into battle like modern cavalry. They rode to battle, then got off to fight.

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Quotes

[to Portia on slave rebellions]
Marcus Brutus: Think about it; over half of the population of Rome is made up of slaves. What would happen if they all decided to rebel? It would be the end of Rome.
Portia: You take the inspiration out of everything!
Marcus Brutus: Rome had to act.
Julia: What do you mean?
Marcus Brutus: Pompey.

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Connections

Featured in History Buffs: Rome Season One (2017)

User Reviews

historically a joke

more to entertain than to inform and, sadly it fails to do the former. in 82 BC when the film opens Caesar (born 100 BC) was 18, yet they would have you believe that he had an eight year old daughter. also seems to be an unknown which was not the case. as for Cato, he appears to be years older than Caesar in the film yet in reality was three years younger.

also to clarify another reviewer's comments; Cato was Brutus's uncle. he--Cato--shared a mother with Servillia, the mother of Brutus. she was the sister of Livius Drusus, the tribune of the plebeians who was assassinated around 108. her original husband, Caepio father of Servillia, was killed in the east. she then took up with M. Porcius Cato's father. according to Plutarch, Sulla died after having relinquished the office of dictator and retired to the countryside to spend the end of his days in total debauchery.

also missing from the film is Crassus and Cicero. to omit these characters is akin to omitting w.t. Sherman and Jefferson Davis from any story about the civil war. as a result the movie is careless in its regard for history. one of the early scenes in the movie involving the pirates is so ignorant of history as to make the viewer throw up their hands in disgust and say 'why was the primary text ignored?' the story of Caesar and the pirates is one of the best stories of his life and it was not given any justice. if one would be interested in roman history i strongly suggest reading up on the harrowing tale of Caesar and the pirates. in the end this movie was in terms of historical accuracy below even the HBO series Rome which was also fairly free in its interpretation of roman history but much more entertaining.