Watching Julius Caesar in 2007, I still think it is a work of art. Being a Shakespeare student myself, I know that his plays are very demanding and on that Joseph L. Mankiewicz has stood up to my expectations.
While reading , we form a picture in our mind of the setting ,the dialog, the expressions,how the characters would look and how they would move on stage and I found that the same were portrayed on screen. The director truly made his vision come to life!
All the actors were great, again kudos to the director. Marlon Brando was just superb as Antony. His funeral oration was an indescribable masterpiece. I didn't expect it to be that good! Among the others,James Mason did quite a good job as Brutus. Louis Calhern, though had a small bit, didn't fail to leave an impact as the great and mighty (and ambitious) Julius Caesar. I also liked Greer Garson as Calpurnia.
Coming to the actors Octavius Caesar was a disappointment, I blame the editor of the script for this. Octavius was supposed to be brought out as the heir of Ceasar. The prevalence of Caesarism, which was not properly brought out in the movie.
The dialog is picked up directly from the play, but quite a bit has been cut off.....which was the only other disappointing thing in the movie. Shakespearean language is not all that difficult to understand in the movie mainly because we can see it being enacted out. All that you simply fail to understand is simply not all that important.
Overall the movie was great and I will not forget to watch it a day before my tests! Julius Caesar was a great feat in the history of cinema.
While reading , we form a picture in our mind of the setting ,the dialog, the expressions,how the characters would look and how they would move on stage and I found that the same were portrayed on screen. The director truly made his vision come to life!
All the actors were great, again kudos to the director. Marlon Brando was just superb as Antony. His funeral oration was an indescribable masterpiece. I didn't expect it to be that good! Among the others,James Mason did quite a good job as Brutus. Louis Calhern, though had a small bit, didn't fail to leave an impact as the great and mighty (and ambitious) Julius Caesar. I also liked Greer Garson as Calpurnia.
Coming to the actors Octavius Caesar was a disappointment, I blame the editor of the script for this. Octavius was supposed to be brought out as the heir of Ceasar. The prevalence of Caesarism, which was not properly brought out in the movie.
The dialog is picked up directly from the play, but quite a bit has been cut off.....which was the only other disappointing thing in the movie. Shakespearean language is not all that difficult to understand in the movie mainly because we can see it being enacted out. All that you simply fail to understand is simply not all that important.
Overall the movie was great and I will not forget to watch it a day before my tests! Julius Caesar was a great feat in the history of cinema.