Cleopatra (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Franc Roddam

Writers (WGA):

Margaret George (novel)
Stephen Harrigan (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

23 May 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Passion. Power. History.

Plot:

Cleopatra, the famed Egyptian Queen born in 69 B.C., is shown to have been brought by Roman ruler Julius Caesar at age 18...

Plot Keywords:

Cleopatra | Marc Antony | Julius Caesar | Two Part TV Movie | Femme Fatale

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Billy Zane	...	Marc Antony
Timothy Dalton	...	Julius Caesar
Rupert Graves	...	Octavian
Leonor Varela	...	Cleopatra
John Bowe	...	Rufio
Art Malik	...	Olympos
Nadim Sawalha	...	Mardian
Owen Teale	...	Grattius
Philip Quast	...	Cornelius
Daragh O'Malley	...	Ahenobarbus
Bruce Payne	...	Cassius
Sean Pertwee	...	Marcus Brutus
David Schofield	...	Casca
Kassandra Voyagis	...	Arsinoe
Indra Ové	...	Charmian (as Indra Ove)

Runtime:

177 min | 50 min (3 episodes) | Brazil:155 min (DVD version)

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby Surround)

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Australia:M | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Agadir, Morocco

Company:

Babelsberg International Film Produktion

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the battle within the walls of Alexandria, Cleopatra is running to save the burning library and is chased down by a soldier on a horse. Cleopatra uses her own spear to flip him into a pillar. When he hits the base of the pillar, it moves, revealing that it is a loosely attached prop.

Quotes:

Cleopatra: Divorce your wife! Marry me and name Caesarion your one true heir!
Julius Caesar: No! Caesarion is my son. Octavian is my heir.

Movie Connections:

References Ben-Hur (1959)

Oh please...

I found this a good movie to pass your time, but not by any chance of any historical value. The portrayal of Cleopatra reminded me a cheap soap opera.

The twist of the facts is... funny! She gave birth while feeding her people!?!? O please... A pregnant Queen of Egypt (especially this one) would not bother to go from one room to the other for that reason! They tried to make her appear a saint for God's sake! And the way they tried to justify her murdering her own sister... beyond description.

Cleopatra was the greatest politician of her time. Her decisions were based anything but her feelings and morals. She did everything for only two reasons: Power and self-preservation! She was borne in a family where she had to straggle for survival, something she did very well. Anything that stood on her way was either murdered (her brothers and sister) or seduced (Ceasar and Mark Anthony).

Unfortunately Octavian was too powerful to kill and too... gay to be seduced. So, he was her end...