Caesar and Cleopatra

Released Sep 6, 1946

2h 15m

History

Drama

List

80%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

55%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

The Roman conqueror Julius Caesar (Claude Rains) takes over the Egyptian city of Alexandria, and in so doing inherits a pressing problem: in accordance to with local custom, the beautiful young princess Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh) and her even younger brother Ptolemy (Anthony Harvey) have been married and are to rule the country together, despite their competing desires to rule alone. Caesar takes Cleopatra under his wing, mentoring her in the uses of political power.

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Fannie Hurst

Modern Screen

All hail Claude Rains' imperial performance as Julius Caesar!

Jun 15, 2023

Full Review

Jack Moffitt

Esquire Magazine

Claude Rains in the role of Caesar, and Vivien Leigh, as Cleopatra, manage to present themselves at the same time as the embodiment of age-old intellectual forces and as fascinating individuals.

Oct 21, 2020

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Inexcusably dull in parts, while in other parts capturing some of Shaw's sharp wit.

Rated: B+

Jul 20, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

An uneven version of George Bernard Shaw's witty play, starring Vivien Leigh and Claude Rains

Rated: B-

Apr 9, 2011

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Seanax.com

... a plodding, stagebound production that fails to find a visual complement to Shaw's words and scenes...

Mar 25, 2010

Full Review

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Steve D

It should have been great. These are two of the best stars of their age and yet the give some of their worst work in a really stagy adaptation.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/18/24

Full Review

Alec B

Claude Rains is magnificent as Caesar, which is all that really matters.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/13/23

Full Review

Chun P

The acting was laughable.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/27/23

Full Review

jerry p

Excellent production. It is very faithful to Bernard Shaw's idea of the Great Man as a mover and shaker of history.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Storyline was only OK, by todays standards. Vivien Leigh was shockingly poor - playing a (very) immature teem Cleopatra

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Claude Rains is magnificent as Caesar, which is all that really matters.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Gabriel Pascal

Director

Vivien Leigh

Cleopatra

Claude Rains

Julius Caesar

Stewart Granger

Apollodorus

Flora Robson

Ftatateeta

Francis L. Sullivan

Pothinus

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Synopsis

The Roman conqueror Julius Caesar (Claude Rains) takes over the Egyptian city of Alexandria, and in so doing inherits a pressing problem: in accordance to with local custom, the beautiful young princess Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh) and her even younger brother Ptolemy (Anthony Harvey) have been married and are to rule the country together, despite their competing desires to rule alone. Caesar takes Cleopatra under his wing, mentoring her in the uses of political power.

Director: Gabriel Pascal
Screenwriter: George Bernard Shaw
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Independent Producers
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 6, 1946, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 19, 2016
Runtime: 2h 15m