Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

56% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings

"Cleopatra" is a lengthy, sprawling, spectacular love story, helmed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, depicting Cleopatra's manipulation of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian empire. This threesome in one of the most famous and gloriously powerful love triangles ever to be captured on film.

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Cleopatra

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Critics Consensus

Cleopatra is a lush, ostentatious, endlessly eye-popping epic that sags collapses from a (and how could it not?) four-hour runtime.

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Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Kate Muir Times (UK) Cleopatra is a piece of overcooked lunacy. Jan 2, 2024 Full Review Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Penelope Houston Sight & Sound As the sets seem to grow bigger and bigger, so progressively the players dwindle. Feb 11, 2020 Full Review Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Richard Brody New Yorker Taylor inhabits the role with a focussed but uninhibited imperiousness, as when she turns Cleopatra's entrance into Rome, aboard a giant rolling sphinx, into the ultimate red-carpet photo op. Oct 6, 2014 Full Review Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Penelope Gilliatt Observer (UK) The events have no pressure behind them: instead of erupting out of the upheavals of three powerfully exciting and self-willed personalities, they seem to be happening because the extras and the sets are there. Mar 6, 2024 Full Review Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Dilys Powell Sunday Times (UK) The difficulty for the performer of getting out from under the scenery, the sets, the costumes and the colour and making an impression not as a member of the cast but as an actor (or actress) is severe. Aug 8, 2022 Full Review Cleopatra | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Judith Crist New York Herald Tribune I must report that this film is at best a major disappointment, at worst an extravagant exercise in tedium. Aug 8, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Andrew Y A very poor film…….. Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/04/24 Full Review Lanfranco C It is really the last Hollywood kolossal, but it is too long and sometimes boring. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/10/24 Full Review Matthew R Both amazing and also campy. Loved it. The second half of the movie is the better half. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/18/23 Full Review Red T This movies problems and highlights can be summed up from one scene. The one where Cleopatra enters Rome. The scope, production value and special effects are amazing with good music to back it up as well. You feel the epicness. However as it keeps going 6-7 minutes strong you feel the problems start to seep in. This film loves to be self indulgent and bloated at times. Most of the acting say 70% of it is emotionless boring plot expose which is a HUGE amount for a 4 hour movie. Scenes go on way way way way too long. The pacing is the worst part of this film. It is bad. This shouldn't be 4 hours. Scenes that could be 90 seconds end up being 10 minute juggernauts weighed down by rambling plot expose and while the sets are lavish they aren't enough to offset the lack of epicness needed to justify holding on scenes for such a long time. A lot of this movie actually isn't that epic but more lavish. Overall it's disappointing to say the cinematography is just ok honestly. The other issue is the editing which is okay enough but needed more refinement. This feels like a Love Triangle/Love Tragedy mixed with a Historical Drama. Not a Biopic. Half this film Cleopatra isn't even the main focus. We never see her develop from a child to a young ruler which makes it hard to feel anything for her. Julius Cesar honestly has more focus in the first half surprisingly than anyone else and all his scenes are just boring plot expose constantly. Also, we learn more about the culture of Rome than we do the culture of Egypt which was a huge disappointment. I'm sure that was because many epics around this time focused on Rome but still. This needed to focus more on the life of Cleopatra and show her rise rather than part of a love triangle. It really feels like this is a film where Cleopatra is the Liaison for historical events. Not the main focus. This is why the 2nd half is better aside from the cool ship fight. It focuses more on Cleopatra and her ambitions. Not Romes. Also this needed much more narration montages to cut the run time down as well. I can't really recommend to anyone except die hard Taylor/Burton fans. There's enough here where I can't call this a bad film but it definitely isn't good and it's one of the most disappointing ones for sure. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/07/23 Full Review Wandering A A classic film full of grandeur, amazing sets and spectacle with so many extras that really gives it a sense of scale. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/21/23 Full Review Emma B Its historically not accurate but very entertaining to watch if you want romance or drama,in a historical enviornment Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Joseph L. Mankiewicz Director Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra Richard Burton Marc Antony Rex Harrison Julius Caesar Pamela Brown High Priestess George Cole Flavius
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Cleopatra

Julius Caesar (REX HARRISON) kneels in front of Cleopatra (ELIZABETH TAYLOR) in CLEOPATRA. Julis Caesar (REX HARRISON) greets Cleopatra (ELIZABETH TAYLOR) making a grand entrance into Rome in CLEOPATRA. Cleopatra (ELIZABETH TAYLOR) and Marc Anthony (RICHARD BURTON) embrace in CLEOPATRA. RICHARD BURTON as Marc Anthony in CLEOPATRA. ELIZABETH TAYLOR as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, in CLEOPATRA. Cleopatra (1963) Cleopatra (1963) Cleopatra (1963) View more photos

Synopsis "Cleopatra" is a lengthy, sprawling, spectacular love story, helmed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, depicting Cleopatra's manipulation of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian empire. This threesome in one of the most famous and gloriously powerful love triangles ever to be captured on film.

Director
Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Producer
Walter Wanger

Screenwriter
Sidney Buchman, Carlo Mario Franzero, Ranald MacDougall, Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Distributor
20th Century Fox

Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox

Rating
G

Genre
History, Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 12, 1963, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 18, 2012

Runtime
4h 3m

Sound Mix
Stereo

Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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