Antony and Cleopatra

Plot

Charleton Heston directed, wrote, and starred in this adaptation of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, a historical drama that attempts to bring an epic visual style to the Bard's original stage play. The story concerns Marc Antony's attempts to rule Rome while maintaining a relationship with the queen of Egypt (Hildegarde Neil), which began while Antony was still married. Now he is being forced to marry the sister of his Roman co-leader, and soon the conflict leads to war. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Review

Bringing Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra was a long-standing dream project for Charlton Heston, who directs as well as stars. Hampered by a nonexistent budget, Heston and his fellow troupers serve up a production that would do justice to a good touring company. The film soars whenever the actors soliloquize in close-up, but falls down badly whenever an ensemble scene is required. Though Hildegarde Neil is merely an adequate Cleopatra, Eric Porter is brilliant as Enobarbus, rendering the fabled "barge she sat on" speech with eloquent panache. All in all, Antony and Cleopatra deserved a better distribution than it received (except for an occasional TV presentation, the film was never released in the US). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Cast

• Charlton Heston - Marc Antony
• Hildegard Neil - Cleopatra
• Eric Porter - Enobarbus
• John Castle - Octavius Caesar
• Fernando Rey - Lepidus

Freddie Jones - Pompey; Alba - Schoolmaster; Peter Arne - Menas; Luis Barboo - Varrius; Fernando Bilbao - Menecrates; Warren Clarke - Scarus; Roger Delgado - Soothsayer; Juan Luis Galiardo - Alexas; Julian Glover - Proculeius; John Hallam - Thidias; Jane Lapotaire - Charmian; Jose Manuel Martin - Guard; Joe Melia - 1st Messenger; Emiliano Redondo - Mardian; Aldo Sambrell - Ventidius; Carmen Sevilia - Octavia; Douglas Wilmer - Agrippa; Sancho Gracia - Canidius; Monica Peterson - Iras; Felipe Solano - Soldier; Manolo Otero - Sentry; Garrick Hagan - Eros

Credit

Jose Maria Alarcon - Art Director, José Alguero - Art Director, Augusto Alguero - Conductor, John Scott - Conductor, Julio Sempere - First Assistant Director, Charlton Heston - Director, Joe Canutt - Second Unit Director, Eric Boyd-Perkins - Editor, Augusto Alguero - Composer (Music Score), John Scott - Composer (Music Score), Maurice Pelling - Production Designer, Rafael Pacheco - Cinematographer, Peter Snell - Producer, Maurice Pelling - Producer, Charlton Heston - Screenwriter, William Shakespeare - Play Author

Previous:	Antony and Cleopatra (1913 Film), Antony Tudor (1985 Film)
Next:	Antony and Cleopatra (1981 Film), Antony and Cleopatra (1974 Film)