Caesar and Cleopatra (1946)

59% of users liked it
(847 ratings)

George Bernard Shaw adapted his own play for the screen in this blithe film version of the romance between Caesar (Claude Rains) and Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh). Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra are merely Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle cast back into ancient times with Caesar doting with admiration and… More George Bernard Shaw adapted his own play for the screen in this blithe film version of the romance between Caesar (Claude Rains) and Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh). Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra are merely Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle cast back into ancient times with Caesar doting with admiration and burgeoning love upon Cleopatra and expostulating, "You have been growing up since the Sphinx introduced us the other night." The story is a simple one concerning Caesar instructing Cleopatra on how to act like a queen. But Cleopatra is left cold by Caesar and his blatherings. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 15 min.
Directed By: Gabriel Pascal
Written By: George Bernard Shaw
Genres: Drama, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 11, 1945 Wide
On DVD: Mar 9, 2010

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Inexcusably dull in parts, while in other parts capturing some of Shaw's sharp wit.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
An uneven version of George Bernard Shaw's witty play, starring Vivien Leigh and Claude Rains
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
... a plodding, stagebound production that fails to find a visual complement to Shaw's words and scenes...

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Featured Audience Ratings

Keiko A

Vivien Leigh is my favortie female actor easy and Gone with the Wind is one of my all time favorites. It's underrated and very overlooked. Brilliantly casted, well-shot, and beautifully written. It only falls short of being slow most times and the ending wasn't that good.… More
Vivien Leigh is my favortie female actor easy and Gone with the Wind is one of my all time favorites. It's underrated and very overlooked. Brilliantly casted, well-shot, and beautifully written. It only falls short of being slow most times and the ending wasn't that good. Nice music and costumes and sets, Vivien Leigh is amazing as always!
jay n

slower then molasses

Cast

            Vivien Leigh as Cleopatra

            Claude Rains as Julius Caesar

            Stewart Granger as Apollodorus

            Flora Robson as Ftatateeta

            Francis L. Sullivan as Pothinus

            Ernst Thesiger as Theodotus

            Cecil Parker as Britannus

            Basil Sydney as Rufio

            Anthony Harvey as Ptolemy

            Anthony Eustrel as Achillas

            Leo Genn as Bel Affiris

            Robert Adams as Nubian Slave

            Felix Aylmer as 1st Nobleman

            Renée Ashershon as Iras

            Marie Ault as Egyptian Lady

            Ivor Barnard as 2nd Nobleman

            Peter Bayliss as A.D.C. to Mithridates

            Agnes Bernelle
            
            Dorothy Bramhall
            
            John Bryning as Quayside Sentinel

            Gerald Case as Roman Tax Officer

            Valentine Dyall as First Guardsman

            Olga Edwardes as Cleopatra's Lady Attandent

            Anthony Holles as Vociferous Boatman

            Stanley Holloway as Belzanor

            Virginia Kelly
            
            Kay Kendall
            
            Harry Lane
            
            John Laurie as First Auxiliary Sentinel

            Raymond Lovell as Lucius Septimus

            Zena Marshall
            
            James McKechnie as Wounded Centurion

            Gibb McLaughlin as High Priest

            Charles Minor
            
            Cathleen Nesbitt
            
            Shaun Noble as A.D.C. to Achillas

            Charles Paton
            
            Esme Percy as Major Domo

            Michael Rennie as Quayside Centurion

            Charles Rolfe as Second Auxiliary Sentinel

            Roy Russell
            
            Ronald Shiner as 2nd Porter

            Jean Simmons as Harpist

            Eve Smith
            
            Don Stannard
            
            Russell Thorndike as Harpist's Master

            Charles Victor as First Porter

            Wilfred Walter
            
            Mackenzie Ward
            
            Alan Wheatley as Persian

            Ronald Davidson
            
            Charles Deane as Guardsman

            H.F. Maltby
            
            Daphne Day
            
            Michael Martin Harvey
            
            Jill Carpenter
            
            Bill Holland
            
            Gerhardt Kempinski as Angry Boatman

            Hylton Allen as Councillor

            Andre Belhomme as Boatman

            Olwen Brooks
            
            Cecil Calvert
            
            Alan Lewis
            
            Ernest Thesiger
            
See full cast