Featured Audience Ratings

• jay n

  
  For a DeMille pageant film this one is not too over the top with Claudette suitably seductive in the lead although the 1930's eyebrows are a distraction. The production design and costumes are the real attraction here. Not a great film, not terrible but if you are looking for… More
  For a DeMille pageant film this one is not too over the top with Claudette suitably seductive in the lead although the 1930's eyebrows are a distraction. The production design and costumes are the real attraction here. Not a great film, not terrible but if you are looking for full on DeMille debaunchery cloaked in piety watch The Sign of the Cross instead.

• Universal D

  
  For my money the best cinematic Cleo, baby, Cleo, and the reason is the sensuous, languorous smoky turn given by Claudette Colbert who, along with the ever conspicuous DeMille, conspire to seduce us into sublime and decadent oblivion ... and it doesn't seem as bad as my preacher… More
  For my money the best cinematic Cleo, baby, Cleo, and the reason is the sensuous, languorous smoky turn given by Claudette Colbert who, along with the ever conspicuous DeMille, conspire to seduce us into sublime and decadent oblivion ... and it doesn't seem as bad as my preacher says it is. Opulence that makes Liz come off as a frumpy housewife at a golf club social.

• AJ V

  
  The only reason to watch this movie is for Colbert. Otherwise, it's just the same old story we've seen over and over in other movies about Cleopatra, nothing new.

• Veronique K

  
  the 30s "cleopatra" is cecil b. demille's epic piece as well as claudette colbert's ultimate height of shimmering glamour in lavish period costumes by the 30s fashion genius travis banton. the triangle between cleopatra, caesar and marc antony is grandeurly… More
  the 30s "cleopatra" is cecil b. demille's epic piece as well as claudette colbert's ultimate height of shimmering glamour in lavish period costumes by the 30s fashion genius travis banton. the triangle between cleopatra, caesar and marc antony is grandeurly reputed and celebrated with the rosiness of feministic romance to the seductress blessed with beauty, intelligence, wealth and supreme power, wholeheartedly in love with elite studs. it's simply too surreally divine to befall on earth. compared with the 60s cleopatra made with elizabeth taylor, demile's aware of the art of conciseness, and his cuts of cleopatra's affair with caesar is transient but sharp to the crucial point: caesar doesn't love cleopatra but infatuated with the inquisiton of her gold as well as the deliciously prosperous egypt. then the scenery shifts to the romance with marc antony who contempts love and deems women as the play things of the warriors that makes it tastefully witty to witness how cleopatra conquers the steel-hearted antony by disarming him level by level with sly humor. and the showcast of those egyptian vaudevilles are tour de farce which could only be presented by demille's wheeling camera, such as the she-leopard circular flame-diving sequence. and henry wilcoxon as antony delivers enough virility to dignify this grandly masculine man melted by the lure of a siren. the scene he reacts to roman's defying duel with reckless bravado to fight with his last breath is the exemplification of primitive manhood while cleopatra kneels beside him to surrender as a woman in love, a conquest of his enormous machoness then she nullifies the fickle scheme to poison him into death. the prestigious suicide to declare cleopatra's sacred love is written with mighty aloofness "be careful when you seek love, if you cannot find love, don't give a thing...if you're rich as cleopatra, give everything!"...then the camera looms over her statuesque dead posture as she demises by the snake bite, permeated with her egoistically lofty pride which prevents her from consdescending at last moment, even defeated by backfires.

• Matthew Y

  
  I saw Cleopatra was going to be on TCM's recently and decided "You know I've always wanted to see that 5+ hour Elizabeth Taylor debacle" Opps. I actually recorded the old Cecil B. DeMille flick. I watched it anyway, though less enthused. The film is gracefully… More
  I saw Cleopatra was going to be on TCM's recently and decided "You know I've always wanted to see that 5+ hour Elizabeth Taylor debacle" Opps. I actually recorded the old Cecil B. DeMille flick. I watched it anyway, though less enthused. The film is gracefully under two hours, it has grand production value, the picture and sound quality are superb (sometimes films from the 30's can have really dodgy sound) and of course lavish costumes and set-designs. The acting is a bit pit-posh, never really caring about the characters or the romances that occur. Actually I spent most of the time thinking "Who is that actress playing Cleopatra? I've seen her somewhere. She kinda looks like the actress in It Happened One Night"...a-duh she is. Not knowing much about the real-life Cleopatra I have no idea how historically accurate the film is. I assume it's not very accurate at all. If you're familiar with DeMille's work than you should know what you're getting yourself into.

• John B

  
  I enjoyed this more than Liz Taylor's version. The men are less than convincing in their roles but Claudette Colbert plays a very interesting Cleo.

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