The importance of the plebeians to the play was understood by this director, who cast the roles carefully. In the third act however-that is, after Brutus and Cassius have fled Rome-he seems to grow in the part and his acting gains conviction. Jason Robards plays Brutus like a wooden Indian for the first two acts. Another veteran Shakespearian, Richard Johnson, is nearly as good as the jealous, manipulative Cassius. Jill Bennet is sympathetic as the prophetic wife of Caesar but in the role of Brutus' wife the well-born Portia, Diana Rigg at age thirty-two looks luscious and is simply superb-Shakespeare in the finest style. "Sour" Casca, the cynical observer, is a minor character but sharply drawn and Vaughan makes him come alive during his few minutes on stage. One surprise is the subtle portrayal of the conspirator Casca by American Robert Vaughan. More to the point, the effete Gielgud lacked the masculine force to play this virile ex-general whose battlefield victories were said to be matched only by his conquests in the bedroom. Yet at sixty-six he was a touch too old for the part. Sir John was a veteran Shakespearian by 1970 with a fine voice and tons of dignity. Producer/director/star David Bradley paid for part of the production himself, with additional funding provided by an Illinois film company, Avon Productions, Inc. Featuring a mixed cast of British and American actors, the result is mainly predictable but some surprises and disappointments also feature. Julius Caesar was a 16mm independent film, originally produced for educational purposes. He clearly gave much thought to this portrayal which on the whole is better than the misplaced Method emoting of Marlon Brando's Antony, some seventeen years earlier. Also, Charlton Heston had a scholarly side unusual for a Hollywood actor. While he does not as much look the part, his Marc Antony provides a sturdy center for this second filming of the Shakespeare tragedy. But Heston remained fit all through his long career. This historical drama television series was directed by Uli Edel for the American TNT network and stars Jeremy Sisto, Richard Harris, Christopher Walken and Chris Noth.By now in his late forties and sporting an obvious, bright red hairpiece, Charlton Heston seemed an odd Antony when first seen. Julius Caesar (1979)įor those who prefer faithful BBC productions to Hollywood glitz, Herbert Wise of I, Claudius fame, directed this instalment of the BBC’s Shakespeare series. The film was both a failure with critics and at the box office. The cast was rounded out by John Gielgud as Caesar and Jason Robards as Brutus. Stuart Burge directed this adaptation of Shakespeare’s play in colour, which returned Charlton Heston to the role of Antony he’d played 20 years before. This production stars Elizabeth Taylor in the title role, with Rex Harrison as Caesar and Richard Burton as Antony. At the time, Cleopatra was the most expensive film production to date. Image Credit: Reynold Brown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Cleopatra (1963)Īnother Mankiewicz direction, this time based on historical literature. The film was reportedly beset by tragedy and near-tragedy, with bombs falling nearby the set and Vivien Leigh suffering a miscarriage after slipping on the studio floor during filming.ĭespite its lavish production values, Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction, and high US earnings for a British film, Caesar and Cleopatra was considered a stateside box office failure. Caesar and Cleopatra (1945)ĭirected by Gabriel Pascal and staring Vivien Leigh and Claude Rains in the title roles, this 1945 British production - in glorious Technicolor - is based on a 1901 play by George Bernard Shaw, who also adapted it into the screenplay. Here are 10 films and television series from the last 70 years that feature the character of Julius Caesar. Regardless, modern entertainment has helped assure that he has remained a household name. One such figure, Julius Caesar, has been represented on screen time and time again.Ĭaesar’s frequent representation in film and television arguably lies as much in the success of Shakespeare’s eponymous play as it does in the Ancient Roman ruler’s historical significance. Since the advent of the moving picture, the medium has been used to retell the lives of famous historical figures.
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