Trailer
Plot summary
Egypt's crown is disputed between Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy XIII, and their quarrel has turned into civil war. Cleopatra has been forced out of Alexandria, while Ptolemy rules with three guardians: the eunuch Pothinus, the tutor Theodotus, and General Achillas. Julius Caesar reaches Egypt after the Battle of Pharsalus, claiming the right to execute the will of the siblings' father. Cleopatra persuades him to take her side. Once Caesar holds effective control of the kingdom, he has Pothinus put to death for arranging an attempt on her life and exiles Ptolemy to the eastern desert. Cleopatra is crowned queen and begins to picture ruling the world alongside Caesar, who wants a crown in Rome as well. Their son, Caesarion, is born, and Caesar acknowledges him openly, which becomes talk in Rome and in the Senate.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Cleopatra (1963)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's extramarital affair became worldwide news and the couple were branded "Liz and Dick". The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano published an open letter condemning Taylor for her "erotic vagrancy".
- After sixteen weeks of filming and $7 million spent, the crew had produced just ten minutes of usable film; Skouras blamed Mamoulian for the overrun and the director resigned on January 18, 1961.
- Director Rouben Mamoulian offered the title role to Dorothy Dandridge, who told him at a Beverly Hills lunch: "You won't have the guts to go through with this... They are going to talk you out of it."
- Elizabeth Taylor's illness was diagnosed as meningitis, halting production; the Lloyd's of London insurance agency paid $2 million to cover her medical expenses.
- While filming on location in Edku, Egypt, director Joseph L. Mankiewicz was immobilized when one of his stimulant injections accidentally hit his sciatic nerve; he moved around by cane or wheelchair.
- While building the Alexandria sets near Anzio, the production found active World War II land mines along a private beach and hired demolition experts to remove the explosives.
- Fox mistakenly submitted Roddy McDowall for Best Actor instead of Best Supporting Actor; the Academy ruled him ineligible because ballots were already printed, and the studio published an open apology to him in trade papers.
- Elizabeth Taylor's 65 costume changes in Cleopatra earned her a Guinness World Record, eclipsed in 1968 by Julie Andrews with 125 costume changes in Star!.
