Cleopatra Overview:

Cleopatra (1963) was a Biographical - Drama Film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Darryl F. Zanuck and produced by Walter Wanger and Peter Levathes.

SYNOPSIS

A long, sprawling, and spectacular love story depicting Cleopatra's manipulation of Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian Empire. Film was cut from 243 minutes to 222 at the time of its release. The most expensive film of its time, due largely to overruns caused by Taylor and Burton's tempestuous relationship on and offscreen. Launched in the tabloids. It survived multiple starts and stops, and the near-bankruptcy of Fox, to become big box office.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Academy Awards 1963 --- Ceremony Number 36 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best CinematographyVictor MilnerWon
Best Film EditingAnne BauchensNominated
Best PictureParamountNominated
Best ActorRex HarrisonNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Hilyard Brown, Herman Blumenthal, Elven Webb, MauricWon
Best Costume DesignIrene Sharaff, Vittorio Nino Novarese, RenieWon
Best Film EditingDorothy SpencerNominated
Best Music - ScoringAlex NorthNominated
Best PictureWalter Wanger, ProducerNominated
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BlogHub Articles:

Cleopatra (1963)

By Beatrice on Dec 21, 2017 From Flickers in Time

Cleopatra Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz Written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall, and Sidney Buchman based on ancient histories and a book “The Life and Times of Cleopatra” by Carlo Maria Franzero 1963/Switzerland/UK/USA Twentieth Century Fox/MCL Films S.A./Walwa Films S.... Read full article


C?sar e Cle?patra (1945)

By L? on Nov 2, 2015 From Critica Retro

C?sar e Cle?patra (1945) Voc? deve saber que Elizabeth Taylor foi a primeira atriz de cinema a receber um milh?o de d?lares por um ?nico filme: “Cle?patra”, em 1963. Antes dela, outras atrizes j? haviam interpretado a mais famosa rainha do Egito, entre elas Theda Bara, Claudette C... Read full article


Celebrate Cleopatra!

By Jill Blake on Jun 13, 2013 From Sittin' on a Backyard Fence

Here at The Fence, we will be giving away 2 copies of the newly restored Cleopatra 50th Anniversary release, courtesy of Fox. To enter, please send an email to sittinonabackyardfence@gmail.com. In the subject, “Cleopatra giveaway.” Please include your name, email, and website (if applica... Read full article


Win a Copy of Cleopatra 50th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray

By Brandy Dean on May 31, 2013 From Pretty Clever Films

The iconic historical epic Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and and Richard Burton, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In honor of this milestone, Cleopatra has been restored and released on Blu-ray for the first time in a 2-disc package that features a full-color book with rare images a... Read full article


Win a Copy of Cleopatra on Blu-ray!

on May 30, 2013 From Journeys in Classic Film

I mentioned it on Twitter a? few days ago, but the fantastic folks at Cinemark have sent me a few Cleopatra Blu-rays to offer to you lovely people.? I have THREE Blu-rays to give away and here’s what you need to enter: HOW TO ENTER: Since these are awesome, I’m going to have to enforce t... Read full article


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Quotes from

[Seducing Caesar]
Cleopatra: My breasts are full of love and life. My hips are round and well apart. Such women, they say, have sons.


Julius Caesar: Two hours until dawn. We will hold where we are.
Agrippa: And what happens at dawn?
Julius Caesar: I thought you knew. The sun comes up.


Cleopatra: There are never enough hours in the days of a queen, and her nights have too many.


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Facts about

Twentieth Century Fox was in financial trouble in the late-1950s due to disappointing box office returns of some major releases. Orders were given to search the Fox script library for a proven property that could be remade. The project chosen was Cleopatra, a Theda Bara film that had been a smash hit for the studio. What the studio needed was a producer willing to handle the project. At about the same time, veteran producer Walter Wanger approached Fox with an idea for a project he had been planning for several years: the story of Cleopatra. In the words of David Brown, "We fell on him."
One of the beleaguered director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's most passionate allies was Rex Harrison who, at one point, offered up his own salary to see if it would help the production. Mankiewicz refused to let him do that.
79 sets were constructed for the film.
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Best Costume Design Oscar 1963










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Also directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz




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