The fabled queen of Egypt's affair with Roman general Marc Antony is ultimately disastrous for both of them.The fabled queen of Egypt's affair with Roman general Marc Antony is ultimately disastrous for both of them.The fabled queen of Egypt's affair with Roman general Marc Antony is ultimately disastrous for both of them.
Helen Gardner
- Cleopatra - Queen of Egypt
- (as Miss Gardner)
Pearl Sindelar
- Iras - An Attendant
- (as Miss Sindelar)
Helene Costello
- Nicola - a Child
- (as Miss Helene)
Charles Sindelar
- Antony - a Triumvir and General
- (as Mr. Sindelar)
James R. Waite
- Venditius - a Roman Soldier
- (as Mr. Waite)
Mr. Osborne
- Diomedes - a Rich Egyptian
- (as Mr. Osborn)
Harry Knowles
- Kephren - Captain of the Guards to the Queen
- (as Harley Knowles)
Miss Winter
- Charmian - Attendant to the Queen
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Victorien Sardou
- Charles L. Gaskill(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film is one of the first six-reel feature films produced in the US. With the tagline "The most beautiful motion picture ever made", the film was the first to offer a feature-length depiction of Cleopatra, although there had been a short film about Antony and Cleopatra earlier.
- GoofsThe costumes and hairstyles of Cleopatra and her servants are reminiscent of the Greek style, definitely not Egyptian, albeit in the Roman Period. This is not a goof. Cleopatra was part of a Greek dynasty that had ruled in Egypt for a couple of centuries since Alexander the Great. Her statues show her in Greek-style dress.
- Quotes
Pharon - a Greek Slave and Fisherman: You may kill me, Queen, but the love in my soul for you will never perish!
Cleopatra - Queen of Egypt: If I let you live - and love me - ten days, will you swear then to destroy yourself?
- Crazy creditsCertain stage traditions originally founded in ignorance and preserved after they became traditions, have not been considered; the object of the Director has been to insure naturalness in an atmosphere of romance, the object of the Author to intimate the nobilities and grandeur of the woman who was devotedly loved by Julius Caesar. Perfect freedom has been exercised in the adaption.
- Alternate versionsA restored version, funded by Turner Classic Movies and in the George Eastman House Collection, was shown on Turner Classic Movies on 10 August 2000. It has an original music score by Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida and runs 88 minutes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Fractured Flickers: Pat Carroll (1964)
Featured review
I give it points for being a film milestone but that score! Argh my ears!
Quite a remarkable production, a key film on the continuum of American film that set the bar higher. Considering King Tut's tomb wouldn't be found for another ten years, the sets and costumes were well done, funny chubby Egyptian figures painted on the walls. Thank goodness D.W. Griffith was compelled to innovate a few years later but restoration funds were well spent on this historical film.
Cleopatra is a very stagey film. Nothing happens here that could not happen in a theatre. Genuine exteriors are almost non-existent, and even simple exteriors, requiring only a field and a tree or two, are duplicated with backdrops. This of course was in an era when the theatre still commanded a good deal more respect than did the cinema. Remember that one of the earliest film companies, a precursor to Paramount, was originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays. Also note that the extras seem to have nothing really to do. They are all standing around seeming to look for direction. Most of the film is very long shots, once again, going back to theatre roots.
The score is terrible and does not fit the film at all. I don't care for avant-garde stuff and the music definitely falls into that category. If someone were going to use that type of music I would think it would be better suited to something like a German expressionist style film, not a period piece "historical" type film.
That noise Ms. Gardner (Cleopatra) was making at the beginning was just odd and distracting. Then the actual "singing" (if you can call it that because the words were pretty much unintelligible) was again distracting. I was trying to figure out what she was saying and ended up missing part of the movie. However,the sounds and the score is somebody in modern times trying to augment the film, so I can hardly blame Ms.Gardner for it one hundred years after the fact.
I'm glad this film was restored, as it's an interesting piece of film history. Before the money men got involved there was a place for women behind the camera in writing and directing as well as owning their own studios as Helen Gardner did. It's also very interesting that she made many feature length films (80-90 minutes) as opposed to the one and two reelers of the time. Cleopatra is listed as being the first feature length film (6 reels) made in the U.S., although De Mille always incorrectly tried to claim that "The Squaw Man" - which he directed -was the first feature length film.
Worthwhile for the novelty of it all.
Cleopatra is a very stagey film. Nothing happens here that could not happen in a theatre. Genuine exteriors are almost non-existent, and even simple exteriors, requiring only a field and a tree or two, are duplicated with backdrops. This of course was in an era when the theatre still commanded a good deal more respect than did the cinema. Remember that one of the earliest film companies, a precursor to Paramount, was originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays. Also note that the extras seem to have nothing really to do. They are all standing around seeming to look for direction. Most of the film is very long shots, once again, going back to theatre roots.
The score is terrible and does not fit the film at all. I don't care for avant-garde stuff and the music definitely falls into that category. If someone were going to use that type of music I would think it would be better suited to something like a German expressionist style film, not a period piece "historical" type film.
That noise Ms. Gardner (Cleopatra) was making at the beginning was just odd and distracting. Then the actual "singing" (if you can call it that because the words were pretty much unintelligible) was again distracting. I was trying to figure out what she was saying and ended up missing part of the movie. However,the sounds and the score is somebody in modern times trying to augment the film, so I can hardly blame Ms.Gardner for it one hundred years after the fact.
I'm glad this film was restored, as it's an interesting piece of film history. Before the money men got involved there was a place for women behind the camera in writing and directing as well as owning their own studios as Helen Gardner did. It's also very interesting that she made many feature length films (80-90 minutes) as opposed to the one and two reelers of the time. Cleopatra is listed as being the first feature length film (6 reels) made in the U.S., although De Mille always incorrectly tried to claim that "The Squaw Man" - which he directed -was the first feature length film.
Worthwhile for the novelty of it all.
helpful•170
- AlsExGal
- Apr 13, 2016
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Helen Gardner in Cleopatra
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $45,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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