This film is worth watching for the excellent cast of talented actors alone, but Richard Burton truly shines as Mark Antony. Richard Burton was in 1963 what Anthony Hopkins is to the cinema today, a remarkably talented actor with a resonant voice and a larger than life presence, strong enough to entirely captivate an audience. Antony's struggle to break free of the shadow of almighty Caesar and his struggle against the beguiling wiles of Cleopatra are fascinating to watch. The always brilliant Rex Harrison seems, however, a bit peevish for Caesar. Nevertheless, this movie is a masterpiece of cinematography and the chemistry between Burton and Taylor is riveting. Roddy McDowell is well-cast as the bookish Octavian. The spectacle of Cleopatra is only matched by such films as the recent Ridley Scott's Gladiator, Ben-hur, and Kubrick's Spartacus. It's well worth viewing this piece of cinematic history.
Review of Cleopatra
