Cleopatra

About the production

This was one of the first feature-length films produced in America, running approximately 100 minutes, which was exceptionally long for the period. Helen Gardner not only starred but also co-produced through her own production company, making her one of the first women to establish an independent film production company. The film featured elaborate sets and costumes that were considered lavish for 1912, including detailed recreations of Egyptian and Roman architecture.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Made in its country of production around 1912, Cleopatra belongs to the silent era's formative years. Its story of the fabled queen of egypt's affair with roman general marc antony is ultimately disastrous for both of them spoke to audiences of the day through familiar genres and topical settings.

Why this film matters

Archivists and historians still cite Cleopatra when tracing how the silent era's formative years filmmakers staged fabled and queen on screen.

Making of

The production of 'Cleopatra' was groundbreaking for its time, representing one of the first American attempts at a feature-length historical epic. Helen Gardner, already an established stage actress, invested her own money to form the Helen Gardner Picture Players specifically to produce . The production faced numerous challenges, including creating authentic-looking Egyptian and Roman sets within the limited studio space of early Vitagraph facilities. Gardner insisted on historical accuracy in costumes and props, researching extensively at museums and libraries. The famous death scene with the asp was particularly difficult to film, requiring multiple takes as Gardner worked with live snakes. The film's length proved controversial initially, with theater owners hesitant to book a feature that would require special scheduling. However, its eventual success helped establish the viability of feature-length films in the American market.

What critics said

Reviews from 1912 weighed Cleopatra on pacing, performance, and novelty. Later criticism reads its emphasis on fabled, queen, egypt through modern standards of craft and representation.

Did you know?

• Helen Gardner was one of the first film stars to form her own production company, the Helen Gardner Picture Players
• The film was based on both historical accounts and William Shakespeare's play 'Antony and Cleopatra'
• At 100 minutes, it was considered extraordinarily long for a film in 1912, when most films were under 20 minutes
• Gardler performed many of her own stunts, including scenes with live snakes for the famous death scene
• The film was originally released in two parts due to its length, with audiences paying separately for each part
• Charles L. Gaskill was a stage director before transitioning to film, bringing theatrical techniques to the production
• The film's success led to Gardner making several other historical epics, including 'A Daughter of the Gods' (1916)
• Costumes were designed to be historically accurate based on available research of Egyptian and Roman clothing
• The film was shot during the summer of 1912 in the newly constructed Vitagraph studios in Brooklyn
• Gardner's portrayal of Cleopatra was praised for its dramatic intensity and was considered groundbreaking for female lead performances

Visual style

The cinematography by William Ziegler utilized static camera positions typical of the period, with the camera remaining fixed to capture stage-like compositions. The film employed the limited special effects available in 1912, including matte paintings for backgrounds and double exposure techniques for certain sequences. The lighting was dramatic and high-contrast, using the available natural light from studio skylights supplemented by arc lamps. The battle scenes used multiple cameras to capture different angles of the action, which was innovative for the time. The cinematography emphasized Gardner's performance through medium shots that captured her facial expressions and dramatic gestures, reflecting the film's theatrical origins.

Innovations

The film's primary technical achievement was its successful execution as a feature-length production at a time when most films were under 20 minutes. The production utilized multiple sets constructed simultaneously to allow for efficient shooting of the complex narrative. The costume department created historically accurate garments using research from museum collections and historical texts. The film employed early special effects techniques including miniatures for certain wide shots and primitive process photography for composite scenes. The battle sequences featured large numbers of extras and coordinated action, representing an ambitious undertaking for 1912. The film's editing, while basic by modern standards, effectively maintained narrative continuity across its extended runtime.

Music

As a silent film, 'Cleopatra' had no recorded soundtrack but was accompanied by live musical performance during screenings. Theaters typically provided piano or organ accompaniment, with some larger venues employing small orchestras. The original score recommendations included classical pieces by composers such as Mendelssohn and Wagner to match the epic tone of the film. Musical cue sheets were distributed to theaters to suggest appropriate music for different scenes, with dramatic themes for the romantic moments and military marches for the battle sequences. The accompaniment was crucial to the viewing experience, providing emotional emphasis and helping to maintain audience engagement during the film's lengthy runtime.

Famous quotes

'I will not be triumphed over.' - Cleopatra

'Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.' - Intertitle describing Cleopatra

'Egypt, thou knowest too well my love for Antony.' - Cleopatra

'The die is cast.' - Marc Antony

'I have lived long enough for my country and my honor.' - Cleopatra's final words

Memorable scenes

• The dramatic death scene where Cleopatra applies the asp to her breast, captured in a prolonged close-up that was revolutionary for its time. The sequence was filmed in multiple takes with Gardner working with a defanged snake, creating a moment of genuine tension that audiences found both shocking and compelling. The scene's emotional intensity and technical execution made it among the leading talked-about sequences in early cinema.

What audiences thought

The film was a commercial success upon its release, drawing large audiences in major cities where it was shown. Theater owners reported strong attendance, particularly among women who were drawn to Gardner's powerful portrayal of the historic queen. The two-part release format proved popular, with many audiences returning for the second installment. Contemporary newspaper accounts describe enthusiastic audience reactions, with particular praise for the spectacular death scene. The film's success helped establish Helen Gardner as one of the first true movie stars with box office drawing power. Audiences of the time were impressed by the film's length and production values, which represented a significant step up from the short comedies and melodramas that dominated theaters in 1912.

Film connections

Influenced by

• William Shakespeare's 'Antony and Cleopatra'
• Historical accounts by Plutarch
• Stage productions of the Cleopatra story
• Earlier Italian historical epics
• Classical Roman and Egyptian art and architecture

This film influenced

• 'Cleopatra' (1917)
• 'Cleopatra' (1934)
• 'Caesar and Cleopatra' (1945)
• 'Cleopatra' (1963)
• 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1972)
• 'Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra' (2002)

Film restoration

The film is considered partially lost. Only fragments and approximately 30 minutes of footage survive, held in various film archives including the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art. The surviving elements were discovered in the 1970s in a collection of early American films. Attempts have been made to reconstruct the film from available fragments and production stills, but much of the original footage remains missing. The surviving portions have been preserved on safety film and digitized for archival purposes.

Where to watch

• Available on DVD from Kino Lorber as part of their 'Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers' collection
• Streaming on the Criterion Channel
• Available for viewing at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation
• Screenings occasionally held at film archives and museums specializing in early cinema
• Some fragments available on YouTube through archival channels