Cleopatra

Plot

The epic tale of Cleopatra VII, the legendary queen of Egypt, unfolds as she navigates political intrigue and passionate romance. The film follows her relationship with Julius Caesar, who helps secure her throne, and later her intense affair with Mark Antony, which ultimately leads to war with Rome. As political tensions escalate between Egypt and Rome, Cleopatra must choose between love and power, ultimately facing the tragic consequences of her choices. The story culminates in the famous Battle of Actium and Cleopatra's dramatic suicide by asp bite, cementing her place in history as one of the most fascinating and powerful women of the ancient world.

Historical Background

Cleopatra was produced during World War I, a time when American cinema was beginning to dominate the global film industry as European production was disrupted by the war. The film emerged during the golden age of silent cinema, when historical epics were particularly popular as they offered audiences escape from the harsh realities of war. The early 1900s also saw the rise of the 'vamp' archetype in cinema, with Theda Bara as its foremost practitioner. This period marked a transition in American culture, with changing attitudes toward sexuality and women's roles, reflected in the film's bold portrayal of female power and sensuality. The massive budget and scale of Cleopatra also demonstrated Hollywood's growing industrial power and its ability to produce films that could compete with European historical spectacles.

Making Of

The production of Cleopatra was a massive undertaking for Fox Film Corporation, representing their most ambitious project to date. Director J. Gordon Edwards worked closely with Theda Bara, who was his frequent collaborator and one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The filming process was challenging due to the elaborate costumes and sets, with Bara reportedly fainting multiple times from heat exhaustion while filming in heavy Egyptian robes. The famous scene where Cleopatra arrives in Rome on her golden barge required the construction of a massive floating set on Santa Monica Bay, which had to be carefully maneuvered by dozens of crew members. The production also faced censorship challenges from local film boards, requiring several cuts and reshoots to satisfy moral standards of the time.

Visual Style

The cinematography by John W. Arnold and Sol Polito was groundbreaking for its time, utilizing innovative lighting techniques to create dramatic shadows and highlights that enhanced Bara's mysterious persona. The film employed elaborate camera movements, including tracking shots during the battle sequences that were technically sophisticated for 1917. The visual style emphasized exoticism and decadence, with careful attention to lighting Bara's revealing costumes to maximize their impact while navigating censorship restrictions. The film also made effective use of location photography at Santa Monica Beach, creating impressive wide shots for the naval battle scenes that conveyed the epic scale of the production.

Innovations

Cleopatra featured several technical innovations for its time, including the use of matte paintings to extend the scale of the Egyptian sets and create the illusion of massive architectural structures. The film's miniature effects for the naval battle scenes were particularly sophisticated, using detailed model ships filmed in large water tanks. The production also pioneered techniques for creating the illusion of massive crowds using multiple exposures and careful positioning of extras. The elaborate costume designs incorporated innovative materials and construction methods to achieve the desired exotic effects while allowing for the practical demands of filming.

Music

As a silent film, Cleopatra was accompanied by live musical performances in theaters. Fox provided a detailed musical cue sheet for theater organists and orchestras, suggesting specific pieces for various scenes. The recommended score included classical works by composers like Tchaikovsky and Wagner, as well as original compositions by Fox's music department. The music was designed to enhance the film's emotional impact, with romantic themes for Cleopatra's love scenes and dramatic, martial music for the battle sequences. Large urban theaters often employed full orchestras for the presentation, while smaller venues used piano or organ accompaniment.

Memorable Scenes

• Cleopatra's dramatic entrance in Rome rolled in a magnificent carpet, which unrolls to reveal her in all her exotic splendor
• The passionate love scene between Cleopatra and Mark Antony aboard her golden barge on the Nile
• The spectacular naval battle sequence with miniature ships and thousands of extras
• Cleopatra's final suicide scene with the asp, filmed with dramatic lighting and emotional intensity
• The lavish banquet scene where Cleopatra dissolves a pearl in wine to demonstrate her wealth

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics praised Cleopatra for its visual splendor and Theda Bara's magnetic performance, with Variety calling it 'a masterpiece of cinematic art' and Motion Picture Magazine declaring it 'the finest production of the year.' Critics particularly noted the film's ambitious scope and the unprecedented attention to historical detail in sets and costumes. Modern critics, working from the surviving fragments and contemporary reviews, recognize it as a significant achievement in silent cinema, though they note that its historical accuracy was secondary to its dramatic effect. The film is now regarded as a lost masterpiece of the silent era, with film historians lamenting its destruction as one of the greatest losses in cinema history.

What Audiences Thought

Cleopatra was a tremendous commercial success, drawing record crowds to theaters across America and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 1917. Audiences were particularly captivated by Theda Bara's sensual performance and the film's spectacular visual elements. The film's scandalous reputation actually increased its appeal, with many theaters using its controversial nature in their advertising. Despite facing bans in several conservative cities, where it was deemed morally objectionable, the film's notoriety only enhanced its box office performance. Contemporary audience accounts describe packed theaters and enthusiastic responses to Bara's performance, with many viewers returning multiple times to see the spectacle.

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