Cleopatra (20th Century Fox) (1963)

Synopsis After victories in Greece, Julius Caesar (REX HARRI SON), ruler of the Roman Empire, goes to Egypt to settle the strife between King Ptolemy (RICHARD O’SULLIVAN) and his sister, Cleopatra (ELIZABETH TAYLOR). Ptolemy, who has banished Cleopatra because she is legally entitled to share the throne with him, plots to destroy Caesar. On the night of the Roman ruler’s arrival, Cleopatra is smuggled into the palace by Appollodorus (CESARE DANOVA), her major-domo. The older Caesar and the young Cleopatra develop a mutual respect and admiration. When Ptolemy attacks Caesar, the Roman troops, under Caesar's expert strategy, rout the Egyptian forces. Ptolemy is banished, and Caesar makes Cleopatra the uncontested ruler of Egypt. Caesar and Cleopatra are drawn closer to each other, and eventually she bears him the son he has always desired. During his absence, Caesar's former friends in the Roman Senate begin to plot against him under the guidance of Cassius. When he returns, Caesar is made Dictater for life, a position which does not satisfy the ambitions of Cleopatra. By bribery Cleopatra manages an invitation to Rome where she persists with Caesar in her dream of the two of them ruling the world and tries to persuade him to become King. But the Senatorial conspirators induce Caesar's old friend, Brutus (KENNETH HAIGH), to join in a successful assassination plot. At Caesar’s funeral his ablest soldier and closest friend, Mark Antony (RICHARD BURTON), extols the dead ruler and later promises Cleopatra that her son will be king. With Antony and Octavian (RODDY McDOWALL) ruling the Empire, Cleopatra returns to Egypt. Realizing that Antony can be of help to her in return for Egypt's wealth, Cleopatra arranges a meeting with him on her barge, where they fall in love. The love affair between Cleopatra and Antony becomes a major issue in the Roman Senate. Octavian plots to eliminate Antony. When the latter returns to Rome, Octavian induces him to marry his sister and then sends him back to Egypt to form an alliance with Cleopatra. But Antony finds his love for Cleopatra stronger than ever, and he marries her under Egyptian law. Octavian creates a series of incidents which make the Romans force him to declare war on Egypt. Although Antony is the nominal leader of his forces, Cleopatra is the one who makes the decisions. She proposes to defeat Octavian with naval power, a foolish strategy since Antony and his men are land soldiers and strategists. In a furious naval engagement at Actium, Antony’s forces are routed, and he deserts his men when he sees Clecpatra’s barge leave. Blaming herself for the defeat, Cleopatra realizes that her love for Antony is stronger than her ambition. Antony, thinking Cleopatra is dead, attempts suicide and dies in her arms. Cleopatra then takes her own life by having a venomous snake bite her. Page 2 WINNER OF 4 ACADEMY AWARDS =a THE NO. 1 ATTRACTION OF ALL TIME AT SPECIAL POPULAR PRICES! SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES AT BOXOFFICE OPENS AT No Seats Reserved! Every Ticket Holder Guaranteed A Seat! 2-H INO CHRD BURR RY HARRISON as (MARK ANTONY" “JULIUS CAESAR" RH LHC CLEOPATRA ALSO STARRING PAMELA BROWN / GEORGE COLE / HUME CRONYN / CESARE DANOVA / KENNETH HAIGH / RODDY McDOWALL WALTER WANGER JOSEPH LMANKWIGZ JOSEPH WANNEWIGL BAKALD MaeDDUGALL x NEY BUCHMAN ALEX NORTH E LN 2 me ='£8€ re MAT—383 174 lines x 3 cclumns (592 lines) 3 columns x 121 inches Copyright © MCMLXIV Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation