Cleopatra (1934)

☆ ☆ ☆

Cleopatra (1934) – C. B. De Mille

A last gasp for the “precode” era by Cecil B. De Mille who had earlier gotten into trouble with the same star, Claudette Colbert, in Sign of the Cross (1932).  Indeed, he seems to be taunting the incoming censors by dressing her (and all of the female extras) in the skimpiest outfits possible.  Unfortunately, most of the film is still rather turgid and not particularly daring.  Cleopatra seeks to form a relationship with Julius Caesar (Warren William) who is soon offed by Brutus and a mob worried about his attack on their notion of the republic.  When Marc Anthony (Henry Wilcoxon) comes out to Egypt to capture her, he too falls under her alluring sway.  The Romans then rise up against him, leading to tragic ends.  De Mille and his art direction team (Roland Anderson and Hans Dreier) do create some magnificent sets (there is an art deco feel to this Egypt) and the war montage near the end when the Romans attack is crazy in its fast editing and over-the-top content.  But overall, I didn’t find the drama compelling – I wonder if the lost silent version (1917) with Theda Bara was any better (I’m not game for the 4-hour Liz Taylor version).  Perhaps 1930s audiences did find this a tonic to distract them from their woes nevertheless.