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Cleopatra

Play trailer 4:37 Poster for Cleopatra G,  1963,  4h 3m,  History/ Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Watchlist 61% 95 Reviews Tomatometer 67% 10,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
61% Tomatometer 95 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
"Cleopatra" is a lengthy, sprawling, spectacular love story, helmed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, depicting Cleopatra's manipulation of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian empire. This threesome in one of the most famous and gloriously powerful love triangles ever to be captured on film.
Cleopatra

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Cleopatra is a lush, ostentatious, endlessly eye-popping epic that sags collapses from a (and how could it not?) four-hour runtime.

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Critics Reviews

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Ben Kern Minneapolis Star Tribune Jul 10, 2026
There gaucheries of dialog, but the faults are few and the virtues many, not the least of which is restraint in the orgies and gore department. The pageantry is obvious theatrics, but I really don't mind being over-pelted with optical delights. Go to Full Review
Wanda Hale New York Daily News Jun 29, 2026
If you go to leer, you will stay to cheer a magnificent spectacle that gratifies our desire for perfection, enriches our love of beauty and art, fulfills our admiration of brilliant acting and satisfies our demand for historical accuracy... Go to Full Review
David Cobb Toronto Star Jun 29, 2026
...the movie lacks any unity of design save by and through the character of Cleopatra; two, Elizabeth Taylor, capable in her range but strictly a 20th-century vixen, falls far short of what is needed as the serpent of the Nile. Go to Full Review
W. Ward Marsh Cleveland Plain Dealer Jun 29, 2026
"Cleopatra" has all the appearances of 24-carat gold, which of course is appropriate because it cost so much money. Go to Full Review
Hope Pantell Baltimore Sun Jun 29, 2026
"Cleopatra" isn't just a movie; it's a phenomenon, a state of mind, an epic of our time as well as of ancient times. Go to Full Review
Donald Zec Daily Mirror (UK) Jun 29, 2026
There is no denying that for production quality...this massive picture must be seen. But not necessarily to be believed. For it must stand or fall on the performance of Liz Taylor as "Cleo." And big as it is - it falls.. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Han M Apr 22, 2019 It's amazing that despite the fact the movie is titled Cleopatra, the leading character was forced into the stereotypical female role of this era. If you don't know what I mean, I mean Taylor was there simply to make Burton and Harrison look good (i.e not gay). Taylor was good in this film despite the horrible lines such as "how will I go on with out you?" Mate your the Queen of Egypt, get over yourself See more
Rey W Mar 24, 2019 Big dumb fun. The ultimate guilty pleasure, possessing Alex North's finest film score
Jan 27, 2019 The best epic romance movie ever made! With the best movie score ever composed!
Anakin S Nov 26, 2018 The first two hours are very well done, and the rest of the film does a very good job of depicting the end of the Ptolemy Dynasty. These are the people that fell in order to push the world in the direction that we've seen it go. What would have happened if Antony had won at Actium? With the Ptolemy's would Egypt have once again been a world power, and what would have become of Rome? Questions we will never have answers to, and a world we will never know. This is a fine piece of cinema for the history buff. Caesarion was 17 when he died, and there are a couple of factual errors near the end of the film that are different than how the actual events happened, but the sets are out of this world (should be for nearly bankrupting Fox) and the acting is great, especially from Rex Harrison. See more
Poe W Aug 24, 2018 Probably the third time now that I've watched a 4 hour plus movie(which is challenging as far as trying to not fall asleep). For me this felt like a very long, fancy and elaborate play. You get a couple of "action" scenes and Liz Taylor looking drop dead gorgeous throughout, mostly it's about the 5 million lines or so of dialogue and the love story. It can be slow, but I've seen much slower. Not really my kind of movie honestly, still it's not bad. See more
Anakin M Aug 19, 2018 I really liked it. It can not be said to be the best movie ever, there are better story films (like Ben-Hur, for example). Despite having rather unrealistic and drying scenes, it's a pretty good movie. Highly recommend. (Do not persebo as a good movie as this is rated at 56% and HORRIBLE movies as Sharknado is rated at 82%). See more
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Cleopatra

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Movie Info

Synopsis "Cleopatra" is a lengthy, sprawling, spectacular love story, helmed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, depicting Cleopatra's manipulation of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian empire. This threesome in one of the most famous and gloriously powerful love triangles ever to be captured on film.
Director
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Producer
Walter Wanger
Screenwriter
Sidney Buchman, Carlo Mario Franzero, Ranald MacDougall, Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Rating
G
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 12, 1963, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 18, 2012
Runtime
4h 3m
Sound Mix
Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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