MovieChat Forums > Caesar and Cleopatra (1946) Discussion > Vivien and Claude

Vivien and Claude

posted 16 years ago by flan99
18 replies | jump to latest

Excellent performances by both.

Very solid supporting cast as well.

Main drawback:

Despite solid efforts, this still looks/sounds like a PLAY.

One very very chatty film - the script must have weighed 10 pounds.

[–] Harold_Robbins 16 years ago

One of Rains' rare leading roles, and the kittenish Vivien Leigh was completely delectable - couldn't take my eyes off her.

"Stone-cold sober I find myself absolutely fascinating!"---Katharine Hepburn

[–] hachmom-1 16 years ago

In many ways he comes closest to the historical Caesar, a charming,
cynical genius, you can see how he could lead men into battle...And Shaw himself thought Rains was his Caesar.

Also one of Ms Leigh's best performances...though heaven knows she was way too beautiful to be the historical Cleopatra

It is not our abilities that make us who we are...it is our choices

[–] generalusgrant 16 years ago

I think Vivien overacts and seems overwrought. Claude, as always, is absolutely brilliant. I think he might be physically wrong for the role, but shines in anything in ever played in. His voice alone makes this one worth watching. Sadly, there isn't much chemistry between Claude and Vivien, but there was also no chemistry between Rex Harrison and Liz in the later rendering of this opus.

[–] wowcharlie3 15 years ago

It's hard to look at anyone else when she is onscreen.

[–] Ripshin 16 years ago

Don't refer to actors by their first names. It's extremely tacky. Were you raised in a double-wide??

[–] decrepitmonkey 15 years ago

They're actors! Not royalty. Are we to not look them directly in the eye either?

[–] Ripshin 15 years ago

Actors, whomever. It's about proper manners. I don't go up to somebody I don't know personally, and call them by their first name. Again, it's the white-trashing of America.

[–] mdliske 15 years ago

^^^Whatever!! I'm deliberately going to use first names as that is an incredibly elitist response.

I also think this movie comes across as though it is on stage and is not one of Vivien's strongest performances. She suffered a miscarriage during the making of this movie so it was a difficult time in her personal life. It's still an enjoyable movie, but not a great one.

[–] Ripshin 15 years ago

I would expect nothing less.

[–] mdliske 15 years ago

[–] Ripshin 15 years ago

No words to express yourself? Delightful.

[–] gribfritz2 13 years ago

Tacky. Double-wide. White-trash. Where are YOUR manners, by the way?

[–] Ripshin 13 years ago

I am thrilled that you are following my posts. Thank you.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lnoft97 13 years ago

Claude, meet Viv. Viv, this is Claude.

She is SO beautiful in this film, puts Liz to shame, she does.

[–] gribfritz2 11 years ago

I see it still posts frequently, but I haven't run into it on any other boards in two years. I guess I wasn't following its posts as closely as it may have hoped.

[–] denis-38 11 years ago

I didn't mind the "stagy" aspects at all. It was beautiful to look at, witty and Miss Leigh does herself proud. She is only supposed be 18 or so, and behaves in an immature manner at the first. But I think her transformation to the icy queen who orders the murder of Potinus, is brilliantly done. (Viv was in her thirties by then.)

I adore Elizabeth Taylor, and there are some good moments in the massive 1963 "Cleopatra." But Taylor simply didn't have Viv's delicacy, physically or performance-wise. I mean, you REALLY don't believe Taylor's Cleo is 18! Too tough. (Though the script demands this of her, to be fair. And Taylor turned 30 during the production, so it's not as if either lady was truly suitable to play teenage Cleo.

Anyway, I think "Caesar and Cleopatra" is a lovely film. And Stewart Granger is hotter than hell!

[–] mam13143 10 years ago

I thought it was a fine film too. Rains is one of my fav actors and Leigh wasn't all that bad. The only one that seemed over the top was Granger. Shaw was a playwright and most of his movies look like plays. As such, plays are all talk and little action. Works here because the Brits make the English language bearable.