Cleopatra

Year of release : 1999

 

Run time : 1h28min, 2 episodes

 

Genre : History / Mini Series

 

Cast : Leonor Varela, Billy Zane, Timothy Dalton

 

 

The 2 part series are based on the 1997 historical fiction novel,'Memoirs of Cleopatra' by Margaret George.

 

The year is 47 BC,Cleopatra, age 20,is in exile,plotting her return. Her sister and brother stole the throne. Egypt is part of the Roman Empire,being in debt to Rome. Caesar came personally to Egypt to collect the debt.

Cleopatra's siblings tell him they have nothing to give him,as their people would starve ,but they'll reconsider if Caesar supports them to the throne,instead of Cleopatra,whom they call dangerous.

 

Cleopatra called a courtesan to her, as she wants to know how to satisfy a man and keep him interested in her forever.

She makes her entrance into Caesar's life rolled up in a rug. Caesar is impressed, and they become lovers. Caesar forgets about Rome and his wife, and lives with her in Egypt. When he finally decides to leave, Cleopatra finds out she's pregnant. She got pregnant on purpose, for she thinks her son could unite the 2 kingdoms, and rule over Rome.

 

Visiting Rome, years later, the Romans boo her, and call her Caesar's wh0re. As the Roman politicians disrespect her, she goes against Caesar's advice,and presents them her son, Caesarion.

 

Soon after,Caesar is k!lled on the senate's steps (in the movie they are only a few people,in reality they were around 60).

 

Part two opens with Caesar's funeral, when Mark Anthony vows to find the ones who k!lled him and bring them to justice. For 3 years,he does just that. After, he is offered Egypt by Octavian, and moves there,wooing Cleopatra.

The two become a couple fast, and when he leaves, in order to get what he wants from Octavian,he marries Octavian's sister ,as Octavian wanted,betraying Cleopatra.

 

Cleopatra didn't seem like such a good ruler,at least not from this movie. Her greatest skill is to make men fall for her, then make them do her bidding. She is a destroyer of men, because of her, or love for her, Caesar fell,then Mark Anthony.

She didn't have that much control over the men in her life, considering Caesar didn't divorce for her, as she wanted,nor gave Egypt its independence, and Mark Anthony married another woman,while with her!

She also seems spoiled, prideful,which is her downfall,and stubborn,she must always have things done her way,when she wants them,even if that's the wrong way.

The movie only shows her son with Caesar,implying she only had this son, while she had 3 more, with Mark Anthony.

 

Caesar was a true ruler, while Anthony wanted more to be with her,than fight and conquer,and needed incentives to do her bidding. Like,for example, he was devastated when his legion was defeated by Octavian,to the point he gave up,until he had a dream about winning against him!

 

The acting was fine. At the beginning the actresses playing Cleopatra and her sister, weren't that good, but after, Leonor Varela is fine,especially when she plays with Billy Zane,they really compliment each other.

Fun fact : 2 of the actors from The Mummy (1999), Oded Fehr and the funny warden, Omid Djalili (Omid was as good as in that one), have cameos in this movie.

 

The movie has beautiful,vibrant colors, beautiful set designs, beautiful clothes ,especially the ones of Cleopatra,like all the Hallmark productions. Although, everything looks too clean,too new-the clothes, the buildings and streets.

 

The visual effects were so and so.

 

The soundtrack was good.

 

You can watch the full series here for free : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDVDrSHLMW4&ab_channel=SpiritAscend

 

Rating : Worth a watch !