Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

4 hours and 11 mean minutes. It looks good, the palette is very soft and pleasant to the eye even though Roman garb and decor is gaudy it's not obnoxiously taking over unlike every other Roman movie. The score is nice but a little tiresome and distracting from the dialogue. Preformed very well by a cast full of legends, Richard Burton hits all the notes, Taylor comes off a little hammy to me in this but is fine. She's ridiculously good in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf and that's the first thing she's in that I watched. Direction is very meticulous. That being what it all is at times (I understand it was released '63) it needed to move. There's a reason it was cut to 3hr12min for theatrical release. This anniversary edition run time is trying.

Cleopatra is a historical biography about Queen Cleopatra and her relations with the Roman Empire. The movie centres around her attempts to resist Rome's imperial ambitions during her relationship with Cesear which produces a son. The main actress is beautiful and alluring, but she does not look much like Cleopatra should as she is very fair with blue eyes. It would have been easy to alter her appearance with makeup and contacts or cast a different actress.The costumes and weapons are stunning and appear to be historically accurate. There are many different unique and equally stunning costume changes throughout the film. I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much since it was so long, but it was interesting and engaging. The dialogue is descriptive and smooth.The settings are my favourite. There are marvellous Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls and beautiful engraved pillars and columns on the front of the buildings, sphinxes, stained glass windows and gorgeous golden doors. The battles are amazing and engaging, especially considering this movie was made in 1963 and they were limited with what they could do with special effects. The screen cuts are excellent and the film doesn't really have many unnecessary or boring scenes despite its length.

Cleopatra is famous for many reasons, but it's not generally well-liked. Obviously, casting Elizabeth Taylor to play one of the world's most beautiful women, and cladding her in unspeakably beautiful costumes, is one reason this movie has been remembered. Liz was married at the time to Eddie Fisher, a union that cost her her reputation, but that couldn't stop the sparks from flying between her and her married costar, Richard Burton. Once again, Liz became a homewrecker, and her love affair and marriage to Burton is one of the most famous of all Hollywood couples.Also, Cleopatra was the most expensive film ever made at the time. It cost $44 million, and almost bankrupted the studio. Can you imagine a world without 20th Century Fox? Audiences at the time felt it was too long and too wordy, but modern audiences won't feel that way. We're used to long epics, like Gladiator and Alexander, so the four-hour running time won't be a hindrance. And watching Liz and Dick fall in love on camera is magical; "boring" just isn't an applicable adjective.I wouldn't call Cleopatra a must-see, unless you're particularly attached to that Hollywood couple, but it is a spectacle. If you like epics, or if you like your films to have glorious splendor, you're not going to want to miss this one.

The unevenness has been explained many times. This was supposed to be two movies. We will never know because the producers grabbed their pocketbooks and wouldn't let go. This is a good story, but it doesn't work because about a third is missing. That said, take each of the characters and ask yourself if they did a good job presenting themselves. Taylor is beautiful and very interesting, Rex Harrison is his usual intriguing personage, and Roddy McDowell, who I remember most as a child actor may be the best of all. I mostly remember the drama among the actors and all the news coming out of Hollywood, concerning "Cleopatra." Taylor and Burton, Taylor and Harrison, on and on. I think there are times when the hype supersedes the product and we were treated to daily reports from the press on this "disaster." Still, if you can look past the unevenness, there's a lot of fun here. Especiallly the epic battle scenes and all the other spectacle. At the time, perhaps the most expensive film ever made.