The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

It's hard to address a movie that has a plot everybody already knows. Not just that, but it's based on a true story everyone should already know too! As someone who's into history, I was quite fascinated by that. I always found it strange how the play was called "Julius Caesar" when he died halfway through and Brutus was the main character. Despite this being the first version I ever saw (or read) I understood everything that was going on. Again, probably because I'm familiar with the real life story behind it. The acting is as great as you'd imagine.The only thing I'm unclear on is how Brutus was able to get his own army. I do kind of wish we got to see more of that, but it wasn't really the focus of the story. I guess I'd have to look into history to do that. Well, it does show him rallying the people against Caesar so that question might be answered. It's funny how Mr. Caesar has the initials "JC" and he even died with people he all trusted, just like that other JC. The big difference is that this one was truly a dictator even though I wouldn't have wished this bad a fate on him. ***1/2

Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1953 film exploring the life and death of larger than life Julius Caesar wastes no time engaging the audience. With Louis Calhern in the titular role and Marlon Brando as his faithful friend Mark Antony, the film goes into great detail about what gets Caesar killed by associates of his, and even greater detail of the thirst for power after his death. Julius Caesar, the film, goes down a dark road proving Nietzsche's Will to Power lives within even the most trusted of our allies. Caesar is enjoying more praise than ever when he returns to Rome after defeating Pompey. During a victory celebration Caesar attends with his most trusted allies Cassius (John Gielgud) and Brutus (James Mason) he is warned by a Soothsayer to beware the Ides of March. Caesar ignores the warning and goes about the celebration unknowing that conversations are taking place regarding his rise to power. They believe Caesar to be untrustworthy and think he will become a tyrant. Fueled by lies and anger, a plot is masterminded to murder Caesar. On the 15th day of March, Caesar prepares to go to the senate, his wife Calpurnia (Greer Garson) begs him not to go due to a vivid dream she had in which Caesar was murdered. Caesar scoffs and goes anyway, being warned by another Soothsayer along the way. Ignoring this second warning, Caesar makes his way to the senate where the conspirators circle him and begin to stab him one by one. Upon seeing his dear friend Brutus among the murderers, Caesar succumbs to his wounds and dies. Mark Antony (Marlon Brando), who was led away from Caesar on the fateful day under false pretenses, joins with Caesar's adopted son and successor, Octavius (Douglass Watson) to avenge his death. They achieve their goal with Cassius and Titinius (John Parrish) being killed in the war that ensues, leaving only Brutus left alive of the conspirators. Seeing death as inevitable, Brutus kills himself and is pardoned by Octavius as acting, in what he believed, to be the best course of action for Rome. Audiences are immediately engaged in the film from the very beginning. A gripping speech in the opening scene catapults the audience to ancient Rome, bringing it alive through the production design mimicking Roman architecture and language. For one, Caesar dies at almost exactly halfway through the film. I personally love a movie that will throw the audience for a loop by killing off its main character. Of course, being familiar with the play Julius Caesar, I knew he would be killed, but I did not know he would be killed so early on, leaving half the film to deal with the aftermath of his murder. Likewise, Marlon Brando's Mark Antony was hardly in the first half of the movie; being a fan of Brando's I was initially disappointed about this, however, he more than makes up for his absence with a strong second act. The costumes and production designs were an absolute treat, recreating ancient Rome, and making me feel like I had gladiator sandals on. The film was more than deserving of the Oscar it received that year for Art Direction (encompassing set decoration). I am shocked however that it wasn't even nominated for a statuette in the Costume Design category. The ghost Caesar that haunted Brutus was a directorial feat considering the time in which the picture was filmed. Its looming presence agonized Brutus, leading him to believe that Caesar was not at rest. The film was a stunning achievement of its time and one that I recommend be enjoyed by all. Personally, I have a yearly tradition of watching this film every year on the Ides of March and it has yet to get old.

This movie goes into depth with the details from the book. (It gives you a visual of the scenes from every act) Summary: It is about Julius Caesar and he is warned to be careful with his life and his wife has a dream of him getting killed. He at first listens but the gets convinced that it was just a dream so he goes to the meeting with the senate.He goes to the senate and they have planned to stab him to death because they believe that he will gain to much power and they fear he will abuse it. The Senate proceeds with their plans and they kill Julius Ceaser.Caesar's funeral comes up and they let Antony speak and Antony tells the whole truth of what they did. Then Brutus tries to convince them that it was done because it was a choice either save Rome or let Julius make them in to slaves. The crowd does not believe him so now Brutus and Casiuss are in hiding trying to protect their life's. At the end Brutus and Casiuss die but not because they are captured but because they choose to die.

Of course the most talked about actor of this movie is Marlon Brando but what about James Mason? He deserves just as much recognition and appreciation for his role in this movie and in my opinion he's also being the actor in the movie and perhaps also plays the biggest role in it.This is a very old fashioned movie and I'm not talking 1953 old but Shakespeare kind of old. The movie is filled with long and difficult to follow dialog, like only Shakespeare could had wrote it. You obviously need to be able to appreciate Shakespeare in order to enjoy this movie, otherwise you'll probably have difficulties finish watching it.Best things about a Shakespeare movie, next to its writing, are always the acting performances. A good Shakespeare-performance can make or break a movie. No risks were taking with this movie, as the movie its cast is being filled with some big name actors. Besides Brando and Mason the movie also stars the likes of John Gielgud, Edmond O'Brien, Deborah Kerr and many other actors that had already made name at the time of this production, both in theater and in movies.The movie is one about betrayal, loyalty and idealistic motives. It focuses on the assassination of Julius Caesar and its conspirators who committed it. One the one side we have the senators who are afraid of Ceasar's growing power and idealistic motives, while on the other we have Mark Antony, loyal to his leader and friend Caesar. After the assassination both become opponents. The movie and its story are mostly being based on historical facts, as they got documented during and after the first Caesar's reign.Of course the movie foremost is being a stage-play, brought to the silver-screen. This means that the acting is very stagy and also the movie its sets often look like they come straight out of the theater. This however very rarely matters for a Shakespeare movie, fore the movies are all about its writing and acting performances from the leading actors.Simply a great Shakespeare adaptation, with a first rate cast.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/