Compare to Caesar and Cleopatra (Shaw)

I love the cast in "Caesar and Cleopatra" - it's the movie that introduced me to Stewart Granger, on top of everything else. Shaw is, of course, a genius with language and everyone, from top to bottom, handles the scenes beautifully. I can't say I'm happy about his treatment of Cleopatra herself. It's at odds with actual emotional and mental maturity by the time she met Caesar. This is better handled in the 1963 movie, where Cleopatra comments on out of date maps, and where we hear a short rundown of her education and abilities early on.

However, I do love Vivien Leigh in the role, feel she handled that big transition from child to woman-in-training (after the dunking) extremely well, and that she and Claude Rains play off each other wonderfully.

I also have to say that, as far as the 1963 film is concerned, I love the Caesar section and find myself wandering for large spaces during the Antony section. Perhaps I like the mental dueling and connection between Cleopatra and Julius more than the passion between Cleopatra and Antony. I'm not sure. I do enjoy Rex Harrison, I always do, and he takes a good, strong acting position opposite and beside Taylor. Maybe I find Burton a little over-done, but I don't want to swear to it, as I like Burton a great deal.

In the end, I say I like both movies very much, and hold them about equal though on differing standards.

Lest we forget, there's Claudette Colbert's Cleopatra, too!

I agree completely that this film is total schlock but Vivien's Cleopatra is unwatchable. She played Cleopatra like a demented 5 year old. But I have to commend the director because he created a million times more arresting visuals than Mankiewicz, and with 1/10 the budget.