JULIUS CAESAR
US, 1953, 121 minutes, Black and white.
Marlon Brando, James Mason, John Gielgud, Louis Calhern, Edmond O' Brien, Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr, George Macready, Michael Pate.
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Julius Caesar is considered to be one of the best Hollywood Shakespearian films. It received the full M.G.M. treatment, 150s style. The adaptor and director was Joseph L. Mankiewicz. A writer, he had moved to direction and won Oscars in 1949 and '50 for his A Letter To Three Wives and All About Eve. He was later to film a range of plays from Frank Loesser's Guys And Dolls to Tennessee Williams, Suddenly Last Summer to an updating of Ben Johnson's Volpone as The Honey Pot and Anthony Schaffer's Sleuth. He had an excellent cast, although there was much criticism of Marlon Brando being chosen for Mark Anthony at the time. John Gielgud and James Mason bring great dignity to their roles of Brutus and Cassius. The text is well respected, Marlon Brando makes a convincing Mark Antony. The atmosphere of Shakespeare and of Ancient Rome blend for a literate presentation of the play. There was another version in 1970 with Charlton Heston quite good as Anthony and Jason Robards very poor as Brutus. Gielgud appeared in this film as Caesar. There is a rousing score by Miklos Rosza who wrote scores for so many M.G.M. epics of the time, including Quo Vadis?, Ben Hur and The King of Kings.
1. What was the overall impact of this film? How enjoyable, how impressive? The cinema transference of the classic? The atmosphere of Shakespeare and his drama? A political film?
2. Was the film successful Shakespeare? The clarity and presentation of the verse, the drawing of characters, the staging of sequences and scenes? The cinematic narrative, use of close-ups, cross-cutting etc.? The initial narration, the staging of the battles? The military music etc.? How did these combine to communicate Shakespeare for our day?
3. The quality of the black and white photography and the impact of this?
4. How strong was the film as a political drama? The central role of Caesar as tyrant or benefactor, reflected in Calpurnia’s dream? The issues behind this in the republic of Rome? The background of Pompey and tyranny? The focus on Brutus and his discussions of freedom and idealism, and yet his bloodthirsty actions? Anthony as loyal but also an opportunist smiled on by fortune? The place of traditions in Rome? The role of ambition, self-deception? The response of the people and their political role? The possibility of the exploitation? How well were these themes explored: man, power, ambition, idealism failure, disaster?
5. Comment on the Roman setting of the film. The portraying of buildings, market places, costumes? The embodiment of Roman tradition? Ancient Row as spectacular for modern audiences? The fact that it is. ancient distances the issues as regards events but still makes them close as regards issues?
6. How good was the portrayal of Caesar? As central for this film? Caesar is large and strong, ambitious and arrogant, superior? His superstitions and dreams? The impact of his death after his final hard speech? Caesar as a focus for the political issues?
7. How was Brutus the centre of the play? Was he the tragic hero? His nobility? How was this illustrated? His flaw, perhaps his idealism? How did he contrast with Cassius and his opportunism? His relationship to Portia, to the conspirators? The emotional impact of the assassination and his studying Caesar? The nature of his honourable speech? The impact of the battle and his bitterness? Finding Casio dead? Did he have any insight into what happened as he died? Did the ghost sequence provide any key to self-knowledge and appreciation of what happened? was the praise by Anthony at the end merited?
8. What were the chief traits of Cassius' personality? How good a man was he, how evil? The relationship with Brutus and its emotional impact? His love for power, manipulating people, his greed? The nature of his influence?
9. What were the traits of Cassius’ personality: his bluntness, following others, his part in the conspiracy?
10. Was Anthony different from these Romans? The background of his involvement in the games, relationship to Caesar? The result of the assassination for him? His shrewdness in summing up the situations? His important speeches, the control of the crowds, the use of the will, the body, turning the people against Brutus? The harsher side of his character during the proscriptions? His role in the battles? Was his future with Cleopatra foreseen in the characterisation here?
11. How important was the role of Calpurnia? Her dreams, persuading Caesar, his rejection of her advice? How was this parallelled with the portrayal of Portia and her relationship to Brutus, her warnings?
12. The importance of minor characters such as the Roman stirrers at the beginning, Cicero and his not being involved in the conspiracy?
13. The importance for the film of superstition, the seer and his warning, the Ides of March, the storms and portents, the sacrifice and entrails etc.? What comment on Roman superstition was made?
14. How important were the people of Row as a character in the film? The possibility of their being swayed? The support to leaders?
15. were the battle scenes convincing and interesting? How important were the deaths of Brutus and Cassius, their manner, as retribution for what had gone before?
16. How telling a world did Shakespeare create in this play? The exploration of character, motivation and a picture of society with its political problems?
