THE EPIC THAT NEVER WAS
UK, 1965, 74 minutes, Colour/Black and white.
Charles Laughton, Merle Oberon, Josef Von Sternberg.
Written by Bill Duncalf.
The Epic That Never Was is a B.B.C. documentary about the making of I, Claudius. It was made in the mid-'60s and was narrated by Dirk Bogarde. It responded to wide interest in the project by Alexander Korda of converting Robert Graves' novel into one of the spectacular British films of the '30s. There was much curiosity as regards the story itself, the project, the participation of the actor and director. The footage that was filmed was not seen and remained in archives. The documentary provides not only an interesting opportunity to understand something of film-making, but provides almost thirty minutes worth of the actual film.
Dirk Bogarde exerts his usual charm as the host of the documentary. He makes many interesting points, including the one that he visited the set of the film as a young student. He speaks of Alexander Korda, his origins in Hungary, his interest in building up the British film industry and his successes in the '30s, especially The Private Life of Henry VIII and Rembrandt. In the '30s he was anxious to find projects which would make Britain match Hollywood.
The documentary shows interview material with author Robert Graves. He explains the background of his novel and its writing. He also makes some wry comments about the British film industry, Korda and his Hungarian assistants and their knowledge of English, his own screenplay. He makes remarks also about the footage that was completed - and speculates about the possibility of a film of I, Claudius.
The interview material includes discussions with director Josef Von Sternberg. In the '60s he was lecturing in cinema in California. He has a great deal to say about his being approached to make the film, his work on it, clashes with Charles Laughton. The documentary provides some insight into Von Sternberg and his approach. There is a rather different approach from actress Merle Oberon. She remembers I, Claudius as a project for herself, to build her into an international star for Korda. (She was soon to marry him.) Emlyn Williams also appears and has a great deal to say about the making of the film and his participation in it. He also reminisces about Merle Oberon's accident which was the occasion for cancelling the project. People who worked on the film are also interviewed, including the continuity girl and a designer of the costumes - who has some interesting comments to make about the Vestal Virgins sequence which is then shown. There are also some comments by actress Flora Robson.
There were many versions of the screenplay, elaborate sets were made, especially since Charles Laughton felt that he could not get into the part and so director Von Sternberg tried him out on several scenes. The documentary shows the stars being interviewed and the scenes of the actual film are edited in. There are glimpses of the development of technique in British film-making in the '30s. In fact, the film is an interesting documentary for students of film-making. The material shown, even in continuity, is well edited but needs further editing. This would have depended on the proportion of the rest of the rest of the sequences which were, of course, unmade.
Of particular interest in the film is the presence of Charles Laughton. He had achieved great success in the '30s and won an Oscar for The Private Life of Henry VIII. There are reminiscences about his skills, his difficulty to get on with, his anxiety about the role of Claudius and his breakdown in not being able to understand and get inside the role. However, this is juxtaposed with material which shows his interpretation of Claudius. Much of it is very good.
These glimpses are then placed in the continuity of long sequences which highlight how well Laughton had interpreted Claudius. However, the film was getting into difficulty as regards the personnel and finance. Merle Oberon had a car accident and the film was cancelled.
Throughout the early part of the documentary there are glimpses of the making of the film. Von Sternberg himself is seen in a brief sequence. Where the film gains further interest is in the second part where the pieces are shown in continuity. Altogether the material lasts for almost thirty minutes. Sequences include:
1. The death of Tiberius and the arrival of all the guests for his funeral including Livia, Caligula, Claudius - and the people's ridicule of Claudius.
2. Claudius on his farms with the pigs, his discussions with his friend the doctor and the warnings about going to Rome, the Roman guard arriving and Claudius' going to Rome.
3. Claudius in Rome, his discussion with Caligula, Caligula's erratic behaviour as regards Claudius and his threats towards him.
4. A long sequence of Caligula in the Senate and the final introduction of the horse to become a Roman senator.
5. Messalina and her women passing by and Claudius looking on.
6. Livia and Claudius and the intimations that Livia understood Claudius very well.
7. Claudius after his nomination to be Emperor and his discussions about the Senate and their attitudes towards him, his condemnation of their behaviour, the speech about himself, his hopes and ambitions. This latter sequence, as Dirk Bogarde points out, is of great excellence and shows Laughton and the possibilities for his interpretation.
The film thus provides some background of a Roman epic which might have been a great success - and a tribute to Alexander Korda's productions. It is sad that the project was never completed. I, Claudius was made into a most successful English television series with Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Sian Phillips as Livia and John Hurt as Caligula. It was considered one of the best of the television series of the '70s.
