Cleopatra | |
---|---|
Directed by | Franc Roddam |
Produced by |
Robert Halmi Jr. Robert Halmi Sr. Steve Harding Dyson Lovell Steven North |
Written by |
Margaret George (novel) Stephen Harrigan (teleplay) Anton Diether (teleplay) |
Starring |
Leonor Varela Timothy Dalton Billy Zane Rupert Graves Sean Pertwee Bruce Payne John Bowe Art Malik Nadim Sawalha Owen Teale Richard Armitage David Schofield |
Music by | Trevor Jones |
Distributed by | Hallmark Entertainment |
Release date
|
May 23, 1999 - May 24, 1999 |
Running time
|
177 minutes |
Language | English |
Cleopatra is a 1999 miniseries adaptation of Margaret George's 1997 historical fiction novel The Memoirs of Cleopatra. Produced by Hallmark Entertainment, it stars Leonor Varela as the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, Timothy Dalton as Julius Caesar, Billy Zane as Mark Antony, Rupert Graves as Octavius, Sean Pertwee as Brutus and Bruce Payne as Cassius. Cleopatra was shown first on the ABC television network in two parts on two consecutive evenings in May 1999 and then released on videotape and DVD.
The film begins in Alexandria with Cleopatra VII, Egypt's rightful Queen, in exile, while her sister Arsinoe and brother, Ptolemy have stolen the throne. Roman general Julius Caesar comes to collect Egypt's tax debt. After conversing with a courtesan, Cleopatra smuggles herself into the palace wrapped in a carpet; a gift from her to Caesar. He accepts the gift and the young queen is revealed to Caesar. The two spend the night together, and the next morning, Cleopatra and Ptolemy are betrothed to marry by Caesar. Shortly after the siblings are wed, Cleopatra is proclaimed Queen of Egypt, forcing Ptolemy to join forces with Arsinoe and drive their sister out of Alexandria.