Cleopatra

Create a movie accompanied by amazing twists and turns. Initially, the film's budget was planned in the range of $ 2 million, but ultimately exceeded 40. The film became one of the most expensive in the history of film ($40 million is approximately $300 million in 2007 prices). Studio twentieth Century Fox almost went bankrupt, because the film actually flopped at the box office. And shooting themselves barely managed to finish because the film company several times changed Directors and producers of the protracted project. In the end, an epic 6 hour tape at the mounting cut to 4 hours.

Elizabeth Taylor fell seriously ill during the filming, she did a tracheotomy and picture production stopped for 8 months. Another problem was the stormy affair between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. In the end, they both left their former spouses, married at the end of the film.

Full uncut version of the film has a duration of 320 minutes.

Elizabeth Taylor was the main and only contender for the role. The actress did not want to initially participate in the film, but the producers saw Cleopatra only in Taylor, because, in fairness, about the beauty and the violent attitude of the actress went not less legends than about the Egyptian Queen. Elizabeth was adamant it was a joke that only a million dollars to agree: the Studio made its offer in a million, and Taylor could not resist.

Such a complex film with many interweaving storylines, oddly enough, was shot without a single script. Many scenes were largely impromptu actors.

The film Cleopatra was banned in Egypt because Elizabeth Taylor was Jewish roots.

It was originally planned that the budget is $3 million (without cost of personnel and actors). The picture was supposed to start in production in 1959 and after 64 days of shooting and installation in the following year be released.

The first candidate for the role were Taylor, however, the list of Studio in case of failure was the star of the first magnitude: Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn and others. Some of them had held preliminary talks. In particular, Lauren made the demand that the shooting can be found only in Italy. Until the last moment in the short list remained Audrey Hepburn (by the way, who gave consent to participate in the film) and Susan Hayward.

The process of selection of actors for the film was suspended in early 1960. The first General strike SAG in March-April, paralyzed the major studios USA, and assistants for the selection of the performers had to wait for its completion. The strike was another reason for the transfer of the main film set in Europe.

The possibility of translating the image of Julius Caesar was discussing with Laurence Olivier, thanks to his sensational performance of the role of the dictator in the play Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra" at the old Vic theater. However, Olivier was more interested prospects to star in the film "Becket". Talks were held and Frederick Marcham, but have not been successful. In the end, the role of Caesar was invited by Peter Finch. After all amendments and changes in the acting ensemble of the film's budget was estimated at $5 million.

Start shooting was planned in the early 1960s. Also, like many big-budget peplum of the time ("Ben-Hur", "Lawrence of Arabia"), the film moved to Europe for reasons of economy. Studio Italy and Spain were equipped with everything necessary for the production of the painting class of "Cleopatra". The surveys were held near Rome, but in the summer of 1960 in the Italian capital started the Olympic games that was a surprise to leadership of the crew. All hotels were occupied, there were difficulties with the recruitment of staff, and the Studio decided to shift the set in the neighborhood of London. In addition, the British government promised subsidies to foreign film companies, a leading manufacture in England. In the end, the shooting began on September 1, 1960. As a result, the film had already spent about $6 million.

Due to illness of Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of the movie, the Studio began a hasty search for a replacement. The main role could move to Marilyn Monroe. Mamoulian in the early stages of training were offered greater participation of black actors and was considered for the role of Cleopatra candidacy Dorothy Dandridge. However, Wenger persuaded the leadership of the Studio to wait for recovery Taylor.

A painting by the autumn of 1960 and was not, zakoncheno scenario. Producer Walter Wanger changed several writers, to which only you can turn to. Were invited to a new writer — Nunnaly Johnson. He wrote a 75 - page script of the first part of the picture, which was subsequently unclaimed. The Studio unsuccessfully appealed to paddy Chayefsky. The writer has requested not less than six months on the job, which was unacceptable. Without a coherent script, it was impossible to put the task of the artist-producer, and contractors responsible for the construction of sets, costume designers and other professionals. So plans to finish shooting in February 1961, were far from reality, and the project had to be postponed, requesting the extension budget. After two years of filming the Studio had as a result of all of 12 minutes of material suitable for the final installation.

Insurance company Lloyd's paid about $2 million compensation for the delay in the shooting process of the film caused by the disease Taylor.

Fox was forced to take emergency measures for the revitalization of the film. Rouben mamoulian did not agree with the course of filming, the script and did not found mutual understanding with Elizabeth Taylor. He threatened the studios that will leave the set. Elizabeth Taylor was more than an actress: she had a voice in making key decisions. The Studio has taken in this conflict the side of the actress and accepted the resignation of the Director. Taylor, remembering the successful joint work on the film "Suddenly, last summer", has presented the candidacy of Joseph Leo Mankiewicz, and the producers supported it. Joseph at this point was an independent agent and slowly was preparing the script of the film "Justine" being on sabbatical in the Islands of the Caribbean. He listened to the proposal of Scores without much enthusiasm. The camera not inspired idea to take the work of foreign hands, but Skouras literally begged him to save the project. Fox did not notice the sentence "from which he could not refuse", completely buying his Studio Figaro Inc. and offering a percentage of the rental. In sum, the fee of the Camera and the deal from the sale of the Studio netted him nearly $1 million, which became the highest payment for services of the Director in cinema history at the time. The parties agreed that the new Director can fully rewrite the script and make any changes to the list of actors. Replacement cost Fox an additional $3 million. With all the amendments, the painting now had to plan to be released in the fall of 1962.

In the summer of 1961, there had been a restart of the project. The little material that was removed Maulana, were not popular. Cost Fox up to more than $7 million. The Studio was forced to freeze most of the projects and to suspend the work of its television Studio.

In September 1961, the film continued in the Studio of Cinecittà. A long delay led to the fact that the contracts with the actors and some of the experts had to suspend and to carry out the casting again. Hildyard replaced operator Leon Shamroy. Peter Finch began shooting in the other picture. Mankiewicz was offered the role of Caesar Rex Harrison, with whom he had a long experience. In the role of Mark Antony Mankiewicz first saw Marlon Brando, but the actor was busy. Richard Burton and Roddy McDowell, and more noticed in the musical "Camelot". Burton he knew long ago as a fine stage actor and offered him the role of Mark Antony. The Studio has welcomed the candidacy of Burton in the bayonets — the actor was known by wilful and excessive love for alcohol. The camera managed to persuade the leadership. Richard himself happy leaving the show, as he claimed he was sick to death of the whole year in a row to play King Arthur. The contract with Burton cost the company $300 million and became its highest paid work at the time.

The shooting of the ship of Cleopatra and battle scenes of the battle of Actium took place in the area of the island of Ibiza in the Mediterranean sea. Alexandria was built around the Torah, Astura area, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian sea. A separate field scenes were filmed near the towns of Anzio and Lanuvio in the area of Ischia island and in the vicinity of Alexandria in Egypt. The port of Alexandria was built near Anzio, on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. In the course of large-scale works by bulldozers for the preparation of the berth of the port was a sad incident: workers stumbled upon a mine left over from world war II, one of them was killed and several were wounded.

Mankiewicz last months of work on the painting lived on psychotropic drugs (later he developed a dependency). The nurse who made the injection, accidentally touched the sciatic nerve, the result is one leg almost stopped moving, and the ending of the filming, Mankiewicz spent in a wheelchair.

By mid-1962, the financial position of Fox Studio close to bankruptcy. Tragedy on the set of another expensive project — "something must happen" — has jeopardized the very existence of Fox. The Studio started laying off staff and selling off assets. For a while the only picture remaining in production was "Cleopatra". In the spring of 1962, Spyros Skouras was under continuous fire. June 27, 1962, after 20 years of work, by decision of the shareholders and then of the Board of Directors, he was relieved of the post of the President of 20th Century Fox. His place was taken by Darryl F. Zanuck — one of the largest shareholders of the company. He, unlike Skouras, was not only an experienced head, but also dealt in detail in the production of films. Zanuck vigorously took up the "sinking" of the project.

1 June 1962 producer Walter Wanger was dismissed, despite the fact that he was ready to work and free. Wenger, asked permission to remain in pattern until it is completed.

The Director of the film, Mankiewicz received an ultimatum: shooting must finish before June 30. After this period, the funding will be discontinued. The Director was forced to hastily finish one of the key scenes of the painting — the meeting of Cleopatra and Antony on Board the Royal ship. There were still a few major battle scenes. In July the crew went to nature in Egypt for the completion of the battle scenes. All ended in complete failure. In such a short time nothing was able to organize. By October 1962 Mankiewicz finished the rough cut, after which he and editor Dorothy Spencer flew to Paris for consultations with Zanuka about the further fate of "Cleopatra". The concept of separation of the film into two independently running in the hire series was at odds with the views of the new leadership. The CEO feared that the first part — "Caesar and Cleopatra" — after the scandal with Burton and Taylor will not be interesting to the viewer. Despite warnings about the termination of funding, the picture still was not ready. These battle scenes have been allocated another $2 million. Fortunately for the company, unexpectedly successful release of the film "the longest day" saved Fox from financial ruin, and the money was found.

After watching a rough cut of the picture, which lasted 320 minutes, Zanuck described the result as "clumsy, Amateur, second-rate" and ordered to remove Joseph Leo Mankiewicz from further work. The controversy between the head of the company and the Director moved on to the pages of the press. Zanuka, in particular, have already staged shot battle scenes

The popularity of the film contributed to a powerful marketing campaign, in which 75 major Newspapers, television and radio programs, States were attracted to the advertisement picture. In March 1963 Vice President, Seymour Fox has held a special conference with the participation of representatives of 17 countries to join forces in marketing of the picture. The output of "Cleopatra" in hire attracted attention of the cinema chains in the US and around the world. Not hurt that in many cinemas the owners had to go to the additional costs associated with installation of the rolling equipment, designed for 70-millimeter film. It was decided that the picture will be released on the system Roadshow. The cost of tickets for the film accounted for $5,50, which is about three times higher than the usual price. In the case of "Cleopatra" film company has agreed to its 70% share of revenues from ticket sales, while usually of cinemas and movie studios divided the income in half. Revenue for pre-purchased tickets has reached unprecedented for Fox to $20 million.

World premiere in new York on 12 June 1963 at the cinema Rivoli. The first session was attended by Darryl F. Zanuck, Joseph Leo Mankiewicz and Rex Harrison. Burton and Taylor did not come. In an interview the actress said that it is not particularly drawn to watch the tape. The duration of the painting in the version of the roadshow was 243 minutes. On the recommendation of the influential critic Bosley Crowther, American film in conventional theaters was a more abridged version — 217 minutes. He also was cut to 192 minutes.

Wenger, optimistically assumed that the world the film will exceed $100 million but this did not happen. By 1966 the total revenue amounted to $38 million, of which 23.5 million were for domestic release in the States. For any other film it was a great indicator, but Cleopatra because of the huge budget is not paid off. The picture recouped the costs only in 1967. In 1966, ABC paid $5 million for the right first show in a television broadcast. For the first time on ABC's movie were shown on 13 February 1972 and got a rate of 24.5 Nielsen.

For many of the team who worked on the painting, it became a defining stage in his career. After "Cleopatra" Rouben mamoulian Walter Wanger nothing removed and not produced. Spyros Skouras also left the film industry and engaged in the shipbuilding business. The rest of your life, and more prefer not to remember about his work on "Cleopatra", and the next movie as Director and producer he directed in 1967. As recalled by his son, Mankiewicz was disappointed in the profession and the rest of your life shunned active work in the film industry.

On the set of Mankiewicz was friends with his future wife — the Englishwoman, rosemary Matthews, assistant art Director. In 1962 they were married.

Taylor and Burton were married in March 1964. In April 1964, Fox has filed a lawsuit against Elizabeth Taylor for negligent performance of contractual obligations during the filming of the movie. The amount of the claim amounted to $50 million. By the time the couple Taylor and Burton acted with a retaliatory lawsuit, with the same wording. Mutual attempts to win back the money to no avail lasted a few years.

In 2013, we carried out a new restoration tape, to mark her 50th anniversary. The restoration was carried out with 65-millimeter negative preserved in the archives. An updated version was presented may 21 in a retrospective at the Cannes film festival. The event was attended by the children of Richard Burton

According to Mankiewicz's son, the full version of the film lost, as the Fox Studio destroyed the negatives, not included in the final cut, with the purpose of reduction of prices on storage of archival materials. The representative of 20th Century Fox Sean Beston, who led the restoration, said that all efforts to find a 6-hour version of the film were in vain.

Individual episodes of the battle of pharsalus was captured in Spain (near the town almería), and then near London in February 1963. According to the original plan, the scene logically unites the two main characters. Caesar was supposed to meet after the battle with Antony but Richard Burton was already busy in another picture, and had to be replaced on Rufina (Martin Landau). The key point of the picture lost its promise. In fact, the battle in call-no — rush anything distinct to remove and install and failed, though only on its production spent about $500 thousand. the Audience sees only the smoke of a pyre over the field and ended the battle. Taking into account all amendments Zanuka the final duration patterns for the rental amounted to about 248 minutes. Mankiewicz met this decision with deep disappointment, considering that the duration of the movie was supposed to be about 6 hours and many of his ideas were lost. Hume cronyn, and Roddy McDowell is also still of the opinion that the installation was carved out their best scenes.