Julius Caesar (1953) (DVD)

Follows the play accurately. Great acting. True classic.

Marlin Brando as Antony unquestionably dominates this production of Julius Caesar. Although James Mason as Brutus, is equally strong and has more lines, Brando's Hollywood aura shines more brightly. Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, Mason and Brando together nearly succeed in making the jump from a traditional, theatrical presentation on film of Shakespeare to a movie with the values expected by today's audiences. Examples of recent successes are Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet and Trevor Nunn's "Antony and Cleopatra."John Gielgud as Cassius, brooding mastermind of the plot to assassinate Caesar, illustrates perfectly the difference. Gielgud's every syllable, down to his slightly rolled letter "r"s, and his nuanced facial expressions and gestures, exhibit theatrical perfection. Gielgud earns perfect marks as a Shakespearean stage actor. However, movies unfurl on Hollywood sets, not a stage, and they ask audiences to suspend more of their disbelief than do plays. Brando and Mason, better than all the other fine actors in this movie, understand the difference and give film performances that are as natural and convincing as Gielgud's theatrical performance is impressive.The question of tyranny was certainly present in Shakespeare's experience of Elizabethan monarchy and intrigue in the late 1600s. Awareness of the abuse of power must have been more present to audiences in 1953, when the film came out than now for today's carefree consumers. Then, fascist dreams of world domination had been recently put to sleep by the allies in World War II. Mankiewicz's massive roman architecture, the trappings of a propaganda-state, the heavy orchestral score, the ever-present imperial guard, and putting to silence of dissenters, signify despotism.Seen from a distance, there is something both ridiculous and frightening about people with too much power. Caesar is supremely self-important, "constant as the northern star," but soon dies bleeding at the foot of Pompey's monument, his most famous conquest. Louis Calhern, as Caesar, comes across nicely as a pompous windbag, ultimately deflated by the conspirators' daggers. But Caesar is not just another man, who would have better listened to his wife Calpurnia's plea to stay home on the Ides of March. He occupies an office of state with absolute power and many subordinates who depend on him for their influence. Imperial Rome had perfected the bureaucratic art of using a power-elite to control the masses.The central moral question of the play, personified in Brutus, is how to defend the assassination? There is wonderful irony in Brutus' blind confidence that Caesar's growing power justified the murder "as a serpent's egg which, hatch'd would, as his kind, grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell." As with Caesar, Brutus should have listened to his wife Portia's pleas. However he could not see past the deed to an inevitable power vacuum and civil war. Cassius too easily eggs him into action with the comment, grossly wrong in retrospect, that "the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings."It is the stars, the forces of history (Caesar's will), that finally kill Brutus and Cassius. There is more grim irony in that Antony, coldly manipulates the chaotic aftermath to take control with Caesar's son Octavius. Antony pursues the killers and is the instrument of vengeance. Although not in this play (see "Antony and Cleopatra"), Octavius later turns on Antony and becomes the absolute ruler of the roman empire. At journey's end we are back where we started. While Shakespeare doesn't judge his characters, he might be saying that Brutus should have thought more deeply. What follows assassination is worse than what precedes it.A flaw in Mankiewicz's film is the absence of humor. In all Shakespeare's tragedies, no matter how black, humor is a foil to the drama. There is ample opportunity for humor in Julius Caesar, but little in the production. Shakespeare's jokes in the initial street scene with the cobbler, "mender of soles," cannot be totally ignored, but Mankiewicz comes close. Casca's description of Caesar refusing the crown could be very funny (and is so in Heston-Robards film). When planning the assassination the conspirator's hilariously conform to Brutus' every whim. Time after time Brutus dismisses Cassius' better judgement, to the point where audiences must laugh, if only the director will permit it. Shakespeare's sexual comedy is present here as in all his plays, but is completely left out. Even in the puritanical 1950s it must have been possible to include some sexual innuendo in films. This is a very good movie, but it could have been even better.

Along with "Hamlet," "Macbeth," and "King Lear," "Julius Caesar" remains one of my favorite tragedies of William Shakespeare. (With "Coriolanus" not so far behind.) This play of Shakespeare's and (this move for that matter) was what got me into Shakespeare in the first place, and later an English Major in college. Like I said, this is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and this movie in no way whatsoever falls short of the book. It was truly a blessing to get James Mason (Brutus), John Gielgud (Cassius) and Marlon Brando (Mark Antony) together. This movie (with virtually no special effects) shows that it takes good directing, good actors, and a good script to make things work. Some of you probably know that this was the first play of Shakespeare's to be performed at the Globe Theatre. Moving on to the material at hand, this play repesents moral ambiguity in a political setting. We meet Cassius and Brutus. Cassius is not happy with the fact that the ambitious Julius Caesar is to be crowned, and the flawed, but still virtuous Brutus reluctantly agrees to take part in the conspiracy to assasinate Caesar. Like in the play, we meet Mark Antony (Brando) and he seems insignificant. But he will later prove very significant. We only meet Calpurnia (Caesar's wife) and Portia (Brutus's wife) briefly. But they do make the most of their one scene. For that matter, even the Soothsayer who only has a minor part does well. (Perhaps good acting often means making the best of even a small part.) As most of you know, around the halfway point Julius Caesar meets his fate, and Louis Calhern portrays the famous line: "Et Tu Brute? Then fall Caesar" well. Marlon Brando is nothing short of phenomenal when he appears to make peace with the conspirators and then reveals his real feelings in the famous" "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" passage. The naive (but still likable) Brutus delivers his convincing funeral passage well. Unfortunately for him, Mark Antony's counterspeech is nothing short of hypnotic. (One of the best things about this play is that rather than good guys and bad guys, we have 3 major characters with 2 opposing views, and we can be lead into sympathy and understanding with either of them.) Despite the limited resources of the time, Louis Calhern's ghost of Caesar is frightening and effective. This leads to the final confrontation between Brutus and Cassius versus Octavius and Mark Antony. (For the record, at this point in time, Brutus and Cassius DID hold the advantage.) The battle where Antony crushes Cassius is so well done in that (1) it shows Antony's stategy, (2) it is well done without excess blood or special effects, and (3) it DOES NOT glorify war. It DOES in fact show war as the ugly and repulsive thing it is. Despite Cassius's faults (possibly through the good acting of John Gielgud), we are moved into sympathy for him when he meets his fate. (For the record, Mike Ansara, the servant of Cassius who is with him to the end would play a sympathetic Klingon Captain in "Star Trek's" 'Day of the Dove' and would be the voice of Mr. Freeze in the animated Batman series.) And James Mason continues his phenomenal performance of Brutus right up to the end. As in the play, the crowning touch is the respectful eulogy Mark Antony gives to Brutus, and Marlon Brando more than delivers. While I fear that some movies like a recent and really garrish "Hamlet" would have had Shakespeare crying in his grave, this production of "Julius Caesar" would do William Shakespeare proud.

Fabulous and impactful telling of Shakespeare's play. It comes to life excellently in this film. Brilliant performances by some of the finest actors in the business. James Mason, Marlon Brando amongst others give authenticity to their roles . Many of the key scenes are quite vivid and it is no wonder that Brando's scene has become quite iconic in the cannons of best speeches of all time.

I like the way I can add subtitles or withdraw them, replay hard to follow speeches and slow down some footage. Perfect for school revision and project work and well worth the money. I would buy again.

In 1953, Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz made a masterful and respectful adaption of Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. It features a transcendent portrayal of Mark Anthony by a mesmerising Marlon Brando. In fact, his part is so riveting and timeless, bringing Shakespeare's words to life with an authenticity and controlled sense of drama seldom witnessed when history plays are brought to the big screen, that he overshadows all the other actors. In comparison to Brando, they seem "theatrical" rather than cinematic , with the possible exception of James Mason, who is highly nuanced and intense as Brutus. Louis Calhern seems miscast and somewhat wooden as Caesar, while John Gielgud fails to convey any sense of menace lurking in the soul of Cassius the treacherous ringleader. Nonetheless, Mankiewicz sets the standard here for cinematic adaptions of the great playwright's work.

Vor dem Kauf dieser DVD hatte ich mir die geschichtlichen details ins Gedächtnis gerufen und wollte unbedingtwissen und sehen, wie Marlon Brando seine Rolle in dieser DVD spielt und ob dieser Film gut und interessant war,ob Brando seine Rolle meisterte,weil er abwich von den üblichen Marlon-Brando-Auftritten wie z.B. in "der Wilde" oder "Endstation Sehnsucht". Tatsächlich hat sich der Kauf dieses Produktes "Julius Caessar" mit Marlon Brando für mich gelohnt, mirhat er gefallen,der Schauspieler Brando machte eine gute Figur in diesem Fillm. Für andere Personen muss es nicht unbedingt zutreffen, was ich über diesen Film ,diese DVD denke, es istmeine persönliche Meinung. Ich würde diese DVD erneut kaufen - eben weil sie in meinen Augen wirklich gut und interessant ist.BrandosSprache war deutlich, war ganz klar englisch - offensichtlich gut geübt - und liess nichts zu wünschen übig.Auf Einzelheiten zu Julius Caesar gehe ich absichtlich nicht ein, weil ich dieses Wissen eigentlch voraussetze,denn sonst ist der Kauf dieser DVD meines Erachtens ziemlich nutzlos. Allerdings ist das nur meine persönliche Meinung - darauf möchte ich ganz besonders hinweisen..Etwas anwichtigen geschichtlichen Ereignissen sollte man vor dem Kauf dieser DVD wissen Der Schauspieler Marlon Brando wagte sich damit auf ein ihm unbekanntes britisches Terrain, einmal der anderen, nämlich englischen Sprache wegen, zum zweiten seiner Mitspieler wegen. Die britischen Vorgänger inderselben Rolle, die hier Marlon Brando spielte, waren bekannte und berühmte englische Schauspieler. Außerdem ist es ein recht langer Film, auch das sollte man vor dem Kauf wissen.Ich selbst kann diese DVD mit keinem anderen oder ähnlichen Brando-Film vergleichen. Alle anderen von mirgekauften und gesehenen Brandofilme weichen ab von diesem Film.Wer an dem Film "Julius Caesar" Interesse hat, sollte sich diesen Film mit Marlon Brando in der Hauptrollenichr entgehen lassen, allerdings sollte er auf lange Monologe in einem längeren Film gefaßt sein. In diesem Film treten viele wichtige Personen auf, was zweifelsohne jedem bekannt ist, der den Film kauftPersönlich fand ich diese DVD von amazon. ausgesprochen spannend - wie gesagt, ich würde sie wieder kaufen.K. Englisch

One of Shakespeare's most quotable works, a superb cast, and a video transfer that is outstanding. An easy 5 star recommendation.

Bon DVD en anglais et français ! le son est du dolby digital 5.1 du moins en anglais ! c'est un zone 1 USA mais avec l'appareil qu'il faut ça va. J'ai toujours apprécié ce film qui est du théatre filmé, mais avec des acteurs top niveau. Même Brando est excellent dans on rôle de Marc Antoine, évidemment James Mason crève l'écran !!! Evidemment il vaut mieux le voir en anglais, mais il faut des efforts pour comprendre, c'est Shakespeare, il y a des sous titres. Point remarquable la musique de Miklos Rosza, à écouter en boucle tellement elle est prenante digne d'un véritable film péplum.