Film about “Cleopatra” Essay

Cleopatra is depicted as a strikingly beautiful, unwavering but manipulative temptress, oozing femininity as she seduces the two virtually powerful men in Egypt, Marc Antony and Julius Caesar. A question this raises is, was she an insecure top executive who felt that she needed a more powerful man to financial aid secure her place on the throne of her beloved Egypt, rather than set down it to one of them? As shown in the 2005 TV production Rome Cleopatra is seen lacking(p) to get pregnant by Caesar to secure her position, but in the blockade she didnt have any qualms if someone else fathered the child, she would pass it off as Caesars.Cleopatra is shown on film as an almost feel for being and an skilful woman. In the 1934 production, Cleopatra tells Antony as she kisses his hand I am no long faerie, I am a woman. This suggests that in that particular moment, she is allowing her emotions to rule, perhaps in time going as far to say that as a Queen she is quite a stony and hard character, but as an middling woman, she is allowing herself to love. In the 1963 film, Cleopatra speaks of One World, one nation, living in peace. This again shows her caring nature that she wants the sphere to live in harmony. In real life, this could be a rather obvious reference to the UN and stopping war. Again, in the 1963 production, a rather sexist remark is made about Cleopatra If she wasnt a woman, one might think shes an intellect. This Roman depiction shows Cleopatra to be a clever and smart Queen, but as she is female, she is not habituated full credit.In most TV and film productions of Cleopatra, she is seen as a beautiful Goddess with lashings of make up and dressed in degenerate costumes and jewellery to show her wealth. This portrayal of her makes her look almost high guardianship and authoritative. However, the Roman coins, which reveal her portrait, decipher Cleopatra as less of a dish but almost hag like. As these coins are the only bandage of history that show what Cleopatra whitethorn have looked like, I think it is a case that this is one depiction that has been glamorised by TV and film. Throughout the years as various productions have been filmed, the actresses playing Cleopatra have changed in bearing e.g. their ethnicity, which may show a change in how society sees her. This shows how the world has changed by allowing more ethnic groups into the world of acting.TV and film expect to develop the depictions of Cleopatra to fit in with the world in which we live at the time of which the production was made. It would appear that the Roman depictions of Cleopatra seem accurate in terms of her character, wealth and extravagant lifestyle but not her looks, as this is the only inconsistency against the historical artefacts we have. As time and society change, we may never know the true identity of Cleopatra.