Antonius Block In this movie, you have the world's greatest playwright (Shakespeare) combined with one of the world's greatest actors (Brando), two other fantastic talents (Mason and Gielgud), and a compelling historical tale (the assassination of Julius Caesar and resulting civil war). On paper, this should be an extraordinary film. And I have to say, the scenes with Brando right after the assassination are compelling (the one in private ending with him raging "Cry 'Havoc!'", and of course the address to the crowd), even if he slips on a word or two. Watch it primarily for those, because the rest of the film, while erudite and worth watching, just doesn't translate as well. I disliked Louis Calhern as Caesar as he didn't have the right bearing or presence. Director Mankiewicz is faithful, perhaps too faithful, to the original, though adapting the play may have been a damned if you do, damned if you don't type situation. Regardless, there are elements that shine with Shakespeare's beautiful words, and there are other elements that fall flat.

oOoBarracuda Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1953 film exploring the life and death of larger than life Julius Caesar wastes no time engaging the audience. With Louis Calhern in the titular role and Marlon Brando as his faithful friend Mark Antony, the film goes into great detail about what gets Caesar killed by associates of his, and even greater detail of the thirst for power after his death. Julius Caesar, the film, goes down a dark road proving Nietzsche's Will to Power lives within even the most trusted of our allies. Caesar is enjoying more praise than ever when he returns to Rome after defeating Pompey. During a victory celebration Caesar attends with his most trusted allies Cassius (John Gielgud) and Brutus (James Mason) he is warned by a Soothsayer to beware the Ides of March. Caesar ignores the warning and goes about the celebration unknowing that conversations are taking place regarding his rise to power. They believe Caesar to be untrustworthy and think he will become a tyrant. Fueled by lies and anger, a plot is masterminded to murder Caesar. On the 15th day of March, Caesar prepares to go to the senate, his wife Calpurnia (Greer Garson) begs him not to go due to a vivid dream she had in which Caesar was murdered. Caesar scoffs and goes anyway, being warned by another Soothsayer along the way. Ignoring this second warning, Caesar makes his way to the senate where the conspirators circle him and begin to stab him one by one. Upon seeing his dear friend Brutus among the murderers, Caesar succumbs to his wounds and dies. Mark Antony (Marlon Brando), who was led away from Caesar on the fateful day under false pretenses, joins with Caesar's adopted son and successor, Octavius (Douglass Watson) to avenge his death. They achieve their goal with Cassius and Titinius (John Parrish) being killed in the war that ensues, leaving only Brutus left alive of the conspirators. Seeing death as inevitable, Brutus kills himself and is pardoned by Octavius as acting, in what he believed, to be the best course of action for Rome. Audiences are immediately engaged in the film from the very beginning. A gripping speech in the opening scene catapults the audience to ancient Rome, bringing it alive through the production design mimicking Roman architecture and language. For one, Caesar dies at almost exactly halfway through the film. I personally love a movie that will throw the audience for a loop by killing off its main character. Of course, being familiar with the play Julius Caesar, I knew he would be killed, but I did not know he would be killed so early on, leaving half the film to deal with the aftermath of his murder. Likewise, Marlon Brando's Mark Antony was hardly in the first half of the movie; being a fan of Brando's I was initially disappointed about this, however, he more than makes up for his absence with a strong second act. The costumes and production designs were an absolute treat, recreating ancient Rome, and making me feel like I had gladiator sandals on. The film was more than deserving of the Oscar it received that year for Art Direction (encompassing set decoration). I am shocked however that it wasn't even nominated for a statuette in the Costume Design category. The ghost Caesar that haunted Brutus was a directorial feat considering the time in which the picture was filmed. Its looming presence agonized Brutus, leading him to believe that Caesar was not at rest. The film was a stunning achievement of its time and one that I recommend be enjoyed by all. Personally, I have a yearly tradition of watching this film every year on the Ides of March and it has yet to get old.

punishmentpark It would have been quite helpful if I had read the play 'Julius Caesar' by William Shakespeare before seeing this film, but I am not an avid reader. I do enjoy this kind of majestic English though, but to really get every word of it, I'd need to see it again... and again, and again. So, perhaps this is a 'classic in the making' for me.The story is carefully set up (well, of course...), with some outstanding monologues that really... stand out, yes. For instance the one by Marlon Brando in the market place - with the body of Caesar (and the crowd) at his feet - it is simply captivating. All the other roles are as much enjoyable, with the particular mention of James Mason playing the quintessential Brutus.The battle scene at the end is also worth a separate mention. It is not the best action scene I've ever seen, but it has its own charm and you can just tell how much work must has gone into it. Sort of a cherry on top, if you will.'Julius Caesar' is a thoroughly enjoyable oldie, one which may get more points from me when I've seen it again (and again) and more of the dialogues and monologues have had their chance to bloom.

kenjha This drama suffers from the same problem that plagues many screen adaptations of Shakespeare: staginess. Although Mankiewicz adds a few outdoor scenes in an attempt to make it cinematic, it looks like a filmed stage play for the most part. The killing of Caeser and the battle scenes are poorly executed. Known for his mumbled delivery, Brando was an odd choice to play Marc Antony. However, he enunciates clearly and is quite effective. The highlight of the film is his "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" scene. Mason and Gielgud are also fine. Calhern is ridiculously miscast in the title role. Why did Garson and Kerr bother with roles of five minutes of screen time each?