What an extraordinary year 1934 was for Claudette Colbert. "It Happened One Night", "Imitation of Life", and of course, Cecil B. DeMille's version of the epic story, "Cleopatra". It's lush and extravagant especially for the time period, with absolutely marvelous costumes by Travis Banton, and beautiful art deco sets by Hans Dreier. Warren William is solid as Julius Ceasar and Henry Wilcoxon is passable as Marc Antony, but, wow, Claudette Colbert sizzles as Cleopatra. She finds the right balance between regal grandeur and smooth seduction. This movie just squeaked in before the doors of the Hays Code closed, and thank goodness, because she's so beautiful while slinking around in those revealing outfits. There are some fantastic dance/circus performances as well, and the movie is such a visual treat. The dialogue sometimes gets a little silly, but DeMille knew a good story when he saw one, and he knew that sex and violence sold. His ambition in production, both in creating big scenes and in the small details, really pay off, and it's no doubt that this is one of those early films that shaped Hollywood "epic" movies for decades.

For one moment in History, she is the world's most powerful woman. Devious, dangerous & entrancingly beautiful, she controls a kingdom while swaying an empire. She is Queen of the Nile. She is Egypt. She is CLEOPATRA.

Claudette Colbert is perfectly cast in the title role - deadly & fascinating, it's almost like watching a desert viper act. Exhibiting mega star wattage in arguably her best role, Colbert is one of the legendary actresses who could hold her own without being swallowed by the lavish costumes & sets which fill her every scene.

This is not to say she runs away with the entire film, however. Her male co-stars more than hold their own. A much underrated actor, Henry Wilcoxon as Marc Antony is excellent & shows what he would have been capable of in other roles if given the chance. In what amounts to little more than a cameo, Joseph Schildkraut gives a malicious turn to Herod the Great. Warren William & Ian Keith as the two Caesars strive mightily with their characters and generally succeed. Irving Pichel is very effective in his understated role as Cleopatra's advisor. Wonderful old Sir C. Aubrey Smith gives his usual first-rate performance, this time as an elderly Roman general. Film mavens who listen carefully will hear the voice of John Carradine a time or two as a Roman extra.

Cecil B. DeMille generally liked to portray as much sin as possible, usually wrapped around a sermon. Here, in the sensuous barge scene, he simply opens the floodgates & lets his bad taste flow out - to the viewer's fascination. Aided by Rudolph Kopp's throbbing music, this entire episode has PRE-PRODUCTION CODE emblazoned all over it.

Claudette Colbert certainly had one banner year in 1934. An Oscar for It Happened One Night for Harry Cohn and Columbia Pictures and back at her home studio, she starred and got great reviews for Paramount's big budget item of the year, Cleopatra.

As the slinky siren Queen of the Nile who got Julius Caesar's and Mark Antony's hormones into exponential overdrive, Claudette is one sly little minx. The traditional story is told in the classic DeMille style, eye-filling spectacle, plenty of sex, and Victorian type dialog.

Because in 1963 Joe Mankiewicz released his version of Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison, DeMille's version has become dated. Because Mankiewicz's cast talk like real people instead of classical figures of antiquity, DeMille's version now suffers by comparison.

Warren William who in profile looks and acts like John Barrymore makes a classical Caesar who always gets shortchanged because his character in all versions gets killed off halfway into the story. Antony is played by Henry Wilcoxon who became very close friends with DeMille. DeMille tried to make him a star in this and in The Crusades, but the public didn't buy. Wilcoxon's greatest screen success was away from DeMille over at MGM as the vicar in Mrs. Miniver.

DeMille relates a story in his autobiography about how Claudette was deathly afraid of snakes and was in horror of shooting her death scene. That scene was shot last in Cleopatra. And DeMille relates how before the scene he approached a terrified Colbert with a 10 foot python draped over his shoulders. As he got closer and closer Colbert was getting more and more anxious. When he got within three feet of her, he disgarded the python and had one of his retainers produce a small 8 inch garter snake for the asp. Colbert gave a sigh of relief and did the scene.

Though it's outdated in every way by Mankiewicz's film including the spectacle DeMille loved, Cleopatra is still an interesting film to watch.