

The aging Julius Caesar finds himself intrigued by the young Egyptian queen Cleopatra.
Production
$5.2 million budget—most expensive British film until Lawrence of Arabia.
Costume
Vivien Leigh's 30+ outfit changes, including a real gold-threaded gown.
Acting
Claude Rains making Caesar's monologues feel like intimate conversation.
Director
Gabriel Pascal
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
George Bernard Shaw himself approved the script and visited the set, reportedly delighted by Leigh's performance.
The film deliberately avoids the romantic tragedy of Shakespeare and DeMille, presenting Caesar as avuncular teacher rather than lover—radical for 1945.