The Disastrous Making of Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton

The production of the 1963 epic film "Cleopatra" was plagued by a series of unprecedented challenges, most notably the passionate and highly publicized romance between its stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. As they portrayed the iconic lovers Cleopatra and Mark Antony on screen, their off-screen love affair became the stuff of Hollywood legend. Both Taylor and Burton were married to other people at the time, and their relationship set off a media frenzy that overshadowed the production itself.

▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 - Intro
00:21 - Casting Controversies
00:49 - Location Issues
01:23 - On-Set Romance
02:05 - Directorial Changes
02:38 - Budget Overruns
03:23 - Delays and Setbacks
03:53 - Script Rewrites
04:23 - Studio Financial Crisis
04:54 - Liz and Richard
07:14 - Cleopatra Remake
08:45 - Outro

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Their tumultuous romance contributed to the film's delays and escalating budget, as their presence on set was often accompanied by hordes of reporters and paparazzi. The film also faced a series of logistical and financial hurdles. Originally planned to be shot on location in Egypt to capture the authenticity of the historical settings, political instability in the region, including the Suez Crisis in 1956, forced the production to relocate to Italy. This change added significantly to the film's costs, as it required elaborate sets to recreate ancient Egypt. Additionally, "Cleopatra" saw a change in directors when Joseph L. Mankiewicz took over from the original director, Rouben Mamoulian. This transition led to script revisions and creative adjustments, further extending the film's production schedule.

The continuous script rewrites, extended shooting periods, and the construction of opulent sets all contributed to the film's budget skyrocketing to over $40 million, making it the most expensive movie ever made at the time. Adjusted for inflation, this figure is equivalent to well over $300 million today. The financial strain nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox, the studio behind the film, which had to sell off valuable assets to secure financing.

Despite these challenges, "Cleopatra" eventually made its way to theaters in 1963, becoming a cinematic milestone and a classic of Hollywood's golden era. While the film received mixed critical reviews upon release, it performed well at the box office and earned four Academy Awards. Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of Cleopatra, in particular, remains iconic, and the film's legacy endures not only for its historical epic scale but also for the off-screen drama that surrounded its production. It stands as a testament to the enduring fascination with the star-crossed romance of Taylor and Burton and the cinematic spectacle that emerged from a tumultuous and costly production. Join Facts Verse, as we present: The Disastrous Making of Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton

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The Disastrous Making of Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton