This version, while not historically accurate, reclaims Cleopatra’s agency. She is neither a victim nor a villain but a proud head of state. The film’s success across Europe demonstrated that audiences were ready for a less tragic, more empowered Cleopatra. The most recent and controversial portrayal is the Netflix docudrama Queen Cleopatra (produced by Jada Pinkett Smith), which cast Adele James, a Black actress, as the queen. This decision sparked fierce debates in Egypt, Greece, and globally.
The 1934 Cleopatra (directed by Cecil B. DeMille) starring Claudette Colbert solidified the archetype of Cleopatra as a glamorous, art-deco seductress. Produced during the Great Depression, this Cleopatra offered escapism: she was less a political mastermind and more a luxury-loving entertainer. DeMille’s version emphasized costume and spectacle over historical accuracy, establishing a template for Hollywood’s "historical epic." No film shaped the public’s image of Cleopatra more than Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1963 Cleopatra , starring Elizabeth Taylor. At the time, it was the most expensive film ever made ($44 million, equivalent to over $400 million today). The film’s production was plagued by scandals: Taylor’s affair with Richard Burton (Mark Antony), director changes, and near-bankruptcy of 20th Century Fox. phim nữ hoàng cleopatra
Abstract: This paper examines the portrayal of Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, in film and television. Focusing on major productions such as Cleopatra (1917, 1934, 1963), Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002), and recent docudramas (e.g., Netflix's Queen Cleopatra 2023), the paper analyzes how each era’s political, social, and technological context reshapes her image. It argues that cinematic Cleopatras reveal more about the time of their creation than about the historical queen herself, oscillating between a seductive villain, a tragic romantic heroine, and a symbol of Afrocentric identity. 1. Introduction Cleopatra VII has fascinated historians, artists, and filmmakers for over a century. Unlike many ancient figures, her story is inherently cinematic: political intrigue, a forbidden romance with Julius Caesar, a passionate alliance with Mark Antony, and a dramatic suicide. However, the "real" Cleopatra—a highly educated, multilingual strategist—is often eclipsed by her screen personas. This paper explores how film as a medium has transformed Cleopatra into a malleable symbol, reflecting contemporary anxieties about gender, race, and power. 2. The Silent Era and Early Talkies: The Seductive "Other" The first major Cleopatra film was the 1917 Paramount production starring Theda Bara, a silent film vamp. Bara’s Cleopatra was exotic, dangerous, and sexually aggressive—a projection of early 20th-century Western fears of female authority and Eastern "decadence." The film is now lost, but publicity stills show a heavily orientalized queen draped in beads and snake motifs. The most recent and controversial portrayal is the
