Last week I spent a lot of time outside in the sun. And besides spending a lot of time with the dogs and watering the garden, I also took time to sit in the sun and read a book. The books I took out of the shelf this time were two that belonged together, and that I have read many times. But every time I read them I discover something new that I've read over before, or that just didn't stick because I turned out to be focused on other parts of the books. I'm talking about the books: Cleopatra: Daughter of the Pharaoh, and Cleopatra: The Serpent Crown.

While reading this, I suddenly got the idea to look for a movie about her intriguing life. I couldn't find anything on HBO Max, but Youtube did not disappoint.

An old TV movie from 1999, starring Leonor Varela, Timothy Dalton and Billy Zane. And that was reason enough to check it out. This TV Movie is based on exactly the books I was reading by Margareth George. Since the books both consist of a considerable number of pages, I was curious how they could fit this into a film of just over 2 hours.

The plot

Cleopatra takes you back in history. You are transported to the complex world of the Egyptian court, where intrigue, political maneuvers and power games are the order of the day. Cleopatra, played by Leonor Varela, faces the immense challenge of keeping her throne in the midst of internal and external threats.

The film begins when Caesar enters Alexandria, demanding to speak to Cleopatra. young and inexperienced queen, Cleopatra faces opposition from within her own kingdom. There is quite a lot going on and her own brother and co-regent dethrones her with the help of her younger sister when she is on a foreign trip. She will have to find a way to regain the Egyptian throne.

In addition, Cleopatra also faces external threats. The mighty Roman Empire, led by Julius Caesar (played by Timothy Dalton), shows interest in expanding its influence in Egypt. Cleopatra acts smart. When Caesar is in Egypt, she allows herself to be smuggled into the palace rolled in a carpet, after which she is rolled out at his feet. That is also when their relationship begins. This relationship begins as a political alliance, but soon grows into a passionate and complex love affair that will have major consequences for history.

Caesar was her first

The relationship of Cleopatra and Caesar shocks all of Rome, and causes Caesar to have opponents in politics. When it is also known that he has a son with Cleopatra, this gets even worse. In the meantime, Caesar's political plans are also getting more and more resistance in Rome, and it is the far-reaching plans that ensure that this resistance takes on dangerous forms. Caesar has since named an adopted cousin as his successor. Octavian! This angers Cleopatra as she certainly expected their son to become his heir. However, Caesar insists that Caesarion cannot inherit anything in Rome. His future is in Egypt! He does invite Cleopatra to Rome, and Caesar is killed during her 2-year stay in Rome. Broken, Cleopatra travels back to Alexandria to lick her wounds. But also to secure her crown and to ensure that Egypt will not be annexed by Rome. To achieve the latter, however, she depends on 3 men who together have power in Rome. Octavian, Lepidus and Mark Antony. Octavian cunningly gets rid of Lepidus, leaving only Mark Antony next to him. The latter is assigned power over the eastern part, and is supposed to conquer Parthia. For this he needs Cleopatra as an ally. Just like Caesar a few years earlier. Mark Antony is a charismatic general and was always loyal to Caesar.

Mark Antony will be her last

The moment he calls Cleopatra to him to prove her alliance with and loyalty to Rome, he is completely enchanted by her. A new relationship begins. They get 3 children together and over the years their relationship causes major problems for Mark Antony in Rome. He loses his support in Rome and is forced into war by Octavian. Cleopatra and Mark Antony manage to raise a huge army, but so does Octavian. In the end, Cleopatra and Mark Antony lose the fatal battle at Actium and Octavian marches into Alexandria.

Her chosen death

Mark Antony is mortally wounded and Cleopatra and her retinue retreat to the mausoleum she had built. Once the doors are closed they cannot be opened again, just at the last moment Mark Antony is brought to her and in Cleopatra's arms he dies of his wounds. Cleopatra negotiates with Octavian to allow her to arrange his funeral and then to accompany him as a prisoner to Rome. However, it does not come to that anymore because shortly afterwards Cleopatra lets herself be bitten by a poisonous King Cobra. According to legend, a bite from a King Cobra is fatal to ordinary people, but if a Queen is bitten by this cobra, she is taken straight to the gods. Dying from this poison is also painless and quick. And so the Egyptian queen and last pharaoh comes to an end.

image from IMDB

So much book, in just under 2,5 hours of film!

I've read the books more than once and I was actually surprised that so much book could be condensed into just under 2.5 hours. I really liked the roles of Timothy Dalton as Caesar and Billy Zane as Mark Antony played. I could really empathize with that, but the biggest surprise for me was Leonor Varela. With her personality and mimicry she gave a performance that really took me into the life of Cleopatra. How it is assumed she must have been. Leonor put in a great performance and watching the whole thing captivated me for as long as the movie lasted. Where more than 600 pages were needed in the books, the film could be done in less than 2.5 hours. And yet I never missed a moment. The dynamics in the film are intense and compelling, and the music specially written for the film gives the whole a mysterious and penetrating atmosphere.

You recognize the constant battle that Cleopatra must fight to keep her throne. You empathize with her when she is forced to play political games. Understands the alliances she must make, often putting her own feelings and desires aside for the good of her people. The film vividly portrays the complex and insidious nature of political power and the price to pay to maintain it.

The performances of Leonor Varela, Timothy Dalton and Billy Zane add to the impressive dynamics of the film. They bring to life the complexity of their characters and give them depth and emotional layering. The mutual chemistry between the actors makes for a believable portrayal of the interactions between Cleopatra, Caesar and Mark Antony. Especially if you then also read that Leonor Varela and Billy Zane were engaged from 1999 to 2001, the love scenes between these two become very believable.

All in all, Cleopatra shows an intriguing and captivating story about political intrigue, power games and forbidden love. Cleopatra, as one of history's most influential women, had to navigate a web of complex power dynamics to secure her throne and her legacy. In the end this did not work out.

This view is probably not entirely correct according to history. But the broad and important lines are correct.

After Cleopatra and Mark Antony died

How it went on, and what can no longer be seen in the film? Caesarion, the eldest son of Cleopatra whom she had with Caesar, is murdered by order of Octavianus. Cleopatra had tried to smuggle him out of Egypt, he was on his way to India. On the way he is overtaken by Octavian's men and killed.

The 3 children she had with Mark Antony were all captured and taken to Rome. The youngest child probably did not survive this journey. The twins Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, then 10 years old, did survive. They were raised by Octavia's sister, Octavian's sister and Mark Antony's Roman wife. They received a completely Roman education at court and later Cleopatra Selene was married off to King Juba II of Mauretania.

Less is known about Alexander Helios.

Octavian becomes the first emperor of Rome

Octavian seized power in Rome after these victories, and held it until his death. He renounced the name Octavian and became best known as Emperor Augustus. He said he was restoring the republic to order, but in reality he was transforming it into a monarchy. He abolished civil wars and under his leadership Rome enjoyed a very long peace time, which continued after his death, and which has gone down in history as the [Pax Romana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Pax_Romana). He has achieved many more things and thereby claimed his indelible place in the history books.

Whether you like history or not, the movie Cleopatra is a treat for your eye and takes you to ancient times. I myself love history very much and thought it was a good film that showed me the mystique of ancient Egypt. A film that maybe even made me long to have lived in that place.

Posted using CineTV