Late in his life, John Houseman would become famous as a professorial character actor. But his film career actually covered a half century. His most important work was a producer, first with Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, and later with MGM. Houseman's many prestige pictures included Julius Caesar, which was probably the best Hollywood adaptation of a Shakespeare play.
The commercial success of Julius Caesar was assured when director Joseph L. Mankiewicz landed Marlon Brando in the role of Marc Antony. Brando was enormously popular at the time, from his Oscar-nominated roles in Viva Zapata! and especially A Streetcar Named Desire.
Brando's performance was much anticipated. Would he play Marc Antony as if he was Stanley Kowalski, mumbling and menacing? But Brando worked hard on the role, training with noted Shakespearean actor John Gielgud. He was convincing enough to receive his third consecutive Academy Academy nomination for Best Actor, but his first statuette would have to wait until next year's On the Waterfront (1954).
Brando was first billed despite having only two important scenes. He strikes a bargain with Caesar's assassins, at a moment when his life as well as his career is at stake. His promise is promptly broken when he delivers an impassioned speech to the citizens of Rome, which begins with the famous lines: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him."
Antony proves even more skillful than Brutus at manipulating Rome's unruly street mob. His references to Brutus as an 'honorable man' become increasingly sarcastic. Ironically, it is the honor of Brutus that leads to his downfall. He rejects the shrewd political advice of killing Brutus as well, or at least denying his right to speak. Shakespeare seems to be implying that ethics and politics mix poorly. Certainly Antony relishes the success of his big speech, while political ambition is the real motivation for his devotion to Caesar.
Brutus is the true lead character. His temperament reminds me of another famous Shakespearean tragic figure, Hamlet. Hamlet is an ironic, conscientious man who takes down the King, and so is Brutus. James Mason, with his unmistakable mellifluous voice, is well cast as Brutus. However, Mason's understated performance was overshadowed by that of Brando.
Although the two million dollar budget was low for a Roman epic, MGM had little trouble finding big names for the supporting roles. John Gielgud makes his Hollywood debut as chief conspirator Cassius. Gielgud, who would play Julius Caesar in the 1970 Hollywood remake, was already a famous Shakespearean stage actor. Deborah Kerr and Greer Garson are largely wasted in their brief roles as the faithful wives, respectively, of Brutus and Julius Caesar. Edmond O'Brien is a hulking Casca, a well-meaning but none too clever stooge for Cassius. Louis Calhern plays the superstitious and somewhat pompous title character.
Mankiewicz is perhaps too faithful to the original play. Archaic uses for words remain in the script. Brutus gives a speech in which he refers to 'bondsmen' (i.e. slaves). I had a mental image of a bail bondsman, which confused me enough to miss the next two paragraphs of his speech. Fortunately, home viewers such as myself can take advantage of closed captioning and the rewind button.
"Julius Caesar" is one of Shakespeare's least tragic tragedies. Unlike with "Hamlet", "Othello", or "Romeo and Juliet", no one will shed a tear for vainglorious Caesar when his new crown proves too sharp, or for Cassius and Brutus, with their blood-stained hands.
The play itself is curiously structured. No reference is made to Cleopatra, who is usually a popular dramatic character. The most important scenes are the assassination and the subsequent public addresses. These take place in the middle of the play. Even the decisive Battle of Philippi is made anti-climactic by the lengthy, if eloquent, speeches that follow.
The Battle of Philippi is perhaps the film's most disappointing scene. Budgetary constraints made it look more like a production of Custer's Last Stand, only using the wrong costumes.
Still, Julius Caesar deserved its five Oscar nominations, which included Best Picture, Best B&W Cinematography, and Best Score. Julius Caesar won its only Oscar for its art direction, despite using sets leftover from the recent MGM blockbuster Quo Vadis (1951). (80/100)
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