The spirit of the play brought to life
I have been raised on this play and saw many versions. I have had the real story pointed out to me and meaning behind many of the words explained. However it is this adaptation that brought it to life not just intellectually but emotionally.

One of the first things you notice is the setting is a balance between stage and reality. This film being in black and white may have contributed to the atmosphere.

The actors are not just popular names but are able to bring the characters to life. I was impressed with everyone's ability to the point that it took time to realize that Mark Antony is Marlon Brando; he among others is able to make the words real and meaningful, not just a bunch of Shakespearian phrases.

If somehow you missed the play or the history, basically Julius Caesar let his status go to his head and is about to take on the role of implorer. It is up to a handful of Noble Romans to see that this does not happen. The play is about these individuals, their individual purposes and what happens to them after the attempt to stop him. The focus is on Caesar's right arm (Mark Antony).

Shakespearean text and the best 20th century�s actors
Julius Caesar is one of my favourite plays and this film is one of my best-loved screen-versions of Shakespeare. The original text is brilliant and it sounds even more so in the film. Marlon Brundo is a perfect Marc Antony. He really looks like a Roman nobleman. I absolutely adore the scene, after Caesar's death, when Brutus and then Antony make their famous speeches. Both of them are so convincing and impressive. The reaction of the crowd is very well shown too. John Gielgud does his best as Cassius. In scenes of Cassius's arguments and dialogues with Brutus and other conspirators he maintains the highest standards of Shakespearean performances. I've seen the film about a dozen of times and I would recommend it to every one.

What a version of the play to see at the theatre...
James Mason as Brutus, Gielgud as Cassius, Brando - yes, he can act - as Mark Anthony. The text is Shakespeare's, and the only catch is that the cuts of the play to fit it into the film make it a little disjointed.

Mason - did he ever make a bad movie? - is excellent, and the movie is his.

Epically accurate pictorial delight
With Marlon Brando in one of his best roles as Marc Anthony and James Mason tackling Brutus's role with relish, this version of Julius Caesar is a triumph. Rarely has Brando filled a role with such aplomb in a part that could have been written for him. Mason is awesome as the patriot too muddled in his own mind to be able to make a rational decision. Perhaps the one area of weakness is the cinematography but if you consider the age of the film, allowance must be made. Of course the focal point of the film is Marc Anthony's stirring speech to the Plebians, as rousing an oration as you will find (nicely imitated in 'that carry on film').

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