The assassination precipitated a civil war with the Republican armies led by Cassius and Brutus pitted against the Caesarians under Marc Anthony, Octavian and Lepidus. A group of senators conspired to assassinate Caesar and performed the deed on the Ides of March 44 B.C.E. However, his authoritarian rule over time angered the elite patrician class who grew fearful of his undemocratic policies and threats to their wealthy privilege. He was a populist, who instituted many reforms, which improved the lives of the plebian class and strengthened the power of the Roman state. Julius Caesar was Rome’s greatest general who seized control of the government, securing the title of “Dictator Perpetuo” from the Senate. The story is well known and takes place in Rome circa 44 B.C.E. A cast for the ages was assembled, which included Marlon Brando as Marc Anthony, James Mason as Brutus, John Gielgud as Cassius, Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar, Edmund O’Brien as Casca, Greer Garson as Calpurnia, and Deborah Kerr as Portia. Second, he insisted that the film be shot in black and white because “we wanted people to relate to the newsreels, to the Fascist movements in Europe, which were still relevant”. Houseman did not want another lavish epic, but rather a small more intimate production, which explored the drama of ambition and power politics. Once attached to the project Mankiewicz made the creative decision to personally adapt the play and write the screenplay. Houseman had a vision for the film and hired Joseph Mankiewicz to direct, as the story would be dialogue driven, which was the type of film in which Mankiewicz excelled. They chose his 1599 work Julius Caesar and tasked producer John Houseman with the project with a generous budget of $2.0 million. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio executives were impressed by the commercial success of Henry V in 1944 and sought to adapt another of William Shakespeare’s plays for the big screen.
0 kommentar(er)
