phil25 Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 (edited) We have several portrayals of Gaius Julius Caesar by actors to compare: Claude Rains (Caesar and Cleopatra) Jeremy Sisto (TV mini-series) Ciaran Hinds (recently in Rome) Rex Harrison (Cleopatra) Kenneth Williams (heaven help us!! - Carry on Cleo) Warren William (1930s Cleopatra - with Claudette Colbert) Louis Calhern ("Brando" Julius Caesar) John Gielgud ("Heston" Julius Caesar) I may have missed some. I wondered which performances other members rated most highly - especially as invocations of the man himself. I like Harrison - he has wit, confidence, command and charm. But was impressed recently by Hinds. What do others think? Phil Edited August 1, 2006 by phil25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 I think I prefer Harrison as well, though I don't think any have ever quite captured my opinion of Caesar. I really did like John Gavin as the young, yet politically astute Caesar in Spartacus. Mind you it was a limited role, but I thought he was quite good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 "Insouciance" might be the defining word for Harrison, he carries it wittily and with verve. Hinds is good , im happily wading through HBO and he is no slouch. I think Purefoys "Antoninus" is near perfect , I like Burton in "Cleopatra" but I think its his voice that is mesmeric. Poor old Kenneth Williams , if hed played it with a straight bat (so to speak) he would probably have been a very good Caligula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 I'm still waiting for the perfect Caesar to come along, i guess i've made my own mind up about what he was like and nobody as yet got him right, but i must admit Hinds was pretty good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cohort Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 (edited) I thought gavin a bit wooden.....personally I thought geilgud was a very good caesar actually Hinds isn't bad either....I think the role calls for an actor that can portray Caesars gifts....an all encompassing intellect..quick but measured ....calculating but even tempered... I loved Caesar and cleo, if for nothing else Pascal Edited August 5, 2006 by Cohort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankq Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Harrison and Calhern commanded the most authority but both men were too tall for the role. Caesar was not a tall man at all. Apropos to all this, I have never seen Heston's version of JC. I don't know why, cause I've seen Brando's version several times. How do they compare? I somehow can't see Gielgud as Caesar, though I'm a big fan of his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plautus Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 Rex Harrison was my favorite Caesar too. But if we're talking BIZARRE, go to your DVD store and look for a French movie called DRUIDS. Christopher Lambert ( Highlander, Greystoke) plays the life of Vercingetorix. The whole film looks like a Braveheart knockoff. And Gaius Julius Caesar is played by a slightly pudgy Klaus Maria Brandauer. Now I loved him in Szabos Colonel Redl and Mephisto, but as Caesar? Saying in his thick Deutsches accent " Gentlemen! I zink ve shall invade Englant, no?" Oij Vey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 I've never seen the 'Druids' movie but i've heard it's been listed in the bottom 10 of the worst films ever made by IMDB, but it might have moved up since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Ciaran Hinds is my favorite Caesar. He has the charm, ease, dignity, arrogance, vanity, and flashes of cold rage that could, in two consecutive instants, attract and repel with equal force. Patrick Stewart was a very good nomination for a Caesar. The one contemporary portrait we have of Caesar looks quite a bit like Stewart, but I doubt Stewart could ever project the haughtiness and humanity that Hinds did. Hinds was so good I *almost* felt pity for Caesar. Almost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 I liked every actor that played in Rome, so Hinds is my favorite Caesar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 I've only seen a few shows or films with Caesar in it, so I would have to agree that Ciaran Hinds is the best one to play Caesar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatius Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 Wold have been fun to see how Klaus Kinski would have portrayed Caeser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 Hinds was so good I *almost* felt pity for Caesar. Almost. OH MY GOD! Are you feeling alright Cato??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankq Posted September 29, 2006 Report Share Posted September 29, 2006 (edited) I've finally got to see ROME. At least, the first 3 episodes. And my opinion of Hinds so far is that he's too sedate, too snobby. Too fixed. Caesar had a spark and a way with everyone, a real life to him, something that Harrison captured and Claude Rains used as the core of his presentation and portrayal of Caesar. So far, I find Hinds' Caesar boring. But don't fault me too much, as I said, I've only seen the first three episodes. Edited September 29, 2006 by frankq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cohort Posted September 29, 2006 Report Share Posted September 29, 2006 Ciaran Hinds is my favorite Caesar. He has the charm, ease, dignity, arrogance, vanity, and flashes of cold rage that could, in two consecutive instants, attract and repel with equal force. Patrick Stewart was a very good nomination for a Caesar. The one contemporary portrait we have of Caesar looks quite a bit like Stewart, but I doubt Stewart could ever project the haughtiness and humanity that Hinds did. Hinds was so good I *almost* felt pity for Caesar. Almost. I cannot get past Stewart as Sejanus in I Claudius... I liked Gielgud but have to agree, Hinds has that certain omppph. Raines was the caesar that shaw wrote the play for....I have an affection for it as its a pascal film,the color and the ambience is there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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