Theda Bara

CLEOPATRA

Fox Film Corp., 1917.  Directed by J. Gordon Edwards.  Camera:  John Boyle, Rial Schellinger, George Schneiderman.  With Theda Bara, Fritz Leiber, Thurston Hall, Alan Roscoe.

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Leading his conquering forces into Egypt, Julius Caesar falls madly in love with Cleopatra and the two rule Egypt jointly.

When Caesar is assassinated after having returned to Rome to be crowned king of the civilized world, Mark Antony journeys to Egypt to secure Cleopatra's submission to the ruling triumvirate in Rome.

Although Antony and Cleopatra are passionately in love, Antony returns to Rome and marries Octavia, sister of Octavius, to cement the triumvirate politically.

When he discovers that Cleopatra still loves him, Antony joins forces with her but is vanquished by the forces of Octavius at Actium.  Antony stabs himself, and when Cleopatra learns of his death, she applies a venomous asp to her breast and dies.

American Film Institute Catalog