One of the most expensive and chaotic films in history returns to television
The backstage of this peplum, broadcast this Sunday on Arte, returned to the legend of Hollywood.
A film with a disproportionate budget, controversies that make the headlines, a director who is stepping up in full filming, rewritings of scenario that ends, massive reshoots, a studio leader who wants to change the assembly … No, it is not the story of the stormy behind the scenes of a modern blockbuster, but that of a super production from the 1960s.
After the golden age, the American cinema industry then began a decline that will lead to the output of the New Hollywood. But for the time being, studios are still blocked in their old recipes. Always more expensive films, with overpayed and capricious stars. We put everything on the big epic or historical frescoes, views and reviews, and the public begins to get bored.
Cleopatra is the symbol of this Hollywood of demiurges. A peplum with chaotic production, produced by the 20th Century Fox, in financial difficulty and out of inspiration in the late 1950s. The studio tried to surf the success of Ten commandments And hires the largest star of the time (and the most grave paid) to embody the Queen of Egypt: Elizabeth Taylor. The project will cost $ 44 million (marketing included). Or more than $ 450 million today. With crazy controversies whose social networks would have enjoyed.
The shooting of Cleopatra Commmence in Pinewood in September 1960, under the direction of Rouben Mamoulian, in defiance of English climatic conditions. And troubles start immediately. Elizabeth Taylor, known for her fragile health, turns a naked scene by freezing cold and falls ill. His condition is getting worse and it is diagnosed with meningitis. As a result, two million dollars of medical fees for the insurance company.
The film is paused, and the script changes are linked while the sets are swept by the rain and the dead leaves. After 16 weeks of shooting, only 10 minutes of usable film were produced at a cost of $ 7 million. Acknowledged by the studio management, director Mamoulian slams the door.
Joseph L. MANKIEWICZone of the two names authorized by Taylor, replaces him at the raised foot. This immense director and screenwriter rewarded by 4 Oscars (he is the brother of Mank by David Fincher) rejects the original script (“It is illegible and infilmable, pretentious in addition“) And wants to write a new script which still repels the shooting of two months.
Pinewood is abandoned and the dismantling of the sets adds another $ 600,000 from the time to the note (more than 6 million). Cleopatra Will finally be filmed in Cinecitta, in Rome. Several actors, engaged on other films, must be re -held. Mankiewicz offers Marlon Brando for Marc Antoine, but Taylor prefers him Richard Burton. He plays in a musical on Broadway and you have to buy his contract, in addition to his substantial cachet.
The production resumes after 8 months of break. But Mankiewicz was carried away by the extent of the story. He imagines a time to draw two epic films of 3 hours. During the first months of filming, he filmed the day and continues to work on the script at night. He is injecting cocktails from medication and carries gloves to hide eczema which is spread over both hands. Exhausted, he finally hired another screenwriter to help him complete the script.
In January 1962, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Turn their first scenes together. The alchemy between the two stars is immediately felt on the set. Normal, they fell in love. A month later, rumors about their idle come out in the press.
Mankiewicz confides in producer Walter Wanger:
“”I have been sitting alone on a volcano for too long, I want to tell you about certain facts that you need to know. Liz and Burton don’t just play Antony and Cleopatre. ”
The two actors are married and the case makes the fatty cabbage of the world press. In Italy, it doesn’t happen. The Vatican newspaper publishes an open letter denouncing the “Erotic vagodondeing“De Taylor and Burton. Meanwhile, the medical assessment increases: the director of photography is burnout and the production manager falls ill. He died a few months later.
The cost of the film flies away and Spyros Skouras, the boss of The 20th Century Fox must take “drastic measures“To reassure the shareholders. Consequently, a film by Marilyn Monroe, Something’s Got To Give From Georges Cukor, is canceled.
In early June, Fox executives land on the set to cancel the shooting of a huge battle scene and release the producer. They also ask that we stop paying Taylor’s salary and the production be completed at the end of the month.
MANKIEWICZ refuses and writes to a manager to go beyond the decision. It leak into the press, Taylor and Burton threaten to stop everything and Wagner is maintained as the film producer. It is finally Skouras who abandons his post as president of the studio, and the shooting ends as best they can in Egypt. But the drama is far from over.
The presentation of the first assembly to President Richard Zanuck is catastrophic. He refuses to release two films, as Mankiewicz wishes, finds that Cleopatra dominates Marc Antoine too much and asks to see the Rushes. The two men disagree, and Zanuck hires another director to manage a new assembly including scenes cut by Mankiewicz.
After various exchanges, Zanuck published a provocative statement announcing that Mankiewicz A “right to well -deserved rest“After having”Invested two years of his life and $ 35 million from the 20th Century-Fox shareholders“There too, Burton and Taylor reject the studio decision.
Mankiewicz in turn holds a press conference to appease the situation. He reconciles with Zanuck and the two men agree that you have to shoot new scenes with the two stars. In February 1963, the battle of Pharsalus was even reshooted in Spain, with 1,500 extras and several members of the casting. Other scenes are also filmed in London, and the shooting ends finally in March 1963. This time for good.
Is everything that ends well? Not quite. Cleopatra Sorted in June 1963 with a period of 184 minutes, which will quickly be shortened by the studio. However, it became the biggest success of the year in the United States and recorded more than 5 million admissions in France. But not enough to reimburse its pharaonic budget. He finally returned to his expense in 1966 by selling his TV rights to ABC against $ 5 million, a record at the time.
Cleopatra So did not ruin the Fox. But the disastrous management of a project of this magnitude by a large studio will mark the end of the golden age while sealing the takeover of the stars. He also almost broke the reputation and career of Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who denied the film and will make a few small production before taking out …
