Julius Caesar (1950 film)

Julius Caesar
Charlton Heston as Antony
Directed by David Bradley
Produced by David Bradley
Written by David Bradley (script)
William Shakespeare (original play)
Starring Harold Tasker
Charlton Heston
David Bradley
Theodore Cloak
Mary Sefton Darr
Music by Chuck Zornig
Cinematography Louis McMahon
Distributed by Brandon Films Inc.
Release date
 March 1950 (1950-03)
Running time
 106 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Julius Caesar is a 1950 film adaptation of the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar starring Charlton Heston. The first film version of the play with sound, it was produced and directed by David Bradley using actors from the Chicago area.[1] Heston, who had known Bradley since his youth, and who was establishing himself in television and theater in New York, portrayed Mark Antony.[2] He was the only paid cast member. Bradley himself played Brutus, and Harold Tasker had the titular role. Bradley recruited drama students from his alma mater Northwestern University for bit parts and extras, one of whom was future star Jeffrey Hunter, who studied alongside Heston at Northwestern.

Production

The 16 mm film was shot in 1949 on several locations around the Chicago area, including Soldier Field, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, the downtown post office, and the Elks National Veterans Memorial.[3] The Indiana sand dunes on Lake Michigan were used for the Battle of Philippi.[4] One indoor set was built in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. To save money, around 80% of the film was shot silently, with the dialogue dubbed in later by the actors.

Production shot from Julius Caesar

Release

After its premiere in Evanston in 1950, the film had only a limited distribution in the United States, where it was mainly shown in schools and colleges. In 1951, it played at the Edinburgh Film Festival,[5] then opened in New York City in late 1952. The film was shown at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1953 where it tied for first place.[6] On the basis of a private screening in Hollywood, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer hired Bradley as a directing intern in 1950.

Two decades later, Heston reprised his role as Mark Antony in both Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra.

Critical Reception

Upon the film's opening in New York City, The New York Times credited its "company of earnest collegians" with giving "firm pictorial character" to classic drama.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Crowl, Samuel (November 25, 1994). "A World Elsewhere: The Roman Plays on Film and Television". In Davies, Anthony; Wells, Stanley. Shakespeare and the Moving Image: The Plays on Film and Television. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 147. ISBN 0-521-43424-6. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  2. ↑ Brode, Douglas (April 27, 2000). Shakespeare in the Movies: From the Silent Era to Shakespeare in Love. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 102. ISBN 0-199-72802-X. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ Corcoran, Michael; Bernstein, Arnie (June 1, 2013). Hollywood on Lake Michigan: 100+ Years of Chicago and the Movies. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p. 216. ISBN 1-613-74578-8. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  4. ↑ Walcott, Fred G. (1953). "Julius Caesar by David Bradley". English Journal. 42 (4): 233. JSTOR 809618.
  5. ↑ Hartley, Andrew James (March 30, 2014). Julius Caesar. Shakespeare in Performance. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 112. ISBN 0-719-07919-5. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  6. ↑ "1953 7th Locarno Festival". Locarno Festival. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  7. ↑ Crowther, Rosley (November 25, 1952). "16mm Version of 'Julius Caesar' Is Presented at the Baronet by Amateur Film-Makers". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2018.


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