Cleopatra1963 A Film that changed Hollywood Forever Cleopatra is a 1963 American epic historical drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, with a screenplay adapted by Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall and Sidney Buchman from the 1957 book The Life and Times of Cleopatra by Carlo Maria Franzero, and from histories by Plutarch, Suetonius, and Appian. The film stars Elizabeth Taylor in the eponymous role. Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Landau are featured in supporting rol

When Cleopatra hit theaters in 1963, it wasn’t just a movie, it was a financial gamble that nearly destroyed 20th Century Fox. Initially budgeted at just $2 million, the production spiraled out of control due to endless delays, lavish reshoots, and an unprecedented $1 million paycheck for Elizabeth Taylor, the highest salary ever given to an actress at the time. By the time cameras stopped rolling, the cost had ballooned to a staggering $44 million, making it the most expensive film ever produce