William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Alternative title
Julius Caesar
Synopsis
Independent film adaptation of the play filmed on 16mm. Samuel Crowl (see review citation) believes the film to be like watching ` an experimental, fringe theatre company performance of Shakespeare where our pleasure derives more from the radical inspiration of individual moments than from the coherence and polish of the entire production’.
Language
English
Country
United States
Medium
Film
Technical information
Black-and-white / Sound
Year of release
1950
Duration
106 mins

Credits

Director
David Bradley (2)
Producer
David Bradley (2); Owen Davis; Robert Keigher
Cinematographer
Louis McMahon
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
John Becker
Costume
Katharine Bradley
Cast
Harold TaskerJulius Caesar
Charlton HestonMark Antony
Frederick RoscoeDecius Brutus
Grosvenor GlennCaius Cassius
Mary Sefton DarrPortia
Alfred EdyveanFlavius
Arthur SusCinna
Bob HoltOctavius Caesar
Cornelius PeeplesPopillius
David Bradley (2)Marcus Brutus
Don WalkerSoothsayer
George GilbertStrato
George HinnersLucius
Helen RossCalphurnia
Homer DietmeierArtemidorus
Jeffery HunterPlebeian
Russell GruebnerCinna the Poet
Sam NeedhamPindarus
Theodore CloakLepidus
Walter HardyMetellus Cimber

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Plays
Julius Caesar
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Student productions

Notes

Notes
DVD features include `"Beware the Ides of March’" an analysis of Mark Antony’s Funeral Speech’, biographies, stills gallery and promotional trailer.

The Folger Shakespeare Library holds a screenplay ‘copyright 1945, produced 1946 at Winnetka, Illinois’ inscribed ‘For Robert H. Ball from David Bradley’.
General
Although sources differ as to whether this is a student film, it seems certain that some students from Northwestern University, Chicago were recruited for bit parts and extras. Sources also differ as to the cost of the production ranging from $10,000-$15,000. To save money about 80% of the film was shot silently, with dialogue dubbed in later.
History
After its premiere in lake Forest, IL in March 1950 the film was shown mainly in schools and private industry screenings. It did not have a widespread American release until after a screening in New York City in 1952. As a result of very favourable press many of the players were employed by Hollywood film studios.
Awards
Best Film Locarno Film Festival 1953
Stills
Bradley made full use of Chicago’s Romanesque architecture as settings.
Textual information
Rothwell & Melzer Shakespeare on Screen: an International Filmography and Videography. (London, Mansell, 1990) p. 116 note that the text, although shortened, remains quite faithful to the 1623 Folio edition.
Reviews
A brief comment on the film is given in Jack J. Jorgens Shakespeare on Film. Lanham, Maryland, University Press of America, 1991. p102-3. A longer assessment is given in Samuel Crowl ‘A World Elsewhere: the Roman Plays on Film and Television’ in Shakespeare and the Moving Image: the Plays on Film and Television edited by Anthony Davies and Stanley Wells (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994). pp 147-149.

Production Company

Name

Avon Productions

Archive

Name

Folger Shakespeare Library

Email
reference@folger.edu
Web
http://www.folger.edu External site opens in new window
Phone
(202) 544 4600
Fax
(202) 544 4623
Address
201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington
DC 20003
USA

Distributor (Hire)

Name

Indiana University

Email
liblilly@indiana.edu
Web
http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/ External site opens in new window
Phone
812 855 2452
Fax
812 855 3143
Address
Lilly Library
1200 E Seventh Street
Bloomington
IN 47405-5500
USA

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web
http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window
Name

Movies Unlimited

Web
http://www.moviesunlimited.com External site opens in new window

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av37007 (Accessed 06 Nov 2024)