CLEOPATRA


    Hallmark Entertainment's 'Cleopatra'
    A Four Hour Miniseries - Original Airdates: May 23-24 1999

    Directed by Franc Roddam

    The true story of Cleopatra has captured imaginations for thousands of years. Here's how the story unfolds in this lavish new production.

    A woman of beauty, intelligence and exotic mystery, Cleopatra sets out to claim her throne as the rightful ruler of Egypt. She turns to Roman Emperor, Caesar, for assistance. Although married to a Roman, Caesar soon proclaims his love for Cleopatra. He follows her to Egypt where their romance develops. He shares with her his ambitions and teaches the inexperienced Queen to rule her citizens with compassion.

    Caesar soon receives an urgent message from fellow countryman, Marc Antony, telling him that the Roman Senate believes he has lost interest in the affairs of the Roman Republic, and he returns to Rome. In Egypt, Cleopatra gives birth to Caesar's only child. She is certain that he will accept and protect the boy as heir to the Egyptian throne. To prove his love for Cleopatra, Caesar does claim his son, but in the process he makes several enemies who successfully conspire to assassinate him.

         

    Devastated by her lover's death, Cleopatra focuses on protecting her son, her throne and her country. Convinced that Marc Antony is the only Roman she can trust, Cleopatra seduces him. As co-consul of Rome, however, Marc Antony agrees to show his loyalty to Rome through marriage to a Roman woman. Betrayed again, Cleopatra seeks guidance from the immortal goddess, Isis. In the inner sanctum of the temple she learns that the sacred cobras will serve her well in her time of need. Feeling empowered by her divine source, Cleopatra wins Marc Antony over. They marry in an Egyptian ceremony, where Marc Antony denounces his Roman wife and names Cleopatra's son true heir to the Egyptian throne.

            

    War follows, and in the midst of battle, Marc Antony is mortally wounded. Cleopatra takes her dying lover into her tomb and prepares herself for death as Egypt is invaded by her enemies. Draped in a gold funeral gown and wearing her ceremonial cobra head-dress, Cleopatra welcomes a gentle poisonous bite into her arm from the sacred cobra. Roman armies burst through the doors of the mausoleum to find the Queen of Egypt peacefully lying in state, with the body of Marc Antony beside her.

    The Cast

    Leonor Varela .... Cleopatra, Timothy Dalton .... Julius Caesar, Billy Zane .... Marc Antony, Philip Quast .... Cornlius, Rupert Graves .... Octavian, Art Malik .... Olympos, Nadim Sawalha .... Mardian, Sean Pertwee .... Marcus Brutus, Owen Teale .... Grattius


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