by Mark Deming
synopsis
This silent adaptation of the story of Cleopatra and her tumultuous romance with Marc Anthony features Helen Gardner, a famed stage actress of the era, in the title role; Gardner also produced this film, which was adapted from a long-running stage production in which she starred. Running nearly 90 minutes, Cleopatra was an epic-length production in its day; the film, once thought lost, was restored in 2000 under the auspices of the George Eastman House and Turner Classic Movies, who broadcast the film with a new score composed by Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida.
