Carry On Cleo (1965)
Directed by Gerald Thomas
Genres - Comedy | Sub-Genres - Parody/Spoof, Slapstick | Release Date - Nov 1, 1964 (USA - Unknown) | Run Time - 91 min. | Countries - UK |Share on
Synopsis by Hal Erickson
The multi-million dollar film extravaganza Cleopatra was too convenient a target for Britain's "Carry On" funsters to ignore. The plot of Carry On Cleo, if one can discern a plot amidst the sight gags and outrageous puns, involves the attempts by a bungling slave (Kenneth Connor) to rescue Julius Caesar (Kenneth Williams) from assassination. Instigators of the plot are Cleopatra (Amanda Barrie) and Mark Anthony (Sidney James), who comport themselves like a couple of Liverpool pub owners. The best bit involves Mark Anthony's "beheading" of the legendary asp. Filmed on a tight 160,000 pound budget and utilizing leftover sets from the Taylor/Burton epic, Carry On Cleo's reputation rests chiefly on a legal brouhaha involving its advertising artwork, which was deliberately patterned after the ads for the "real" Cleopatra.
Characteristics
Moods4>
Themes
Keywords
assassination, historical-spoof, slavery