A great production ruined by one flat performance, saved by Charlton Heston
I don't know why they put Jason Robards in the starring role as Brutus. He is so flat, so emotionless and so miscast, it seriously mars the entire film. How the director couldn't once say "Jason! This is Shakespeare! Step it up a bit!"
No one likes anyone that chews the scenery but Robards is the other end of the spectrum. He sounds like someone giving the morning farm report reciting Shakespeare.
The saving grace of this film is Charlton Heston. It is obvious, he is too old for the role, but his mere presence and performance make up for his age and the flatness in the rest of the production. His "Friends, Romans, Countryman," speech is the finest performance of that speech you will ever witness. It is worth watching this film, simply to witness Heston outshine everyone else in the cast. and make this film worth the watch for his performance alone.
It is sad. I think what this film could have been, had a better actor been given Brutus, but alas, that is not the case. Fast forward through the rest of the film and just enjoy Heston!
No one likes anyone that chews the scenery but Robards is the other end of the spectrum. He sounds like someone giving the morning farm report reciting Shakespeare.
The saving grace of this film is Charlton Heston. It is obvious, he is too old for the role, but his mere presence and performance make up for his age and the flatness in the rest of the production. His "Friends, Romans, Countryman," speech is the finest performance of that speech you will ever witness. It is worth watching this film, simply to witness Heston outshine everyone else in the cast. and make this film worth the watch for his performance alone.
It is sad. I think what this film could have been, had a better actor been given Brutus, but alas, that is not the case. Fast forward through the rest of the film and just enjoy Heston!
- jilldeel
- 15 mars 2019