Antony and Cleopatra

If Shakespeare could only realize the fate of the works he left behind, the modern use of them would cause his prophetic soul to weep. Just think of it! Antony and Cleopatra given in its entirety, with the vocal parts and other details of the regular production cut out, in less than twenty minutes! What a vast difference between the older presentation and that represented by the modernized form of amusement! But with all the condensation, the magnificence was retained, and I heard several in the audiences say the film had created in them an appetite for more of the same kind. The Vitagraph Company can take pride in the production. The elaborate stage effects and superb costumes, together with the magnificent manner in which the parts were played, is a credit to the company. The story was told in a concise manner that threw the condensing of the scenes into the shade. The audiences were liberal in expression of appreciation. -- The Moving Picture World, November 14, 1908

First, a correct list of Viagraph Shakespeare producitns - Macbeth (1908),, Othello (1908), Romeo and Juliet (1908), Richard III (1908), Antony and Cleopatra (1908), Julius Caesar (1908), The Merchant of Venice (1908), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1909) and Twelfth Night (1910). The Comedy of Errors (1908) was a comedy with absolutely no connection with the Shakespeare play of the same name..

Four of the films - a rare case with Vitagraph film of this period and evidence in itself of their success - survive more or less complete - Julius Caesar, King Lear, A MIdsmmer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night.

For the others (Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra) we are fortunate enough to osses synoptic footage - one or two minutes of footage from different points in the lays selected to give at least a reasonable idea of the play as a whole). This footage is currently preserved in the Library of Congress paper print collection. Such footage also exists for King Lear.

The overall impression is of a very impressive effort in what the first attempts to present film versions of Shakespeare plays (as opposed to isolated scenes, usually from theatrical productions). In many ways they compare favourably with the French and Italian versions that began to appear at this same time.

The MPW reviewer (this is not just a Vitagraph publicity description) is entirely accurate - "The Vitagraph Company can take pride in the production. The elaborate stage effects and superb costumes, together with the magnificent manner in which the parts were played, is a credit to the company." Antony and Cleopatra is my own favourite amongst Shakespeare plays. It is too rarely performed (by comparison with others) and has seldom been filmed. It requires actors of commanding presence and was here performed by two of the earliest stars of cinema - Maurice Costello and Florence Lawrence. The footage for this film confirms the elaborate costumes and sets but does not give a very good idea of the performances.