Accolades continued to come for his work on such miniseries as 'Brideshead Revisited' (PBS, 1982), as well as on radio plays alongside protégé Kenneth Branagh. Following acclaimed performances in efforts like Alain Resnais' 'Providence' (1977), the septuagenarian actor won an Oscar for his supporting role as the less-than-amused butler in the hit comedy 'Arthur' (1981). Modern-era works by the likes of David Storey and Harold Pinter occupied Gielgud's time throughout much of the 1970s, but it was near the dawn of the following decade when the heralded stage actor also became one of the most respected film actors ever to grace the screen. Gielgud's film output began to increase mid-century with notable productions like 'Julius Caesar' (1953) and 'Richard III' (1955), in addition to a growing recognition on the stages of Broadway for such productions as 'Ages of Man' and 'Little Fish, Big Fish,' both of which earned him a Tony Award. His continued efforts producing other classic works at the renowned Queen's Theatre throughout the 1930s and 1940s further solidified his growing reputation. Born into a renowned English theater family, Gielgud began performing on stage in 1921 and was soon touted as one of the leading Shakespearian actors of his day. Excepting those quibbles, this is a great film version of 'Julius Caesar'.Widely considered one of the finest actors of the 20th-Century, the versatile and prolific Sir John Gielgud fashioned an astounding career that spanned nearly 80 years.

The pace initially is a little deliberate. Only Louis Calhern disappoints as a rather bland Caesar. Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr make the most of their small roles. John Gielgud was similarly born for Cassius, the envy boils but is not exaggerated and Gielgud has a clear command over the language. James Mason is a similarly powerful Brutus, he brings out the character's conflicted feelings with sensitivity and a noble quality (despite what Brutus does, one cannot hate him). The famous 'friends, romans, countrymen' speech is given one of the best and most nuanced interpretations here on film. It was a very bold move casting Marlon Brando as Marc Antony, he sears in the role with a lot of fire and dignity. Almost all of the performances are superb. The final scene is a problematic scene to get right, this is one of the better interpretations of it. The text does not sound stilted and is poetic and thoughtful, though like all Shakespeare it is talk heavy as a word of warning. The drama has intensity and emotional impact in the play, both of which brought out wonderfully. Mankiewicz directs beautifully and it was appreciated that he went for drama rather than spectacle, which to me was the right approach that it would make the text resonate more and it lessened the risk of the characterisation being swamped. Rozsa's score is typically lush and sweeping and has a real majesty about it. The 'Quo Vadis'-like sets are grand and lavish, if the budget really wasn't huge that was not obvious here. It is exquisitely photographed, though if it were in colour there would have been an even grander look, never trying to do too much while not being too constricted. There is so much to love here in 'Julius Caesar'. Adaptation-wise, there are changes and things left out but the spirit of the play is here and ambience wise and emotionally it's faithful. Which is quite a compliment considering that great Shakespeare film adaptations are many, whether traditional or not. It may not be a perfect film, but it is one of the better adaptations of the play out there on its own merits and to me one of the best film adaptations of any Shakespeare play. Found myself not disappointed in 1953's 'Julius Caesar' at all. Mankiewicz and that it was scored by one of the greatest film composers at the time Miklos Rozsa. Further interest points in seeing 1953's 'Julius Caesar' was its fine cast, that it was directed by Joseph L.

The final scene is rarely nailed and the supporting characters are a lot more interesting than the titular character, but much of the characterisation is very well rounded, is intriguing thematically and has some of the bard's most famous speeches and lines. 'Julius Caesar' is not one of Shakespeare's best plays, neither is it one of his worst.

John gielgud julius caesar movie