Cleopatra (1963): The Lost Hours Fox Cut Away | Elizabeth Taylor

Cleopatra (1963) was meant to be two films: one about Caesar, one about Antony, about three hours each. Twentieth Century Fox said no, fired director Joseph Mankiewicz, and cut it down to one picture. Most of the lost hours have never been found. In this video: 25 secrets behind the most expensive film of its time. Elizabeth Taylor's million-dollar deal, the abandoned London shoot, her near-fatal illness, the script written while the cameras rolled, Le Scandale with Richard Burton, the famous entrance into Rome and the wink, Darryl Zanuck firing the director, and the search for the missing footage that reached a salt mine in Kansas. If you love classic Hollywood and the stories behind the films, subscribe for more. Chapters 0:00 The Cleopatra you can watch today 0:46 25. It was meant to be a cheap picture 1:36 24. The star asked for a million dollars 2:20 23. The first Cleopatra was shot in England 3:19 22. Elizabeth Taylor nearly died 4:09 21. They started again in Rome 4:59 20. The sets covered eleven acres 5:43 19. The script was written while the cameras rolled 6:35 18. She enters the film rolled up in a carpet 7:11 17. The first words Burton said to her 7:45 16. The scandal that went around the world 8:27 15. Sixty five costumes 9:23 14. The entrance into Rome 10:03 13. The photograph on Ischia 10:38 12. The money ran out 11:29 11. Zanuck came back 12:10 10. The director was fired 12:41 9. And then he was hired again 13:21 8. Roddy McDowall lost his nomination by mistake 13:49 7. The producer watched his own premiere from the crowd 14:36 6. The biggest hit of the year still lost money 15:22 5. Fox sued its own stars 15:57 4. Mankiewicz had made two films, not one 16:32 3. Zanuck said no, and the cutting began 17:12 2. The four hours were only the start 18:06 1. Most of the lost hours have never been found 19:45 Would you watch all six hours? Film clips are used for commentary and criticism. Cleopatra (1963) © Twentieth Century Fox. #Cleopatra #ElizabethTaylor #ClassicHollywood #Cleopatra #ElizabethTaylor #ClassicHollywood Others you can rotate in instead: #RichardBurton #OldHollywood #MovieSecrets #FilmHistory