User reviews

The events of Julius Caesar's last years are recounted in abbreviated form, from his return from Gaul to Brutus' death at Phillippi.

It's difficult to award this a very high rating simply because it's the properly the story of an epic, and in 1909, even Pastrone, who would become world renowned for his epics only had a reel of film to tell his story in. It was produced in 1909, after all, and feature-length movies would not begin in Italy until late the following year. Yet clearly, money has been spent on this movie, for costumes and sets and decorations. If the silent acting involves a lot of hand waving, that was the style of the day.

Perhaps this picture is, in some ways, as good as anything this firm has done. The dramatic possibilities in this historic scene, the assassination of Caesar, are great, and perhaps will never be wholly exhausted. It is a touch of the romance of history that appeals very strongly to the imagination, and naturally has its effect upon the reproduction of the story, no matter what medium is employed. The Caesar here is reasonably dignified, and the conspirators perform their parts with reasonable fidelity to the ordinary interpretation of the story. It doesn't seem that the company rises quite to the possible dramatic heights, and it does so well that one wishes it had done better. But however these slight shortcomings may arouse a desire to see some of the work a little better done, one may thoroughly enjoy the film and see again the murder of the great statesman and soldier re- enacted with sufficient fidelity to make it seem real. The picture as a whole is to be commended, and for such an ambitious attempt holds its quality well from beginning to end. - The Moving Picture World, December 4, 1909