Brutus (1911), dir. Enrico Guazzoni/Cines
Cast:
Brutus: Amleto Novelli
Advertisement, Moving Picture News 5, no. 1 (Jan. 6, 1912):3. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturenew05unse#page/n9/mode/2up
“Kleine to Release Cines Pictures,” Moving Picture World 11, no. 1 (Jan. 6, 1912):26. (excerpt) URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturewor11newy#page/26/mode/2up
Our first Cines release will be made January 20, 1912. The subject is ‘Brutus.’ the film being an adaptation from Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar.’ I am willing to stake the reputation of the Cines product upon this subject, which is very beautifully staged and superbly acted. It includes the death of Caesar. Mark Antony’s speech, the flight of Brutus and his fellow conspirators from Rome, the appearance of Caesar’s ghost to Brutus, his death upon the battle field, and the Battle of Philippi.
Advertisement: Moving Picture World 11, no. 2 (Jan. 13, 1912): 101. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturewor11newy#page/100/mode/2up/
McQuade, James S., “Brutus,” Moving Picture World 11, no. 3 (Jan. 20, 1912): 193. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturewor11newy#page/192/mode/2up/
Kleine’s First Cines Release–Extraordinary One-Reel Picture Based on Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.”
Georg Kleine is to be congratulated on the happy selection made when he chose “Brutus” for his first release of the Cines product. This great one-reel subject will bear the strictest criticism with credit to the makers and with pleasure to anyone who, while ready to praise its beauties, is on the lookout to discover any marring defects.
“Brutus” is based on the “Julius Caesar” of Shakespeare, and the scenes in the film enable one to follow clearly the march of events that led to the assassination of “the foremost man of all this world” and the death of the two arch conspirators, Brutus and Cassius.
It will be well to remember, in order to appreciate fully the staging of the drama and the costuming of the characters, that Caesar was murdered in the Ides (isth) of March, 44 B. C. It will be well to remember also that Brutus supported Pompey against Caesar at the battle of Pharsalia, notwithstanding the fact that Pompey had treacherously murdered his father, and that Caesar pardoned him after winning the battle, and appointed him governor of Cisalpine Gaul; also that he proved both modern and just in his government, and that he was an earnest student and wrote treatises on philosophy and some poetry. After being thus honored and trusted he became one of the foremost in the assassination of Caesar, being influenced by Caius Cassius, of whom Shakespeare makes Caesar say: “Cassius is a lean man. He doth not sleep o’ nights. He will bear watching.” This same Cassius was also treated generously by Caesar. Like Brutus [ image: The Conspirators Await Caesar.] he fought under Pompey at Pharsalia, but was afterwards appointed to a position of trust by “the great dictator.”
After the killing of Caesar, the conspirators were forced to flee for their lives from Rome, owing to the great speech of Mark Anthony before the populace. Brutus seized the province of Macedonia and held it against Mark Anthony. He was joined by Cassius, but, at the battle of Philippi, he was defeated by Anthony, and, rather than become a prisoner, he fell on his own sword (42 B. C). The division under Cassius suffered defeat in the battle and he commanded his freedman to slay him.
The opening scene in the Cines film shows Cassius and other conspirators in a room awaiting the arrival of Brutus. The setting of this scene and the posing and acting are highly artistic. When Brutus arrives he is shown to a seat at a large table, with Cassius immediately to his left, as one views the picture from the audience. The conspirators, seated, listen to Cassius, who speaks with vehemence. Suddenly he rises and confronts Brutus, and, drawing his dagger, makes a downward thrust through the air to illustrate the spoken words that mean death to Caesar.
Brutus, with a look of horror on his face, expostulates, but is gradually led to embrace the decision of the others. The impersonation of Brutus in this scene, and throughout the
film, shows great histrionic merit and a fine conception of the character. Cassius also is strongly sustained, and the grouping and acting of the conspirators show patient rehearsal and a careful aiming at realistic effects.
Next, we are in a room in Caesar’s home, where we see his wife, Calphurnia, vainly endeavoring to keep him from going to the senate on this particular day. She thinks her pleadings have succeeded, when a messenger from the senate appears and Caesar goes to his doom. This scene affords a pleasant glimpse of the love prevailing in Caesar’s domestic life, and gives us a close view of the furniture and tapestries used in the first homes of imperial Rome at that period.
The killing of Caesar in the senate chamber follows. Intently one watches the proceedings leading up to the tragedy. [image: Calphurnia Pleads with Caesar.] To the left of the picture, as viewed from the audience, stands Cassius, a few feet behind Caesar. We watch his lips curl in a cruel smile as a senator makes a motion, and a parchment scroll is handed the ‘First Consul. Caesar glances at it and throws it on the floor with imperious gesture. As he does so Cassius snatches the robe from his shoulders. Caesar springs up and faces Cassius. He immediately receives several downward dagger thrusts from the senators behind him. As he turns toward them, Cassius drives another home, and so it is until that sacred body receives the knives of all. Brutus is the last to inflict a wound; but he does it from the front, and the look that Caesar gives him–of reproach and surprise–shows that no other bolt from Jove can hurt either body or soul. Then Caesar covers his face with his garment and sinks to the floor. Not one vestige [image: “Et tu, Brute!”] of shrinking is shown by him throughout the ordeal, not a trace of fear, on face or in action. The actor who took the character of Caesar merits much praise for preserving so thoroughly the dignity of the part.
The funeral of Caesar in the Cines film is a most imposing spectacle. The site chosen by the producer is most probably on the very spot overlooking which Mark Anthony made his moving speech to the populace of Rome. In the picture the rostrum occupied by Anthony’s impersonator has a commanding view of the surroundings, and looks down on the altar on which is placed the catafalque which bears the mortal remains of Caesar. In the midst of the speech we witness the excitement of the assembled multitude, stirred by the fierce desire for revenge on the murderers. As the torches are applied to Caesar’s brief resting place and his remains are being consumed, Anthony stirs the minds of all to immediate action, and we see them rush off to the homes of those responsible for the deed.
We view the flight of Brutus, who obstinately refuses to move and is determined to meet the mob and take the consequences, until his wife and friends finally urge and drag him to safety.
We next visit the camps of the two armies before the battle of Philippi, and we see Brutus in his tent engrossed in studying the plans of battle. Influenced by some unseen [image: “Behold, Great Caesar’s Ghost.”] power, he looks up, and beholds the ghost of the murdered Caesar, who speaks to him the familiar words, “We shall meet at Philippi,” and then vanishes. His guilty soul cowers at the sight and fearful forebodings of the morrow seize him.
The battle of Philippi that follows is a really remarkable massing and engaging of a multitude of soldiers in close action. It is a thrilling sight, full of the incidents of a hand-to-hand combat. Then the flight of Brutus, his discovery of Cassius dead on the field, and his own ignominious death. The photography is in keeping with the other high merits of the production.
It will be wise to have a lecture on this film prepared and delivered by a competent man, as its educational value will be greatly increased thereby.
“Brutus” will be released Saturday, Jan. 20.
“Licensed Film Stories: Brutus,” Moving Picture World 11, no. 4 (Jan. 27, 1912):324. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturewor11newy#page/324/mode/2up/
BRUTUS (Jan. 20).–Believing that Caesar is becoming too powerful in the state, Brutus and others conspire to take his life. The next day, when all are assembled in the senate chamber, the conspirators accomplish their fatal purpose. Mark Antony, a friend of Caesar, swears to avenge the murder and at the funeral delivers an impassioned speech which arouses the Roman people do great fury. Brutus is forced to flee from Rome, but soon collects his followers, to oppose the forces of Antony. The two armies meet at the battle of Philippi in which Brutus is defeated and is forced again to seek safety in flight. When at the point of being overtaken, he hurls himself upon the sword of a friend and thus died “the noblest Roman of them all.”
“Comments on the Films,” Moving Picture World 11, no. 5 (Feb. 3, 1912):393. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturewor11newy#page/392/mode/2up/
Brutus (Cines), January 20.–This sumptuously produced picture of Shakespear’s “Julius Caesar,” was reviewed on page 193 of the Moving Picture World for January 20, 1912. It needs no further comment.
“The Censoring of Moving Pictures,” Moving Picture News 5, no. 4 (Jan. 27, 1912):5 (excerpt). URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/movingpicturenew05unse#page/n157/mode/2up/
We would join issue with some of the censoring adopted by this board, for instance, from the film “Julius Caesar,” there were eliminated the scene of the killing of Caesar; from “Brutus” the stabbing of Brutus was taken out. Now, as these are historical plays and are exhibited or characterized in every theater in the land and thousands of school children are instructed in these teachings and also seeing the exhibition of these plays, we cannot for the life of us understand why it is immoral in a moving picture film, and not in a legally organized theater for the legitimate drama. We would wish for the New York Board of Censorship the same power that the Chicago board has, but until it is under the supervision of the City Council with power to act, and a proper ordinance is passed, we fear that very little improvement will be made in some of the films now on the market and preparing to be placed on the market.
Advertisement: Motography 7, no. 1 (Jan. 27, 1912): inside front cover. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/motography78elec#page/n15/mode/2up/
“Kleine to Release Cines,” Motography 7, no. 1 (Jan. 27, 1912): 34. (excerpt) URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/motography78elec#page/n49/mode/2up/
Our first Cines release will be made January 20, 1912, subject Brutus, the film being an adaptation from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. It includes the death of Caesar, Mark Antony’s speech, the flight of Brutus and his fellow conspirators from Rome, the appearance of Caesar’s ghost to Brutus, the battle of Philippi, and the death of Brutus.
Advertisement: Variety 25, no. 6 (Jan. 13, 1912 ):31. URL: http://www.archive.org/stream/variety25-1912-01#page/n69/mode/2up/