I saw Cleopatra this week, and that was the first time I had ever seen her work. What I noticed immediately was the different style of acting compared to the films today. Of course there was the obvious lack of extreme close-ups and special effects, which are too often overused nowadays. But the most significant difference is the diction.
What current actors accomplish with facial expressions and hand gestures Ms. Taylor did with variances in the tone and weight of her speech. One word that recurred as I watched the film was that she was convincing. Through her diction, I felt her joy and her pain, her anger and her pride.
Her portrayal of Cleopatra made me want to learn more about this legendary historical figure, and isn't that what films are all about? To demand our attention, to pique our curiosity.
