Asterix and Cleopatra (film)
| Company type | Animated film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Film |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | Belgium, France |
| Products | Animated comedy film |
Asterix and Cleopatra () is a 1968 animated comedy film produced jointly by Belgium and France, marking the second installment in the Asterix cinematic series. This film represents the directorial debuts of creators Goscinny and Uderzo. It boasts enhanced animation quality and a more refined musical score compared to the initial film, Asterix the Gaul.
The movie integrates musical numbers with three distinct songs and a diverse soundtrack, combining satire with surreal comedic elements to enrich its entertainment value.
Plot
Following a disagreement with Julius Caesar regarding his doubts about the Egyptians, Queen Cleopatra wagers that she can have a splendid palace erected in Alexandria within three months. She entrusts this project to her architect Numerobis, offering him a reward of gold upon success or death if he fails. Feeling overwhelmed, Numerobis turns to the druid Panoramix in Gaul for assistance.
Panoramix consents to help and is joined by Asterix, Obelix, and Obelix’s dog Idefix. Along their journey, they overcome an attack from pirates. Upon arriving, Numerobis’s adversary Amonbofis proposes a partnership but demands that only Numerobis be punished if they do not succeed; Numerobis declines this offer.
Amonbofis instigates a workers’ strike, yet Panoramix’s magic potion significantly increases their efficiency. When stone deliveries are sabotaged due to Amonbofis bribing the supplier, the Gauls escort new shipments despite further obstacles, including being trapped inside the Great Pyramid. To aid their escape, Obelix consumes magic potion for the first time.
To undermine them further, Amonbofis hires pirates to assault the fleet and falsely accuses the Gauls of attempting to poison Cleopatra with a lethal cake. The Gauls are imprisoned but are exonerated when Panoramix’s antidote proves the cake harmless. Consequently, Amonbofis and his accomplice are condemned to forced labor under Numerobis’s supervision.
Concerned about his reputation, Caesar orders mercenaries to abduct Panoramix and destroy the magic potion. Although Panoramix is captured, Asterix and Obelix successfully rescue him. Caesar then lays siege to the construction site; however, Cleopatra intervenes after receiving a message from Asterix. Despite damage caused by bombardment, the palace is completed within the deadline.
Numerobis receives commendation for his work, and the Gauls return home aboard Cleopatra's luxurious ship, marking the project’s triumphant conclusion.
Cast
| Character | Original Dub | English Dub | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Dub | English Dub | ||
| Astérix | Asterix | Roger Carel | Lee Payant |
| Idéfix | Dogmatix | Roger Carel | |
| L'espion de César | Caesar's Spy | Roger Carel | George Keros |
| Obélix | Obelix | Jacques Morel | Hal Brav |
| Panoramix | Getafix | Lucien Raimbourg | John Primm |
| Jules César | Julius Caesar | Jean Parédès | Anthony Stuart |
| Numérobis | Edifis | Pierre Tornade | George Birt |
| Abraracourcix | Vitalstatistix | Yves Brainville | |
| Un mercenaire #1 | Mercenary #1 | Lyle Joyce | |
| Le capitaine des pirates | Pirate Captain | Pierre Trabaud | Arch Taylor |
| Le centurion Chorus | Centurion Operachorus | Edward Marcus | |
| Le capitaine égyptien | Egyptian captain | Alexandre Klimenko | |
| Cléopâtre | Cleopatra | Micheline Dax | Ginger Hall |
| Tournevis | Krukhut | Jacques Balutin | Alexandre Klimenko |
| Amonbofis | Artifis | Bernard Lavalette | Jean Fontaine |
| Le narrateur | Narrator | John Clive (uncredited) | |
| Le lion | Lion | Jacques Bodoin | |
| Assurancetourix | Cacofonix | Jacques Jouanneau | François Valorbe |
| Le commentateur | Commentator | René Goscinny (uncredited) | Michael Brown |
| Le perroquet | Parrot | Gérard Darrieu | Paula D'Alba |
| La vigie des pirates | Pirate Lookout | Roger Carel | Mezz Mezzrow |
| Un mercenaire #2 | Mercenary #2 | Rodolphe Marcilly | Colin Drake |
| Un mercenaire #3 | Mercenary #3 | Claude Dasset | Steve Waring |
| Le goûteur | Taster | Jacques Morel | John Rounds |
| Dromadaire | Dromedary | Eddy Rasimi | Derry Hall |
| Le chef du transport de pierres | Quarry Supervisor | Pierre Trabaud | |
| Travailleur apathique | Listless Worker | Joël Noël | Bruce Johansen |
| Crieur dans la salle de bain #1 | Crier in Bathroom #1 | Pierre Garin | Patrick O'Hara |
| Crieur dans la salle de bain #2 | Crier in Bathroom #2 | Alfred Personne | Lyle Joyce |
| Serviteur de César | Servant of Caesar | Olivier Hussenot | James Shuman |
| Tuteur | Guardian | Maurice Chevit | |
Reception
In 2004, the film was viewed by 600,000 television audiences in the United Kingdom, making it the second highest-rated European-language movie broadcast on TV that year.
See also
- Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra – A live-action film starring Gerard Depardieu, Monica Bellucci, and Christian Clavier
- Gabiniani – Germanic and Gaulish mercenaries serving in Ptolemaic Egypt during the eras of Cleopatra VII and Ptolemy XII Auletes