When I paid a visit to my boyfriend Will’s house earlier this month, he suggested that we make our way through the miniseries I, Claudius
while I was there. He had seen it before; I hadn’t, and while I’m not
as much of a history buff as he is, I was up for it, especially once I
realized the title character was played by Derek Jacobi, a classically
trained British actor I first encountered in a memorable episode of Frasier.
Jacobi serves as the wizened narrator whose comments bookend most of
the episodes, while we see him in various younger forms in the
flashbacks that make up most of the story. The nearly 11-hour-long
miniseries covers a span of about 80 years during the Roman Empire of
about two millennia ago. We see the reigns of austere Augustus (Brian
Blessed), bitter Tiberius (George Baker), crazed Caligula (John Hurt)
and finally gentle Claudius, the stammering, twitching, limping fellow
who survives decades of carnage by letting everyone think he’s a
simpleton. It’s a masterful performance of a character who seems out of
step with his violent time, a wise scholar deeply in touch with his
emotions and committed to a family that barely notices him.
The cast is outstanding in all respects, as is the screenplay by Jack Pulman, who adapted the Robert Graves novels I, Claudius and Claudius the God
for the screen. While the dialogue has a feel of antiquity about it, it
also crackles with wit, and each part of the miniseries has moments
that are laugh-aloud funny. Of course, this is far from a comedy, and I
found myself grateful that Will had watched it first, since he could
tell me just when I ought to avert my eyes and usually warned me ahead
of time precisely what sort of unpleasantness would follow. While much
of the violence occurs off-screen, there are still plenty of moments
that I would consider too grotesque for sensitive eyes.
Because Claudius is so lovable, not to mention the one character you
know is going to stick around until the final installment, he is an
anchor in the midst of the madness that often surrounds him. Many of the
characters are sympathetic at one point or another, but most are also
conniving or cruel. The most methodically murderous one of the lot is
Augustus’s wife Livia (Sian Phillips), who subtly and patiently plots to
remove any and all obstacles that lie between her son Tiberius and the
throne. While her actions are largely despicable, Phillips is
fascinating to watch in the role, and she and Augustus, the long-lived,
rather curmudgeonly Caesar who is my second-favorite character in the
series, have some wonderfully playful scenes together.
Blessed
is largely endearing as Augustus, who comes across as a pretty decent
fellow, all things considered. While he lives to a much riper age than
most of the characters in the miniseries, he is the one I missed the
most after his departure, and he and Tiberius both come across as
extremely hen-pecked by Livia. The most absurd of the four emperors is
Caligula, and Hurt seems to revel in his madness as he turns the palace
into a den of debauchery and orders executions for nonexistent crimes.
Even before assuming the throne, his cold heart and depraved pursuits
are chilling, but ultimate power amplifies his beady-eyed insanity.
While I was unfamiliar with many of the actors in the uniformly
excellent cast, it was a treat to see some I recognized from later
films. My Star Trek geekery and Lord of the Rings fandom
were both satisfied by the presence of Patrick Stewart as Tiberius’s
ambitious right-hand man Sejanus and John Rhys-Davies as Macro, who
helps drive one of the most stomach-turning scenes in the miniseries. I
also found it very interesting to see the Biblical Herod Agrippa (James
Faulkner) from a different perspective as the worldly but affectionate
longtime friend of Claudius.
While I couldn’t say just how
accurate this miniseries is, anyone who has an interest in ancient Roman
history would most likely enjoy this intricate tale directed by Herbert
Wise. Those with a weak stomach should take warning that poisonings,
stabbings and outright slaughter are frequent occurrences, and it’s also
worth mentioning that there are some pretty steamy scenes, particularly
the seedy exploits of Caligula and of Claudius’s libidinous young wife
Messalina (Sheila White). I would not recommend this to anyone younger
than high school, but it could be a great means of getting older
teenagers excited about history.
As for me, while I looked away multiple times, I found I, Claudius
a thoroughly rewarding venture that showcases some of the shining stars
of British stage and screen, particularly Blessed and Jacobi, and gives
me an instant reference point when I hear someone suggest that the
world has never been as violent or immoral as it is now.
No comments:
Post a Comment