Travelling back in time to 1963 when Cleopatra was made, Elizabeth Taylor was the main damsel along with her then husband Richard Burton, a fine king and queen. This steamy relationship brought the movie much attention, along with its extravagant scenes and costumes like when King Caesar was welcomed into Egypt.
Relocating twice during the film tended to over stretch the budget, Cleopatra started its filming in Rome, later moving to London, then back to Rome. This was due to poor planning, or maybe because the whole project had bad direction. The first director was canned after a significant period of time – with no shots to prove for his investments.
Jumping forward back to the age of that popular Celine Dion song My Heart Will Go On, there is nothing more romantic – or expensive for that matter than watching a love story unfold on the high, icy seas. No, this film was not filmed in the ocean, but in two separate, indoor and outdoor tanks filled with thousands of gallons of water. Bill Paxton's character had to do a lot of expensive research looking for that blue ‘Heart of the Ocean'.
Is billions worth the viewing pleasure? Getting a sneak peak of how Taylor and Burton romanced in a Romanesque – Egyptian style may not be too appealing to a contemporary audience. The lesson learned from this is to choose a good director and put some directing into how to organise a movie. Celine Dion may agree that love on the high seas is worth the investment since obviously she receives a direct benefit.