The unevenness has been explained many times. This was supposed to be two movies. We will never know because the producers grabbed their pocketbooks and wouldn't let go. This is a good story, but it doesn't work because about a third is missing. That said, take each of the characters and ask yourself if they did a good job presenting themselves. Taylor is beautiful and very interesting, Rex Harrison is his usual intriguing personage, and Roddy McDowell, who I remember most as a child actor may be the best of all. I mostly remember the drama among the actors and all the news coming out of Hollywood, concerning "Cleopatra." Taylor and Burton, Taylor and Harrison, on and on. I think there are times when the hype supersedes the product and we were treated to daily reports from the press on this "disaster." Still, if you can look past the unevenness, there's a lot of fun here. Especiallly the epic battle scenes and all the other spectacle. At the time, perhaps the most expensive film ever made.
