Female sexuality and power have been a controversial topic since the dawn of time. In many ancient societies, women exist as inferior beings. They just had to have children and remain faithful to their husband. Cleopatra VI became one of the first important women to exercise her power. She reigned as queen of the entire Egyptian kingdom and bowed to no one. Cleopatra used her beauty to get what she wanted and needed for her country and, in doing so, won over some of the most politically important men in the Roman republic. Yet, for many years, the life of this formidable queen went unrecognized. The story of Cleopatra VI became intriguing again with the production of three films: Cecil B. de Mille's Cleopatra in 1934, Joesph L. Mankiewicz's Cleopatra in 1963, and Jack Starrett's Cleopatra Jones in 1973. Each of these productions represents the historical Cleopatra in modern glory and power. They intended to appeal to both men and women; to women's desire and need for power in a world still dominated by men, and to man's longing for an intellectual and beautiful woman. All three of these films accurately achieved their purpose; they maintained a close connection to Cleopatra's historical context, but successfully appealed to their target audience. Claudette Colbert dazzled audiences as the "girl next door" actress of the 1930s and this made her role as Cleopatra much more appealing. In 1934, women in the United States were still struggling to escape their gender roles. A sexually charged and intimidating star may have been too much, too soon for the multitudes of this time; Colbert was perfect for the role. “Colbert offered a model of all that was 'tasteful and attractive' in contemporary female sexuality... middle of paper... in an era when women were subjected to a lower status, yet still became one of the most powerful women who ever lived. He exploited this power through cunning use of his sexuality, and this brought a completely new idea to American society. Women could see this power and take it as their own. This is what made the whole concept of Cleopatra a successful film. It allowed people to connect with the Queen and draw inspiration from her life and love. Cleopatra of 1934 and 1963 was aimed at general Caucasian audiences, while Cleopatra Jones was derived from African-American culture. Interest in the legend of Cleopatra VI has been renewed thanks to this trio of films, and is now stronger than ever. Today, Liz Taylor, Claudette Colbert and Tamara Dobson still inspire women and produce fantasies for men; that's why these films are so important. They have lasted through the ages.