Caligula (1979)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A lavish and controversial historical drama depicts the decadent rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Caligula.
The story
Caligula is the young heir to the throne of his great-uncle, Emperor Tiberius. After a blackbird flies into his room, interpreted by Caligula as a bad omen, a head of the Praetorian Guard, Naevius Sutorius Macro, tells Caligula that Tiberius has summoned him to Capri where the Emperor lives with his close friend Nerva, Caligula's dim-witted uncle Claudius, and Caligula's cousin Gemellus. Caligula fears assassination but his sister and lover Drusilla persuades him to go. Upon arrival, Caligula finds that Tiberius is showing signs of advanced venereal diseases and has become embittered with Rome and politics. The film follows the transition of power and the subsequent actions of the new emperor.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After the death of Tiberius, Caligula is proclaimed the new Emperor and names his sister Drusilla as his equal. He eventually marries Caesonia, a priestess and courtesan. As his rule progresses, Caligula's behavior becomes increasingly erratic and violent, leading to the execution of several associates and the alienation of the Roman Senate. Following the death of Drusilla from a fever, Caligula descends into a state of madness, declaring himself a god and attempting to dismantle the senatorial class. He is eventually betrayed by his advisors, Longinus and Chaerea. During a coup, Caligula and his family are attacked; Caesonia and Julia are murdered, and Caligula is stabbed. He dies in a stadium, declaring 'I live!' as his body is cast down. The film concludes with his horse, Incitatus, finding the remains of the imperial family.
- First release year
- 1979
- Runtime (minutes)
- 156
- Production countries
- Italy; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tinto Brass
- Writers
- Gore Vidal · writer
- Cast and characters
- Malcolm McDowell · Caligula; Teresa Ann Savoy · Drusilla; Helen Mirren · Caesonia; Peter O'Toole · Tiberius; John Steiner; John Gielgud · Nerva
- Genres
- historical drama; epic
- Themes
- absolute power corrupts absolutely; madness
- Tone and mood
- decadent; violent
- Premise and plot tags
- historical; biographical; political
- Source material / true-story basis
- novel
- Content notes
- sexual content
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews but gained notoriety as a cult classic for its political content and historical portrayal.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: 100 · review count: 6
- Production trivia
- The film was the first to feature unsimulated sex scenes on French television in 1985.; The production was so large that Tinto Brass reportedly shot enough film to make the original version of Ben-Hur about 50 times over.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…