JASON ROBARDS AS BRUTUS

When Charles Champlin writes in “In the Arena” (Book Review Oct. 15) that Jason Robards gave a terrible performance in “Antony and Cleopatra,” he is confusing that film with “Julius Caesar,” in which Robards played Brutus opposite Charlton Heston’s Mark Antony in 1970. Robards could handle Shakespeare; I saw him give a dynamic performance as Hotspur at Stratford, Conn., but he was indeed terrible as Brutus, reading his lines metronomically. As for the failure of Heston’s film of “Antony and Cleopatra” (1973). Heston was fine as Antony and inventive as a director with a low budget; the problem was Hildegard Neil’s bland performance as Cleopatra.

ROBERT E. MORSBERGER, CLAREMONT