Spartacus 1960

     The time period of this film is 73 B.C., it is based on a novel by Howard Fast and inspired by a true story.  A Thracian slave leads a revolt at a gladiator training school run by Lentulus Batiatus.  More and more slaves join their movement.  Their plan is to acquire ships from Silesian pirates if they can raise enough money?  They want to be transported to other lands from Bransisium in the south.  The Roman Senate plans to send an army against the slaves while they are still in Vesuvius.  Marcus Publius Galbrus is sent to lead the army and the slave army defeats him.  Next, General Marcus Licinius Crassus leads his own army against the slaves.  Spartacus is the leader of the freed slaves and there are thousands of them.  The slaves make their way to Brandisium but the Silesians have abandoned them and there are no ships in the port.  They must turn north and face the mighty army of Rome.

     I watched this film in sessions because of the extended length.  It is truly an epic film.  The gladiators revolted and killed their guards because noblemen and women came from Rome and they wanted to watch a fight to the death.  The women selected the fighters.  One of the gladiators refused to kill the other gladiator and one of the noblemen killed him.  Normally, the gladiators were training and there were no fights to the death of one of the men.  I can see how all of the men, women and children in the group of slaves would want to be free from ill treatment and bondage.  4* (I really liked this movie)    

       

197 min, Adventure directed by Stanley Kubrick with Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Nina Foch, John Ireland, Herbert Lom, John Dall, Charles McGraw, Joanna Barnes, Harold J. Stone, Woody Strode, Peter Brocco, Tony Curtis.

Note:  Imdb 7.9 out of 10, 96% critic 87% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*, Metacritic 87 out of 100 with 17 critics 7.7 out of 10 with 22 reviews, Amazon 4.5* out of 5* with 854 reviews.

Special Note:  Originally Anthony Mann was the director but he had a major falling out with Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick was brought in.  Douglas also had a difficult time with Kubrick.  The only sequence filmed by Mann was the salt mines in the beginning.  Kubrick was not given control of the script and he felt it was full of stupid moralizing?  Peter Ustinov’s daughter was born at the beginning of production.  He joked that she would be in kindergarten by the time the movie was finished!!

Awards:  Academy Award for Best Actor in Supporting Role for Peter Ustinov.  Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography and a BAFTA Award for Best Picture.