Spartacus

Rating:
Summary: Kubrick directs a truly unmatched cast
Review: Spartacus was made in the same era of grand epics as "The Ten Commandments" and "Cleopatra", and it does so with a script that holds water against any of them and a cast that would make other studio executives jealous.

Blacklisted Dalton Trumbo was hired by Kirk Douglas - effectively ending the blacklist era by crediting Trumbo under his own name rather than a pseudonym. Trumbo filled the screenplay with dastardly villains, slave-traders who were good for a laugh, and heroes with a moral conviction that is conspicuous in contrast with the moral ambiguity rampant in our current society.

Spartacus was born a slave, we are told in the prologue, but dreamed of the end of slavery. The Rome of the day is brought to brilliant life by several superlative supporting performances. Charles Laughton is truly impressive as Gracchus - a Senator who is both idealistic and realistic. Peter Ustinov received a supporting actor Oscar for Batiatus - a slave trader with the best sense of humor in the movie who recognizes that he is lower class, but enjoys rubbing shoulders with the Roman Senators who buy his slaves and gladiators. Lawrence Olivier is astonishing and dominates all of his scenes as Senator/General Crassus, who is more ambitious than any of them, but is also keenly aware that he can't LOOK ambitious in his drive to rule Rome.

Crassus, interestingly enough, "swings both ways", which is brought out in a scene where he is being bathed by his new slave Antoninus, played by Tony Curtis. He leads Antoninus along a verbal discussion about variety of taste - which he points out is different than appetite. Some people prefer oysters.... some prefer snails - he gets Antoninus to agree. Then he tells his young slave "I like snails *AND* oysters".

There are some wonderful scenes. Early in the film Spartacus is one of four young gladiators who are unexpectedly brought to the arena to fight to the death when Crassus shows up with two women who have a taste to watch some killing. The first two gladiators are brought from their holding cage into the arena, but the camera stays with Kirk Douglas as Spartacus and Woody Strobe as the Ethiopian gladiator. Not a word is spoken between the two of them as the tension builds and they listen to the sound of their two comrades fighting to the death.

Spartacus later leads a slave rebellion which results in a slave army that at one point overwhelms six co-horts of the garrison of Rome. Many intrigues are played out as Spartacus tries to make a plan of escape for his slave army since they obviously can't stay in Italy. Pirates are commissioned to meet the slave army at a port town and the efforts of Spartacus to escape and Crassus to thwart him make up much of the meat of the movie.

Jean Simmons is on hand as another slave who is first "given" to Spartacus for a night for his progress as a gladiator, then later becomes Mrs. Spartacus. The scene where she is brought to his cell is poignant as Spartacus tells her that he has never had a woman, but he yells at the watching guards that he will not just have sex with this woman so that they can watch at their pleasure. Like the Elephant Man, he bellows "I am not an animal!"

Spartacus concisely depicts courage and conviction and honor - and it also equally depicts the opposite of those desirable qualities. Well-balanced and entertaining, the three-plus hour run time flew by.



Rating:
Summary: kubriks only true story film
Review: the story is about a slave revolt in ancient times.i wonder if the people spartacus represented get free stuff in that country still like the slaves families here do.probably not.americas the only country stupid enough to care about such nonsense.its a little violent for kids but this is 1960s violence so its not so bad.stanley kubrik directs so you know its a great one.those interested in history or just good old fighting will enjoy this one the most.it is,like i said ,true.the chicks are all dirty and poor.the main character is a slave after all.another great film by stanley kubrik!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Sing us a song, Antoninus
Review: An incisive meditation on the nature of power and the courage of living life in the face of certain doom -- but above all, the movie that asks the eternal question: oysters or snails?

Rating:
Summary: This My Friends is an EPIC
Review: And films like 'Gladiator' will copy it again and again...
But Sparticus is probably the best of the genre (a genre I don't particularly care for - though it lets thousands of extras have there moment of glory)
But see this one for Olivier, Ustinov, and Laughton who are amusing to say the least.

Rating:
Summary: Epic in scope, but not completely
Review: Kubrick's Spartacus is one of many epic movies of its time. With the grandiose settings Kubrick recreates the vastness of Rome. However, that is only one significance of this movie, because it is really about Kirk Douglas's character, Spartacus. Spartacus is a slave among many slaves. Enslaved around the young age of 13, this life in chains is about all he knows. That is until, at a gladiatorial training camp, Spartacus becomes the unlikely hero and starts a slave revolt at the camp. It is Spartacus's cool head and clear thinking that makes him the leader of the slaves, yet he is a humble sort just, like Mel Gibson in Braveheart, just trying to be free.

Epic movies were made around this type of character, such as Braveheart, Dr. Zhivago, and Lawrence of Arabia. Therefore, it is only natural that this story be told, because it is different than Ben Hur. The movie goes along like almost any epic, a spattering of action with peaceful interludes of thinking and conversation. This movie is not more spectacular than all the other movies of its type. In fact it is rather plain, as it allows you to fall into the character's minds and hearts but does not force you. This movie is only so gripping, like that song you play for dinner party atmosphere but nothing else. One thing is for sure though. Kubrick did a good job at making the movie at all, especially at such a young age. However, I feel that the best rating out of five whole stars, which I can deem it, is a three star rating.


Rating:
Summary: Chronicle of a great Revolt.
Review: "Spartacus" (1960) is a great film recreating the last of the "Servile Revolts" that occurred in Ancient Rome. The very name of the main character has been engraved in the collective imaginary, as a synonym for "Freedom Fighter".

The story takes place in 73-71 BC, the last period of the Roman Republic, when a new Imperial style was in the making. The confronting parties inside Rome are represented by two Senators: historical, but inexactly subscribed to the Aristocratic Party, Marcus Licinius Crasus (an excellent Laurence Olivier in one of his major movie performances) and the fictional Sempronius Gracchus (fleshed by an inspired Charles Laughton). This last one is inspired in the historical character of the People's Tribune Gracchus, assassinated around fifty years earlier. Disregarding these "historical licenses", the factions are accurate.
Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) is a slave sent from the mines to the gladiators' school of Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov's great performance, which allowed him to win the Oscar to Best Supporting Actor). Here he is trained ruthlessly and reaches his "turning point" when a fellow gladiator (Woody Strode) spares his life at the cost of being slain.
From here on, an unquenched libertarian fire sprouts from him, infecting his gladiator pals in an epic uprising that almost destroyed the mighty Roman Republic.

The gladiators' school and its daily life are very well reconstructed (by the way if you are interested in the subject read "The Gladiator. The Secret History of Rome's Warrior Slaves" by Alan Baker).
The battle scenes are very good and remain unsurpassed until very recently, when new techniques are available to the cinema industry. The evolutions of the Roman Legions on the terrain are historically accurate.

A great film from "Hollywood Golden Age" winner of several Oscars. Very commendable for Epic Film lovers.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.