“Spartacus” (1960) directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Tony Curtis and Woody Strode / Z-View

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Spartacus (1960)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Screenplay: Dalton Trumbo; based on SPARTACUS by Howard Fast.

Stars:  Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Tony Curtis, John Ireland, Herbert Lom, John Dall, Charles McGraw, Harold J. Stone, Hume Cronyn, Richard Farnsworth and Woody Strode.

Tagline: They trained him to kill for their pleasure. . .but they trained him a little too well. . .

The Plot…

Spartacus, a Thracian slave, is so rebellious that he is sentenced to die.  Before the execution is carried out, Lentulus Batiatus buys Spartacus. Batiatus trains former slaves to become gladiators.  These gladiators will die fighting each other to provide entertainment for rich and powerful Romans.

Spartacus’ rebellious ways continue at the school for gladiators.  Pushed to his limit, Spartacus fights back against one of his oppressors.  To his (and everyone’s surprise) the other gladiators-in-training join in Spartacus’ revolt.

Spartacus and his well-trained gladiators move from village to village freeing slaves along the way.  Most freed slaves join the rebellion.

Rome is worried.  The slave uprising must be put down.   So the most powerful army in the world turns its sights on Spartacus.  The revolt must be crushed!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Spartacus was nominated for six 1961 Academy Awards and won four…

  • Nominee for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture – Alex North
  • Nominee for Best Film Editing – Robert Lawrence
  • Winner for Best Costume Design, Color– Valles, Bill Thomas
  • Winner for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color – Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom, Russell A. Gausman, Julia Heron
  • Winner for Best Cinematography, Color – Russell Metty
  • Winner for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Peter Ustinov

Anthony Mann was the original director of Spartacus.  Creative differences between Mann and Kirk Douglas led to Stanley Kubrick coming on as director.  The salt mine locations were the only Mann directed scenes to make the final cut.  Ironically, Douglas and Kubrick also had major creative differences.

A few years after the release of Spartacus, Anthony Mann directed Kirk Douglas in The Heroes of Telemark.

Stanley Kubrick disliked the working conditions of this film.  It is the only “work-for-hire” credit on his resume.  On every other Kubrick film, he had complete control.

A scene cut for the original release was restored in 1991.  It is the scene where Marcus Licinius Crassus (Sir Laurence Olivier) attempts to seduce Antoninus (Tony Curtis) using inuendo of snails and oysters.  The original soundtrack was lost.  Curtis re-recorded his lines.  Since Olivier had died, Anthony Hopkins (who was known to imitate Olivier’s voice) was brought in to re-record Olivier’s lines.  Hopkins is thanked in the updated credits

The 1991 restoration contains exactly four additional minutes of footage than the original release.  Two minutes are the famous “snails and oysters” scene with the additional two minutes going to the overture, intermission, and exit music.

Kirk Douglas said that he made Spartacus because he was turned down for the lead in Ben-Hur.

I was surprised to see Hume Cronyn as a gladiator!

Spartacus is a classic.  A film everyone should see.

Spartacus (1960) rates 5 of 5 stars.