Spartacus (1960) | |
| Director(s) | Stanley Kubrick |
| Producer(s) | Kirk Douglas (executive), Edward Lewis |
| Top Genres | Action, Adventure, Biographical, Drama, Historical |
| Top Topics | Ancient World, Book-Based, Freedom |
Featured Cast:
Spartacus Overview:
Spartacus (1960) was a Action - Adventure Film directed by Stanley Kubrick and produced by Kirk Douglas and Edward Lewis.
The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Howard Fast published in 1951.
SYNOPSIS
Director Kubrick marshals the proverbial cast of thousands in an early example of his celebrated concern for authenticity. The result is one of the finest movie depictions of the ancient Roman world. Douglas gives a muscular, emotional performance as a slave brought to the Roman gladiator school by its master, Ustinov. There he befriends and then bests Strode in an unwanted contest to the death staged for the pleasure of senator Olivier. When guards taunt Douglas with the news that Olivier has taken away Simmons, the slave girl with whom he's in love, Douglas leads a slave rebellion that shakes the foundations of the empire. Though the epic struggle ends with Douglas's crucifixion, Simmons lifts up to him his free son before he dies. Director Anthony Mann was replaced with Kubrick by executive producer Douglas after the first scenes. Trumbo's compelling script was his first after being blacklisted. The film's stunning music score was composed by Alex North.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
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Academy Awards 1960 --- Ceremony Number 33 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Supporting Actor | Peter Ustinov | Won |
| Best Art Direction | Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom; Set Decoration: Russell A. Gausman, Julia Heron | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Russell Metty | Won |
| Best Costume Design | Valles, Bill Thomas | Won |
| Best Film Editing | Robert Lawrence | Nominated |
| Best Music - Scoring | Alex North | Nominated |
BlogHub Articles:
Spartacus (1960)
By Beatrice on Mar 8, 2017 From Flickers in TimeSpartacus Directed by Stanley Kubrick Written by Dalton Trumbo from a novel by Howard Fast 1960/USA Bryna Productions Repeat viewing/Netflix rental One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die I am not big on 3 1/2 hour sword-and-sandal epics. ?This one is so grand, however, that it keeps my i... Read full article
Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier Blogathon: Spartacus
By Virginie Pronovost on Nov 3, 2015 From The Wonderful World of CinemaOn November 5, 2015, Vivien Leigh, my 8th favourite actress would have celebrated her 102nd birthday. Even if she has left us since the very young age of 53, that’s not a reason why my friend Joey from Wolffian Classic Movies Digest wouldn’t honour her with a blogathon! Vivien Leigh is a... Read full article
Spartacus (1960)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Apr 4, 2014 From 4 Star FilmsIn this epic film starring Kirk Douglas and directed by Stanley Kubrick, a slave turned gladiator leads a revolt against the Roman empire. Spartacus leads his fellow?plebeians?in a sacking and burning of the countryside while slowly gaining followers. Along the way he is reunited with his love (Jean... Read full article
Spartacus (1960)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Apr 4, 2014 From 4 Star FilmsIn this epic film starring Kirk Douglas and directed by Stanley Kubrick, a slave turned gladiator leads a revolt against the Roman empire. Spartacus leads his fellow?plebeians?in a sacking and burning of the countryside while slowly gaining followers. Along the way he is reunited with his love (Jean... Read full article
Spartacus
By Alyson on Jul 9, 2013 From The Best Picture Project1960?s Spartacus was a laborious film for all involved. ?After one week of filming under Anthony Mann?s direction, Stanley Kubrick took over as director. ?Working with a script by blacklisted Dalton Trumbo that feels pulled between political views of the time and a main character paralleling Moses, ... Read full article
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Quotes from
Lentulus Biatatus: Yes. In fact, if it isn't too subversive to say so, I made him what he is today.
[on a gladiator who had wanted to see Rome]
Spartacus: He has no need. Rome has come to us.
Tigranes Levantus: If you looked into a magic crystal, you saw your army destroyed and yourself dead. If you saw that in the future, as I'm sure you're seeing it now, would you continue to fight?
Spartacus: Yes.
Tigranes Levantus: Knowing that you must lose?
Spartacus: Knowing we can. All men lose when they die and all men die. But a slave and a free man lose different things.
Tigranes Levantus: They both lose life.
Spartacus: When a free man dies, he loses the pleasure of life. A slave loses his pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That's why he's not afraid of it. That's why we'll win.
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Facts about
Laurence Olivier, while researching on the Romans for his role, learnt that the Romans rode without a saddle, so he followed likewise and rode saddleless in his horseback scenes. This proved a great hindrance, as there was no saddle to keep him steady while the horse was in even the slightest motion, and he kept wobbling throughout his horseback scenes. Eventually Kubrick forced Olivier to film his horseback scenes on a ladder.
Of the 167 days it took Stanley Kubrick to shoot this film, six weeks were spent directing an elaborate battle sequence in which 8,500 extras re-created the clash between the Roman troops and Spartacus' slave army. Several scenes in the battle drew the ire of the Legion of Decency and were therefore cut. These include shots of men being dismembered (dwarfs with false torsos and an actor with only one arm Bill Raisch, the "One-Armed Man" of The Fugitive fame with a phony breakaway limb as a Roman soldier who has his arm cut off in battle were used to give authenticity). Seven years later, when the Oscar-winning film was reissued, an additional 22 minutes were chopped out, including a scene in which Varinia watches Spartacus writhe in agony on a cross. Her line, "Oh, please die, my darling" was excised, and the scene was cut to make it appear that Spartacus was already dead.
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