Spartacus (1960)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons
Synopsis:
A Thracian slave trained as a gladiator leads a revolt that nearly brings Rome to its knees.
Impressions:
Even people who have never seen this movie know "I am Spartacus." This is a grand sword-and-sandals epic with breathtaking scope and some amazing performances. Kirk Douglas acts as the cornerstone, buttressed by such greats as Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, and Peter Ustinov. There are a lot of layers to the story and all feel rather rewarding. So often I find romantic subplots to be weak, but the love story between Spartacus and Varinia is strong. The political machinations on the Roman side is every bit as intriguing as Spartacus' story. I used to think of Crassus as the disposable third partner of the First Triumvirate, but a closer examination of the history tells otherwise and this movie really plays up what a big deal he was. Just about anything you like to see in a movie, you'll find it here. I highly recommend it.
Own It