Spartacus (motion picture)

Spartacus (motion picture), dramatization of the life of the leader of a slave rebellion in the Roman Empire in the year 73 bc, based on the novel by Howard Fast. Released in 1960, this Academy Award-winning film was directed by Stanley Kubrick and stars Kirk Douglas as Spartacus the slave. The head of a gladiator school rescues Spartacus from execution and trains him to fight in the arenas against his comrades for the amusement of the decadent upper class. After his gladiator friend Draba is murdered and his girlfriend Varinia is dragged off to be a concubine for the evil Roman Marcus Licinius Crassus, Spartacus leads a revolution and overthrows the gladiator school. The triumphant slaves make a deal with pirates to take them away from Italy, but Marcus plots against them, hoping that their capture will increase his power in the government. This box-office hit film features a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo, credited on screen for the first time since the blacklist due to the insistence of executive producer Kirk Douglas. This act effectively broke the blacklist.

Directors

• Stanley Kubrick
• Anthony Mann

Cast

• Kirk Douglas (Spartacus)
• Laurence Olivier (Marcus Licinius Crassus)
• Tony Curtis (Antoninus)
• Jean Simmons (Varinia)
• Charles Laughton (Gracchus)
• Peter Ustinov (Lentulus Batiatus)
• John Gavin (Julius Caesar)
• Nina Foch (Helena Glabrus)
• Herbert Lom (Tigranes)
• John Ireland (Crixus)
• John Dall (Glabrus)
• Charles McGraw (Marcellus)
• Joanna Barnes (Claudia Marius)
• Woody Strode (Draba)
• Harold J. Stone (David)
• Peter Brocco (Ramon)
• Paul Lambert (Gannicus)
• Robert J. Wilke (Guard captain)
• Nick Dennis (Dionysius)
• John Hoyt (Caius)
• Frederic Worlock (Laelius)
• Dayton Lummis (Symmachus)
• Lili Valenty (Old crone)
• Jil Jarmyn (Julia)
• Jo Summers (Slave girl)
• Autumn Russell (Slave girl)
• Kay Stewart (Slave girl)
• Lynda Williams (Slave girl)
• Louise Vincent (Slave girl)
• James Griffith (Otho)
• Joe Haworth (Marius)
• Dale Van Sickel (Trainer)
• Vinton Haworth (Metallius)
• Carleton Young (Herald)
• Hallene Hill (Beggar woman)
• Paul E. Burns (Fimbria)
• Leonard Penn (Garrison officer)
• Harry Harvey, Jr. (Slave)
• Eddie Parker (Slave)
• Harold Goodwin (Slave)
• Chuck Roberson (Slave)
• Saul Gorss (Slave leader)
• Charles Horvath (Slave leader)
• Gil Perkins (Slave leader)
• Dick Crockett (Guard)
• Harvey Parry (Guard)
• Rod Normond (Guard)
• Larry Perron (Guard)
• Carey Loftin (Guard)
• Bob Morgan (Gladiator)
• Reg Parton (Gladiator)
• Tom Steele (Gladiator)
• Aaron Saxon (Gladiator)
• Wally Rose (Gladiator)
• Ken Terrell (Ad lib)
• Boyd 'Red' Morgan (Ad lib)
• Otto Malde (Roman general)
• Bob Burns (Pirate)
• Seamon Glass (Pirate)
• George Robotham (Pirate)
• Harold Kruger (Pirate)
• Chuck Courtney (Soldier)
• Russ Saunders (Soldier)
• Valley Keene (Soldier)
• Tap Canutt (Soldier)
• Joe Canutt (Soldier)
• Wayne Van Horn (Soldier)
• Brad Harris (Soldier)
• Jerry Brown (Soldier)
• Chuck Hayward (Soldier)
• Buff Brady (Soldier)
• Cliff Lyons (Soldier)
• Rube Schaffer (Soldier)
• Ted De Corsia (Legionnaire)
• Arthur Batanides (Legionnaire)
• Bob Stevenson (Legionnaire)
• Terence de Marney (Major domo)

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (1960): Sir Peter Ustinov
• Academy Award for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration—Color (1960): Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom—Art Direction, Russell A. Gausman, Julia Heron—Set Decoration
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography—Color (1960): Russell Metty
• Academy Award for Best Costume Design—Color (1960): Bill Thomas, Valles
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture—Drama (1960)

Trivia

• Director Kubrick was brought in by executive producer/star Kirk Douglas after disagreements with the film’s original director, Anthony Mann. Kubrick was unhappy with the moralizing tone of the script though, and this was the last film he made where he didn’t have complete control over all aspects of production. His next film was Lolita (1962)
• Over 8500 extras were used for the battle between the Roman troops and Spartacus's slave army. Some gruesome dismemberment shots were cut from the film due to pressure from the Legion of Decency. Also cut (but later included with the film’s restoration in 1991) was the scene where bisexual Marcus Licinius attempts to seduce Antonius, the singer of songs, in the bathhouse.

Quotes

• Draba (to Spartacus, upon being asked his name): “You don’t want to know my name. I don’t want to know your name. Gladiators don’t make friends. If we’re ever matched in the arena together, I’ll have to kill you.”