Spartacus (1960)

Director:

Stanley Kubrick
(more)

Writers:

Howard Fast (novel)
Dalton Trumbo (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

7 October 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

The slave Spartacus leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman empire.

Plot Keywords:

Slave | Spartacus | Senator | Murder | Love

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Spartacus
Laurence Olivier	...	Marcus Licinius Crassus
Jean Simmons	...	Varinia
Charles Laughton	...	Sempronius Gracchus
Peter Ustinov	...	Lentulus Batiatus
John Gavin	...	Julius Caesar
Nina Foch	...	Helena Glabrus
John Ireland	...	Crixus
Herbert Lom	...	Tigranes Levantus
John Dall	...	Marcus Publius Glabrus
Charles McGraw	...	Marcellus
Joanna Barnes	...	Claudia Marius
Harold J. Stone	...	David
Woody Strode	...	Draba
Peter Brocco	...	Ramon
Paul Lambert	...	Gannicus
Robert J. Wilke	...	Guard captain
Nick Dennis	...	Dionysius (as Nicholas Dennis)
John Hoyt	...	Caius
Frederick Worlock	...	Laelius (as Frederic Worlock)
Tony Curtis	...	Antoninus
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arthur Batanides	...	Legionnaire (uncredited)
Bill Blackburn	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Buff Brady	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Rudy Bukich	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Bob Burns	...	Pirate (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	Fimbria (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Tap Canutt	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Al Carmichael	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	...	Guard (uncredited)
Carol Daniels	...	Christian girl (uncredited)
Ted de Corsia	...	Legionnaire (uncredited)
Terence de Marney	...	Majordomo (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Beheaded man (uncredited)
Roy Engel	...	(uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	(uncredited)
Charlotte Fletcher	...	Mother with Child (uncredited)
Robert Fuller	...	Extra (uncredited)
Seamon Glass	...	Pirate (uncredited)
Joe Gold	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Slave (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Slave leader (uncredited)
James Griffith	...	Otho (uncredited)
Brad Harris	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Harry Harvey Jr.	...	Slave (uncredited)
Joe Haworth	...	Marius (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Vinton Hayworth	...	Metallius (uncredited)
Hallene Hill	...	Beggar woman (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	...	Slave leader (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Jil Jarmyn	...	Julia (uncredited)
Valley Keene	...	Soldier (uncredited)
George Kennedy	...	Rebel soldier (uncredited)
Aron Kincaid	...	Crassus' standard-bearer (uncredited)
Irvin 'Zabo' Koszewski	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Stubby Kruger	...	Pirate (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	...	Guard (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	Symmachus (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Gordon Mitchell	...	(uncredited)
Bob Morgan	...	Galeno (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	...	Slave (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	...	Guard (uncredited)
Regis Parton	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Leonard Penn	...	Garrison officer (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Slave leader (uncredited)
Vic Perrin	...	Narrator (uncredited)
Bill Raisch	...	Soldier Whose Arm is Hacked Off (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	...	Slave (uncredited)
George Robotham	...	Pirate (uncredited)
Autumn Russell	...	Slave girl (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Charles Schaeffer	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Jim Sears	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Tom Steele	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Robert Stevenson	...	Legionnaire (uncredited)
Jo Summers	...	Slave girl (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Trainer (uncredited)
Louise Vincent	...	Slave at Gracchus' home (uncredited)
Carleton Young	...	Herald (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kubrick
Anthony Mann		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Howard Fast		(novel)
Dalton Trumbo		(writer)
Calder Willingham		(battle scenes) uncredited
Peter Ustinov		uncredited

Produced by
Kirk Douglas	....	executive producer
James C. Katz	....	producer (1991 restoration)
Edward Lewis	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Russell Metty		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Lawrence
Irving Lerner		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Alexander Golitzen

Art Direction by
Eric Orbom

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Julia Heron

Costume Design by
Valles
William Ware Theiss		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist
Jay Sebring	....	hair designer: Kirk Douglas (uncredited)

Production Management
Norman Deming	....	unit production manager
Eduardo García Maroto	....	unit production manager: Spain (uncredited)
Tadeo Villalba	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marshall Green	....	assistant director
Joseph E. Kenney	....	assistant director
Foster H. Phinney	....	assistant director (as Foster Phinney)
Charles Scott	....	assistant director
James Welch	....	assistant director
Yakima Canutt	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Irving Lerner	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Julio Sempere	....	third assistant director (uncredited in original version)
Robert Webb	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (1991 restoration)
James Bolt	....	sound re-recording mixer 1991 restoration
Joel Fein	....	sound re-recording mixer 1991 restoration
Mark Gordon	....	sound effects editor (1991 restoration)
David W. Gray	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (1991 restoration) (as David Gray)
Gib Jaffe	....	sound effects editor (1991 restoration)
Joe Lapis	....	sound
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist (1991 restoration)
Ronald Pierce	....	sound
Karin Roulo	....	foley mixer (1991 restoration)
Murray Spivack	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound
Glenn E. Anderson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Jack Foley	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Steve Kohler	....	foley recordist: 1991 restoration (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wah Chang	....	creator: forced perspective figures (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Paul Rutan Jr.	....	manager of optical operations 1991 restoration
Peter Ellenshaw	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Yakima Canutt	....	stunt coordinator
Ray Austin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Benson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Norman Bishop	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buff Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Bruggeman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ron Burke	....	stunts (uncredited)
Polly Burson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wayne Burson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tap Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Yakima Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Louie Elias	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brad Harris	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stubby Kruger	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Michael Masters	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Miles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regis Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Peterson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Robotham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wally Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charles Schaeffer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Shannon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Sharp	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don Turner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)
Red West	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Fortenberry Jr.	....	camera operations 1991 restoration
Bob Rose	....	additional grip
John Rupkalvis	....	camera operations 1991 restoration
Clifford Stine	....	cinematographer: additional scenes
William Read Woodfield	....	still photographer
George Dye	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Harry L. Wolf	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ditta Peruzzi	....	wardrobe (as Peruzzi)
Bill Thomas	....	costumes: Miss Simmons

Editorial Department
Fred A. Chulack	....	assistant film editor (as Fred Chulack)
Robert Lawrence	....	editorial consultant (1991 restoration)
David Orr	....	color timer (1991 restoration)
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter (1991 restoration)
Robert Schulte	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	music supervisor
Joseph Gershenson	....	score co-conductor
Alex North	....	conductor
Arnold Schwarzwald	....	music editor
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Samuel Matlovsky	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
David Tamkin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	design consultant
Robert A. Harris	....	1991 reconstruction and restoration
Michael Hyatt	....	production assistant (1991 restoration)
Stan Margulies	....	production aide
Vittorio Nino Novarese	....	historical and technical advisor

Production Companies

• Bryna Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures France (UPF) (1961) (France) (theatrical)
• Bio-Kuva (1962) (Finland) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Väinän Filmi (1968) (Finland) (theatrical) (70 mm print)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Esselte Video (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CIC Video (1992) (Finland) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS) (restored version)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC Video (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (HD-DVD) (restored) (uncut)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Costumi d'Arte Peruzzi  wardrobe
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording

Also Known As:

Spartacus: Rebel Against Rome (USA) (poster title)
Espartaco (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Spartacus (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Spartacus (France) [fr]
Spartacus (Finland) [fi]
Spartak (Yugoslavia: Serbian title) [sr]
Spartaküs (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Spartakus (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

184 min (premiere version) | Sweden:187 min (1968 re-release) | UK:197 min (1991 re-release) | USA:161 min (1967 re-release) | USA:198 min (1991 restored version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints, restored version) | Mono (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm prints, original release)

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (1967 version) | Canada:G (Quebec) (restored version) | Spain:13 | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-14 (1992) | Finland:K-16 (1962) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:12 | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:AA (Ontario) (restored version) | Canada:G (Manitoba) (1967 version) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) (restored version) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original release) | Denmark:15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:12 (video rating) | Norway:16 (1963) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (restored version) | West Germany:16 | UK:A (original rating) (cut)

Filming Locations:

Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Bryna Productions

Trivia:

Contrary to what the book and film portray, the historical Spartacus was born free in Thrace (modern-day Bulgaria) and may have served in the Thracian army or even the Roman army in Macedonia (Rome often impressed soldiers of armies it had defeated into its own army). It is thought that he was either captured in battle or deserted the army and later captured (depends on what side he fought on) and then sold into slavery.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When climbing the balcony during the revolt, Draba reacts to being hit with the spear before it actually reaches him.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: In the last century before the birth of the new faith called Christianity, which was destined to overthrow the pagan tyranny of Rome and bring about a new society, the Roman Republic stood at the very center of the civilized world. "Of all things fairest," sang the poet...

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains (2003) (TV)

A Triumph of Spirit Over Oppression?

As a historical epic, 'Spartacus' stands out from the crowd.

The film has the basic theme of 'force' versus 'an idea'. One man - Spartacus- has the idea of freedom, which is pitted through his slave army against the entire force of the Roman Empire.

In Spartacus's eventual defeat, force seems to be victorious, but we know with hindsight that it is Spartacus' idea that finally prevails, albeit long after his death, with the abolition of slavery. As the opening narration makes clear, as a young man Spartacus would dream of the death of slavery - "two thousand years before it finally would die." Kirk Douglas gives an inspiring performance as the brutalised and uneducated slave rising above his degradation to find love, leadership and high ideals.

The film closely interweaves the fate of Spartacus with that of Roman politics. His slave rebellion contributes to the fall of Gracchus, the main Republican advocate, and the corresponding rise of authoritarian Crassus. In a way, Spartacus is portrayed as a catalyst for a new era of Roman dictatorship under the Caesars; by suppressing his slave rebellion, Rome sets itself irrevocably on a path away from Republic and freedom, and perhaps confirms its eventual downfall. Some historical licence, no doubt; but a thought-provoking concept.

Unlike many other Roman epics such as 'Ben-Hur' and 'The Robe', the film does not have a Christian motif. However, 'Spartacus' epitomises the triumph of the human spirit in a way that few movies do. Even after his death, not only Spartacus' son but his spirit lives on,if only in man's perennial cry for freedom. The slave leader's resolve, and his will to freedom, remain true to the end.

Considering that it was made in 1960, the film's confronting of hard themes is notable. For example, we have the hint of forbidden homosexual/ bisexual desires from Crassus to Antoninus; the seeming death and failure (but perhaps ultimate victory)for the hero, who traditionally should triumph; and unpleasant scenes involving battlefields and rows of crucified bodies.

The movie is helped by an excellent cast, an evocative score and Stanley Kubrick's direction. The sets and costumes also show great attention to detail, so that ancient Roman society comes alive.

Overall a most entertaining and inspiring movie.