Kirk Douglas' movie

Rating: Null/10 (22 April 2003)

I realise it is the norm to refer to a film as the director's 'baby' as in "Ridley Scott's 'Alien'". However, to refer to "Stanley Kubrick's 'Spartacus'" I find ridiculous. Clearly, it is Kirk Douglas' movie through and through and he employed Kubrick for his undoubted skills as a filmmaker. Not withstanding Kubrick devotees, "Spartacus" will be remembered as Kirk Douglas' movie and (IMHO) rightly so.
Outstanding performances abound - Douglas, Olivier, Laughton and Ustinov are all outstanding - whilst, as comparisons with "Ben-Hur" are often made, perhaps shares its only weakness with the other great epic in that the love story elements are a little mushy today. However, the romance between Spartacus and Varinia is more engaging than that of Judah Ben-Hur and Esther. For Antoninus to proclaim his love for Spartacus - having just been terminally wounded by him - was rather cringe-worthy it must be said.
Pushed to it, I still prefer "Ben-Hur" and the somewhat maligned "El Cid" but "Spartacus" remains a classic.
I liked "Gladiator" very much too - and while it is not a competition - I do think "Spartacus" is the better movie.