Master of Epics

Rating: 9/10 (5 September 2007)

After many, many viewings on TV and VHS, I finally was able to watch "Spartacus" on a big screen, in all the Technicolor glory of the 1991 restoration. What an amazing film, it still moved me, even though I know many of the scenes by heart.
I question those who watch this, and then comment, "What was the point? After all, everyone associated with the rebellion ended up dead, except a woman and a baby." These people are missing the entire theme of the movie, I believe. As Kirk Douglas himself says, late in the film, "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." The many scenes of Spartacus' motley army of all ages emphasize the joy that these people experienced during their liberation, however brief it may have been. They follow Spartacus willingly, enthusiastically, because he has restored their human dignity.
I must praise the acting in this film. Ustinov, Laughton, Douglas, Simmons are all fantastic, but Olivier just mesmerized me, every second he was on screen. So smooth, so cunning, so ruthless yet charming and polite, his Crassus is an unforgettable character. Just observe his body language throughout "Spartacus", he leaves no doubt that this man is in command. His vulnerability when he is romancing Varinia at the end is a stark contrast to the bemused arrogance that is his normal attitude. Those scenes actually allow us to see Crassus as human, and therefore, incredibly, Olivier makes us sympathize with his frustration at his rejection by Varinia.
A great epic film, featuring several outstanding performances, I recommend "Spartacus" to anyone who likes grand adventure served up with a measure of intelligence, intrigue, and dry humor. A true classic.
"I shall not violate Rome at the moment of possessing her"