ALMOST a fantastic epic (some spoilers)

Rating: Null/10 (30 June 2004)

For me, this was a very good film. First thing is the cast. It is excellently casted. Second thing is the story: wonderful, passionate and tragically heroic. But there were somethings for me which perhaps spoiled it a little. But first let me praise the excellent things. Kirk Douglas, as the rebellious slave Spartacus; was terrific and most convincing. Jean Simmons as the lovely Virinia, was perfect in character as she was in beauty. Laurence Olivier, as always, was perfectly casted as the cruel ambitious General Craccuss; it was he that really made the film what it was. Peter Ustinov was also very good; and Charles Laughton was convincing to. So there you have a range of very fine actors; all suited to their parts. Well done Stanley Kubrick. But there were a few actors casted I did not like. First was Julius Ceaser. In this film, Ceaser is at the very start of his reign. Despite some moderate convincing portrayal, a nineteen-year-old looking Julius does not do much for me. He looked as though he had just rolled out of some American football team. Good looking though he was, he was in no way near the character which we know Ceaser to be; nor did he act like any sort of ruler. Secondly was Marcus Glaborous. Glaborous was drawled American-style by John Dall. Once again, despite some convincing acting, this ruined it for me. Every time he spoke, I felt I was being pulled out of the might of Rome to the yanky style of a western. Thirdly, and least importantly; apparently none of it is historically correct to the original tale. But despite all of this, I must say I enjoyed it; and prefer it considerably to the modern take-offs like Gladiator. The finest for me was Laurence Olivier, who sort of patched up some of the poorer cast. Despite all this AGAIN, I recommend it if you enjoy historic tension, romance, and a devastating battle... and its great to see Olivier in his blood-thirsty role.