Spartacus
Movie, 1960, The '60s, Set in Rome, 73 BC
Spartacus is #5 of 13 in release order and #5 of 13 in chronological order in the Stanley Kubrick.
The story
The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.
Spartacus recap
Spartacus (1960) tells the story of a Thracian slave trained as a gladiator who leads a revolt that shakes the Roman Republic. Stanley Kubrick took over direction from Anthony Mann early in the shoot, working from Dalton Trumbo's script of Howard Fast's novel for star and producer Kirk Douglas. Spartacus (Douglas) is bought by Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov) for his gladiator school in Capua, where he falls for the slave Varinia (Jean Simmons). When Roman visitors demand a fight to the death for their amusement, the gladiators break out and build an army of freed slaves that crosses Italy, joined by Antoninus (Tony Curtis), a poet who fled the household of the patrician Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier). Crassus uses the war to seize power from his rival, the senator Gracchus (Charles Laughton). Spartacus is Kubrick's fifth feature and his only film made without full control, after Paths of Glory and before Lolita.
Spartacus ending explained
Spartacus ends with the rebels crushed and Spartacus crucified on the Appian Way. When Crassus offers mercy to the captured slaves if they give up their leader, each stands and claims "I'm Spartacus". Crassus makes Spartacus and Antoninus fight to the death; Spartacus kills his friend to spare him the cross. Gracchus bribes Batiatus to smuggle Varinia and her baby out of Rome, then kills himself. Leaving the city, Varinia shows the dying Spartacus his son, born free. Ustinov won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Post-credits scenes
No. Spartacus has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Spartacus
Spartacus is streaming on MGM Plus and TCM in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes 93%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Paths of Glory, before Lolita.
- Chronological order: after Paths of Glory, before Lolita.
Cast
- Kirk Douglas as Spartacus
- Laurence Olivier as Marcus Licinius Crassus
- Jean Simmons as Varinia
- Charles Laughton as Sempronius Gracchus
- Peter Ustinov as Lentulus Batiatus
- John Gavin as Julius Caesar
- Tony Curtis as Antoninus
- Nina Foch as Helena Glabrus
- John Ireland as Crixus
- Herbert Lom as Tigranes Levantus
- John Dall as Marcus Publius Glabrus
- Woody Strode as Draba
Directed by Stanley Kubrick.