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Spartacus
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Spartacus (1960) More at IMDbPro »

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Spartacus (1960) -- Screen legends Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and Laurence Olivier highlight an all-star cast in this Academy Award-winning epic about a gladiator whose love for a beautiful slave inspires him to lead a violent rebellion against the decadent Roman Empire. Dire
Spartacus (1960) -- The slave Spartacus leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman empire.
Spartacus (1960) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 18% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Howard Fast (novel)
Dalton Trumbo (writer)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Spartacus on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 October 1960 (USA) more
Tagline:
They trained him to kill for their pleasure. . .but they trained him a little too well. . . more
Plot:
The slave Spartacus leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman empire. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations more
User Comments:
Spartacus or How I learnt to live away from Hollywood more (205 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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)
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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
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Spartacus: Rebel Against Rome (USA) (poster title)
more
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:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
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 (Quebec) (restored version) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (1967 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)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Cinematographer Russell Metty walked off the set, complaining that Stanley Kubrick was not letting him do his job. When he returned to the set, Kubrick told him to shut up and butt out and, subsequently, Kubrick did the majority of the cinematography work. Metty complained about this up until the release of the film and even, at one point, asked to have his name removed from the credits. However, because his name was in the credits, when the film won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, it was given to Metty, although he actually didn't shoot most of it. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: During the gladiatorial battle between Spartacus and the black gladiator, the sword Spartacus is using is clearly shown as a prop sword with a retractable blade. more
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...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Kirk Douglas: Video Scrapbook (1994) (V) more

FAQ

Is "Spartacus" based on a novel?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
98 out of 132 people found the following comment useful.
Spartacus or How I learnt to live away from Hollywood, 5 February 2005
8/10
Author: Miles Charrier from London, England

This is Kubrick's farewell to Hollywood. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall. I don't believe for a minute that it was a cordial parting of the ways. I mean, Kubrick never returned, never! With "Paths of Glory" Kubrick gave Kirk Douglas, not just his best part as an actor, but his best movie. By the time Douglas called Kubrick to "take over" "Spartacus" Douglas was already a huge star with too much saying in the matter. Look at it, it's clear. "Spartacus" is more Douglas than Kubrick. Great fun to watch, yes, absolutely. A terrific script by black listed Dalton Trumbo. Some fight sequences unequalled in the history of film. Look at the fight between Douglas and Woody Strode and compare it to the ones in "Troy" or "Gladiator" for that matter. It is sad an embarrassing to realise how low we've fallen. Computer generated images or not. The cast is unbelievable but it's clearly not Kubrick's. The casting of his movies was part of his master plan. He would cast a Ryan O'Neil as Barry Lyndon for instance so he can blend perfectly with the magnificent tapestry, without adding any colours of his own. The same can be said of Keir Dullea, in 2001, a robotic non entity in a showdown with a voice. When he needed actors to be at the very pinnacle of his universe he went to Peter Sellers, Malcolm McDowell or James Mason. Even the casting of Tom Cruise made a lot of sense. He used the star and his wife to talk about the dreamlike powers of betrayal. In "Spartacus" Tony Curtis, plays Antoninus, a teacher of the classics. A campy idea never seen in a Kubrick film, before or since. To be fair, there are some spot on, brilliant pieces of casting. Charles Laughton is, as usual, superb. Peter Ustinov, terrific. Laurence Olivier manages to give a multifaceted portrait of weakness, fear and greed. Jean Simmons makes the reason to survive totally believable. But the cutesy love scene between her and a shiny muscular, coiffed Spartacus is truly terrible. As a final blow, the scene is enveloped in a sticky, corny music theme. Having said all that. Don't you dare missing this epic. I'ts Kubrick's goodbye to Hollywood and like everything else that the master said or do, he really meant it.

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