Spartacus (1960)
I didn’t have the highest expectations for this since it is well known that it isn’t really a Kubrick. Which is true, but that doesn’t take anything away from this proper sword and sandal massive epic. I guess it says something about Kubrick if he direct something at this level without even liking it. The script might be very straight with clear lines between good and bad guys, but I like this old fashioned epic story telling when it is done to perfection like here. It is just shy of reaching the levels of Ben Hur, but pretty damn close.
Unlike other epics such as Cleopatra or The Ten Commandments the pace is good for all 3 hours. Never a boring moment. The action, dramatic and emotional moments are well distributed. Without the ridiciously massive and impressive battle scenes we wouldn’t have gotten Braveheart or Gladiator decades later.
While Kirk Douglas isn’t quite as charismatic as Charlton Heston in Ben Hur, he does deliver a proper Spartacus - and I was even convinced of the romance with Varinia, which often falls flat in these classic Hollywood spectacles for me. The “I’m Spartacus” is a well known and often parodied cultural reference, so even though I knew it was coming at some point, it still had the desired emotional impact for me.
Truly a classic epic that shouldn’t be shied away from just because it isn’t a proper Kubrick film.
Rating: 4.5