Review of Spartacus (1960) by Art S — 13 Dec 2014

One wonders if this film would have been better if Anthony Mann stayed on as director rather than being replaced by Kubrick (by instigation of Kirk Douglas). Of course, Mann might not have been able to withstand Douglas's behind-the-scenes control of the production either (although apparently he was fired for suggesting that Kirk was over-acting).

The acting may be generally fine (particularly Peter Ustinov, Charles Laughton, and Laurence Olivier) but the film is just too long and too dull - even the widescreen shots of massive armies (reminiscent of Birth of a Nation) .

The Senate intrigues providing a political backstory to the film are not without interest (as scripted by previously black-listed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo) but everything just seems so distended as the army of escaped slaves (and gladiators) trudges slowly from one side of Italy to the other with points of interest few and far between.

I'm not sure I can really see Kubrick's hand at work.