Review of Spartacus (1960) by Lucas D — 25 Mar 2013

Don't go looking for Kubrick here, for you'll find a Kirk Douglas production, where Stan was merely called upon at the last minute. But, despite Kubrick's open claims that this is no film of his, the latent style of the great director is still discernible; and mostly so, methinks, at the final battle scene.

And in all its Kubrick-less-ness, it had indeed some clichéd, rather tiring moments, but overall it is a huge and very impressive production, with excellent performances -most notably Charles Laughton as Gracchus- and a very well-written and witty script.

It is an epic, and one of the best of its kind.