Film Review - Spartacus

Who the hell would want to be Spartacus?

I had heard so much about this film. It was the best thing next to Citizen Kane and sliced bread. It was a grand vista of the cinema with a cast of several. I was incredibly under-whelmed. Spartacus is a very long and boring movie.

Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) is a slave trained as a Roman gladiator. During his training he notices a beautiful slave woman. For fighting well she is given to him for a night. he does nothing. Yeah, like that would happen.

Spartacus becomes the leader of a slave revolt. He builds a great army and matches up and down Italy. This just ticks off the Romans who aren't used to getting their butts kicked.

Then there is this scene that was cut when he film was released where Marcus Crassus being bathed by his slave Antoninus, asks if Antoninus eats oysters, and then admits he eats both oysters and snails. This is a veiled bi-sexual scene, that people in 1960 couldn't handle. Today it's a big yawn.

This should be a much better film. But it is so slow and dull without actually being interesting. Not surprisingly, this is a Stanley Kubrick film. Kubrick, loved long drawn out films. I could have just used the Cliff Notes.

Skip this.

Dust Bag Full

Film Facts

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Released in 1960

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Reviewed by Mongo