-
The inception of the film "Spartacus" (1960) came about when Kirk Douglas was denied the lead role in "Ben Hur" and decided to produce his own film with himself cast as the lead. He acquired the rights to Howard Fast's book "Spartacus" and hired Howard Fast as the screenwriter.
-
Despite initial setbacks with the script, Kirk Douglas brought in Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted screenwriter, to improve it. In defiance of Hollywood norms, Douglas credited Trumbo under his real name and paid him the standard fee. The film's director, Stanley Kubrick, also offered to write, but Douglas declined.
-
After negotiations with various studios, "Universal" agreed to produce "Spartacus" with Anthony Mann as the director. Mann was later replaced by Stanley Kubrick, who accepted the offer without reading the script but agreed not to alter the film's concept without Douglas' consent.
-
Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo worked on the script clandestinely on set, despite efforts to keep his involvement discreet. However, it was widely known that a blacklisted writer was working on the film.
-
Kirk Douglas selected actors based on national characteristics, casting Americans as slaves and British actors as Romans. He aimed to include popular actors in the film, although his casting plans did not always follow through.
-
The role of Spartacus was directly assigned to Kirk Douglas without auditions.
-
Kirk Douglas initially sought a foreign actress for the role of Varinia, approaching French actress Jeanne Moreau who was unavailable. He then enlisted German actress Sabine Bethmann, but director Stanley Kubrick found her unsuitable and substituted her with British actress Jean Simmons for the role.
-
Actor Tony Curtis persuaded Kirk Douglas to create a character named Antoninus specifically for him, which was not part of the original script.
-
Laurence Olivier attempted to emulate Roman generals by riding a horse without a saddle, leading to awkward moments on set. To resolve the issue, Stanley Kubrick filmed scenes with the horse separately from Olivier for safety.
-
Cinematographer Russell Metty clashed with Stanley Kubrick over shooting techniques, though ultimately won an Oscar for "Spartacus" and benefited from Kubrick's advice.
-
Kubrick organized the management of extras with numbered signs during battle scenes for precise coordination.
-
Kubrick's intense focus on filming led him to wear the same clothes for several days, causing concern for Kirk Douglas who urged him to change outfits.
-
Kirk Douglas found the crucifixion scene to be one of the most challenging. When the scene was shortened in editing, Douglas became upset and fired the assistant director responsible for cutting the scene.
-
While the script originally had Spartacus go to the cross posthumously, Kubrick suggested a live crucifixion, to which Douglas agreed despite writer Dalton Trumbo's objections.
-
Injuries occurred during filming, including Kirk Douglas accidentally breaking a stuntman's rib and causing actor Charles McGraw to break his jaw during a scene.
-
Despite predominantly filming in the U.S., some battle scenes were shot in Spain involving 8,000 Spanish soldiers as extras.
-
Filming was delayed due to Jean Simmons undergoing surgery, causing concern for the budget and schedule.
-
Upon its release in 1960, "Spartacus" faced controversy due to Dalton Trumbo's communist ties, leading to boycott attempts by the American Legion. However, the film's reception was positively boosted by President John F. Kennedy's attendance at the premiere.
-
Censorship led to significant scene cuts in the film, including the removal of certain explicit content and LGBT-themed dialogue.
-
Despite a $12 million budget, "Spartacus" grossed $90 million, marking a remarkable success.
-
Following the film's debut, Kirk Douglas humorously remarked that its production duration exceeded the actual Spartacus uprising.
-
"Spartacus" received 6 Oscar nominations and won 4 awards, including best cinematography, costume design, supporting actor (Peter Ustinov), and production design.
-