It was Kirk Douglas’s foresight that allowed Dalton Trumbo, who had been previously barred from working, to contribute his superb script for this sweeping story about slavery and the fight for liberation. Douglas assembled an impressive group of performers, including Olivier, Laughton, Ustinov, Curtis, and a particularly gentle Jean Simmons, all of whom enhance the narrative concerning a slave who defied the harsh au…

This historical epic runs for three and a half hours, and while it has some impressive production elements, it isn’t flawless. The story deviates from established history, drawing instead from a 1951 novel by Roward Fast, which incorporates romanticized events that likely didn't happen. While certain aspects are rooted in historical figures like Crassus, Grassus, and Julius Caesar, the narrative takes considerable…

This sword-and-sandal epic has everything you could want. Spartacus tells the story of a Thracian slave who refused to be controlled by the Romans, leading a revolt that shook the Roman Republic around BC 73. The film draws from this historical period. The making of *Spartacus* was complicated; original director Anthony Mann was dismissed by Kirk Douglas (who plays Spartacus) due to disagreements. Some of Mann'…