Spartacus (1960)

 Stanley Kubrick's "Spartacus"

When I think of "classic Hollywood," I instantly think of 1950s era technicolor musicals and long, historical epics. One thing that comes to mind is the 1960 film "Spartacus." While it's significance is steeped in Hollywood lore as one of the pinnacles of the era, many others will point to it as Stanley Kubrick's big "studio" film. Others will remember it as one of most successful and awarded films of Hollywood blacklisted Dalton Trumbo.

Kirk Douglas stars as the titular slave, whom leads a rebellion against the tyrannical Roman Empire. Along the win, he wins the hearts and affection of the oppressed, while earning the disdain of Laurence Olivier's Crassus. It's a tragedy that sees its hero become a symbol for the downtrodden.

While the classic moment of "I am Spartacus" did send goosebumps up my arm, I felt that the film on the whole was a lackluster experience for me. I recognize its classic appeal and its larger-than-life scope, but I am starting to feel the exhaustion of these large, historical epics after so many from the previous decade. 

Perhaps the most intriguing component of the film is its political significance. Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted in Hollywood for being a Communist sympathizer, wrote the film with subtext surrounding the McCarthyism taking place in the 1950s. After the war, the U.S. improved its stature as a global power, even echoing the power of Ancient Rome. However, with the globe in a state of recovery after the war, the U.S. took advantage and became the dominant power. 

Trumbo seems to parallel the Roman slaves' refusal to out their leader with those refusing to 'name names' during the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings. It's pretty clear in retrospect, so I'm wondering how obvious it was to those who saw the film at the time. Beyond this concept, the film is a pretty standard historical epic with a few minor notes of intrigue.