Stanley Kubrick [e Anthony Mann]

The Profile

Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer known for visually rigorous and diverse films across genres, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Full Metal Jacket.

For Spartacus, director Anthony Mann left the production and was replaced by Stanley Kubrick; Kirk Douglas starred in and co-produced the film; Dalton Trumbo was the screenwriter. The film runs over three hours and won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor (Peter Ustinov) and awards for cinematography, art direction, and costumes. The review characterizes Spartacus as atypical in Kubrick's filmography and credits Douglas with dominant creative influence.

The review judges Spartacus uneven and overly long, with Kirk Douglas's influence dominating production. Kubrick's visual skill appears in mass scenes but the film lacks the cohesiveness typical of his work. Performances by Olivier and Laughton stand out; several characters are seen as underdeveloped.