Spartacus is a 1960 American epic historical drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Kirk Douglas as the rebellious slave Spartacus. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast, which is a fictionalized account of the Third Servile War, an uprising of slaves against Rome led by Spartacus from 73-71 BCE. The film also stars Laurence Olivier as Crassus, the Roman general who leads the army against the rebels.
The opening scenes of the film show Spartacus as a child, taken from his village in Thrace and sold into slavery. He grows up in the gladiator training school of Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov), where he is trained to fight in the arena. After witnessing the cruel treatment of the slaves by their masters, Spartacus leads a rebellion against Batiatus and his fellow slave owner, Marcus Licinius Crassus (Olivier).
Spartacus and his army of slaves move from town to town, freeing other slaves and gaining more followers along the way. They struggle to maintain discipline and unity, as different factions within the army have their own agendas. Spartacus forms a romantic relationship with Varinia (Jean Simmons), a slave girl who joins the rebellion.
The Roman Senate sends armies to crush the rebellion, but Spartacus and his followers are able to hold them off for a time with their superior tactics and weapons. However, the Romans eventually gain the upper hand and defeat the rebels in a bloody battle. In the final scene, Crassus orders the survivors to be crucified along the Appian Way, as a warning to others who would dare to rebel against Rome.
Spartacus was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and is now considered one of the greatest historical epics of all time. It won four Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor (Ustinov) and Best Cinematography. Its themes of freedom, oppression, and rebellion have resonated with audiences for generations.