“Gladiator”, 2000
Director: Ridley Scott
Directed by Ridley Scott, this epic drama stars Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general who is betrayed and reduced to slavery as a gladiator. He fights in the arenas to seek revenge against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family.
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, David Schofield, John Shrapnel, Tomas Arana;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: history, action, drama, adventure;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 155 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “Gladiator” on the website imdb.com
“Spartacus”, 1960
Director: Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Mann
This Stanley Kubrick classic tells the true story of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who leads a slave uprising against the Roman Republic.
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Nina Foch, John Ireland, Herbert Lom, John Dall;
Production year: 1960;
Genre: drama, adventure, war, biography, history;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 197 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,9;
More information about the film “Spartacus” on the website imdb.com
“Ben-Hur”, 2016
Director:
Directed by William Wyler, this historical drama follows Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, then returns to seek revenge.
Starring: Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, Pilou Asbæk, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Morgan Freeman, Marwan Kenzari, Moises Arias;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: action, drama, melodrama, adventure;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 123 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,7;
More information about the film “Ben-Hur” on the website imdb.com
“Julius Caesar”, 1953
Director: Joseph Leo Mankiewicz
This adaptation of Shakespeare’s play focuses on the political conspiracy against the powerful Roman dictator Julius Caesar, his assassination, and its aftermath.
Starring: Marlon Brando, James Mason, John Gielgud, Louis Calhern, Edmond O'Brien, Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr, George Macready, Michael Pate, Richard Hale;
Production year: 1953;
Genre: drama, history;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 120 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “Julius Caesar” on the website imdb.com
“Cleopatra”, 1963
Director: Joseph Leo Mankiewicz, Rouben Mamoulian
Starring Elizabeth Taylor, this film chronicles the struggles of Cleopatra, the young Queen of Egypt, to resist the imperial ambitions of Rome.
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Pamela Brown, George Cole, Hume Cronyn, Cesare Danova, Kenneth Haigh, Andrew Keir, Martin Landau;
Production year: 1963;
Genre: biography, melodrama, history, drama;
MPAA rating: g;
Duration: 243 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Cleopatra” on the website imdb.com
“The Fall of the Roman Empire”, 1964
Director: Anthony Mann
Directed by Anthony Mann, this film details the corruption and internal struggles that led to the decline of the mightiest empire in ancient history.
Starring: Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, Mel Ferrer, Eric Porter;
Production year: 1964;
Genre: drama, war, history;
Age: 16+;
Duration: 188 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,7;
More information about the film “The Fall of the Roman Empire” on the website imdb.com
In conclusion, films about ancient Rome invite us into a world both imposing and intimate, a panorama of power and a tableau of individual struggles. They educate and entertain, blending spectacle with human drama to bring to life an era that has profoundly influenced the cultural and political landscapes of the modern world. Whether through the eyes of a gladiator, the voice of a senator, or the heart of a simple citizen, these films traverse the breadth of the Roman experience, capturing its grandeur and its fallibility. They remind us of the timeless nature of human ambition and frailty, while offering a cinematic journey that resonates with echoes of classical virtues and vices. As such, the legacy of ancient Rome continues to captivate audiences, rendered immortal on the silver screen.
