What do you think?
Rate this book
I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist
From Kirk Douglas, Hollywood royalty and bestselling author of The Ragman’s Son and My Stroke of Luck, comes the candid story of the making of Spartacus , the blockbuster film that broke the blacklist
One of the world’s most iconic movie stars, Kirk Douglas has distinguished himself as a producer, philanthropist, and author of ten works of fiction and memoir. Now, more than fifty years after the release of his enduring epic Spartacus , Douglas reveals the riveting drama behind the making of the legendary gladiator film. Douglas began producing the movie in the midst of the politically charged era when Hollywood’s moguls refused to hire anyone accused of Communist sympathies. In a risky move, Douglas chose Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted screenwriter, to write Spartacus . Trumbo was one of the “Unfriendly Ten,” men who had gone to prison rather than testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee about their political affiliations. Douglas’s source material was already a hot property, as the novel Spartacus was written by Howard Fast while he was in jail for defying HUAC.
With the financial future of his young family at stake, Douglas plunged into a tumultuous production both on- and off-screen. As both producer and star of the film, he faced explosive moments with young director Stanley Kubrick, struggles with a leading lady, and negotiations with giant personalities, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and Lew Wasserman. Writing from his heart and from his own meticulously researched archives, Kirk Douglas, at ninety-five, looks back at his audacious decisions. He made the most expensive film of its era—but more importantly, his moral courage in giving public credit to Trumbo effectively ended the notorious Hollywood blacklist.
A master storyteller, Douglas paints a vivid and often humorous portrait in I Am Spartacus! The book is enhanced by newly discovered period photography of the stars and filmmakers both on and off the set.
One of the world’s most iconic movie stars, Kirk Douglas has distinguished himself as a producer, philanthropist, and author of ten works of fiction and memoir. Now, more than fifty years after the release of his enduring epic Spartacus , Douglas reveals the riveting drama behind the making of the legendary gladiator film. Douglas began producing the movie in the midst of the politically charged era when Hollywood’s moguls refused to hire anyone accused of Communist sympathies. In a risky move, Douglas chose Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted screenwriter, to write Spartacus . Trumbo was one of the “Unfriendly Ten,” men who had gone to prison rather than testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee about their political affiliations. Douglas’s source material was already a hot property, as the novel Spartacus was written by Howard Fast while he was in jail for defying HUAC.
With the financial future of his young family at stake, Douglas plunged into a tumultuous production both on- and off-screen. As both producer and star of the film, he faced explosive moments with young director Stanley Kubrick, struggles with a leading lady, and negotiations with giant personalities, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and Lew Wasserman. Writing from his heart and from his own meticulously researched archives, Kirk Douglas, at ninety-five, looks back at his audacious decisions. He made the most expensive film of its era—but more importantly, his moral courage in giving public credit to Trumbo effectively ended the notorious Hollywood blacklist.
A master storyteller, Douglas paints a vivid and often humorous portrait in I Am Spartacus! The book is enhanced by newly discovered period photography of the stars and filmmakers both on and off the set.
210 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 2012
106 people are currently reading
784 people want to read
About the author
Kirk Douglas
36 books55 followersKirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch, ) was an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past (1947), Champion (1949), Ace in the Hole (1951), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Lust for Life (1956), Paths of Glory (1957), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), The Vikings (1958), Spartacus (1960), Lonely Are the Brave (1962),The Fury (1978) and Tough Guys (1986)
He is No.17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time. In 1996, he received the Academy Honorary Award "for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community."
He was one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood's "golden age". He passed away on February 05, 2020 at the age of 103.
He is No.17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time. In 1996, he received the Academy Honorary Award "for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community."
He was one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood's "golden age". He passed away on February 05, 2020 at the age of 103.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
February 25, 2020
This book was wonderful! I have seen the movie many times but never knew all the behind the scenes issues involved with it. I stayed up till early morning reading; I just couldn't put it down.
Douglas wrote this when he was 95, and every so often throughout the book there are sections in italics where he makes comments about his younger, less patient self. This brings an extra touch of personality to the story, and is often quite moving.
But fair warning! if you are a true book python, this book will make your Want To Read list grow. I used to have an old paperback copy of Spartacus, but it's long gone now. I've ordered another. And a few of Howard Fast's other titles as well, plus a biography of Dalton Trumbo, the man who wrote the screenplay for the movie. He had been in prison for not cooperating with the McCarthy era foolishness about Communism, and was blacklisted at the time, although he had actually won two Oscars for screenplays he had written under assumed names. Remember Roman Holiday? The Brave One? Both fantastic films, both written by Trumbo. He was such an interesting character in these pages that I just had to learn more about him.
Another intriguing bit of information was that a different studio was planning to make a film about Spartacus starring Yul Brynner. There was a big race between the two production companies, and Douglas got his film done but never says what happened to Brynner's, so I checked because I don't remember him being in such a film. Turned out that he had been asked to replace Tyrone Power in the movie Solomon And Sheba. Power had died, so Brynner took over the role and that work kept him from starting on Gladiator. Then when Spartacus was released, Brynner decided not to make his own version after all. Good choice, I'd say. There can be only one Spartacus in the hearts and minds of movie fans and as much as I love Yul Brynner, he was too intensely kingly to play this part with the same heart that Douglas brought to it.
Anyway, this book is not just about the actual making of the film; it is also about the struggle to get recognition again for those writers who had been blacklisted because of McCarthy. Most had been working under false names already, and I believe it was sort of an open secret with some of the writers. But no one dared give them screen credit for their work. Until Douglas did with Dalton Trumbo. That helped stop a ridiculous episode in Hollywood history.
There are great pictures from the filming of the movie, but my favorite of all is the shot on the final page, showing a 95 year old Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne sitting at a table, each with one hand on large coffee mugs. His says I AM SPARTACUS. And hers says NO, I AM SPARTACUS.
Great personal touch to close an amazing story. Very much worth the read for movie buffs, Kirk Douglas fans, and anyone who believes in the power of integrity.
Douglas wrote this when he was 95, and every so often throughout the book there are sections in italics where he makes comments about his younger, less patient self. This brings an extra touch of personality to the story, and is often quite moving.
But fair warning! if you are a true book python, this book will make your Want To Read list grow. I used to have an old paperback copy of Spartacus, but it's long gone now. I've ordered another. And a few of Howard Fast's other titles as well, plus a biography of Dalton Trumbo, the man who wrote the screenplay for the movie. He had been in prison for not cooperating with the McCarthy era foolishness about Communism, and was blacklisted at the time, although he had actually won two Oscars for screenplays he had written under assumed names. Remember Roman Holiday? The Brave One? Both fantastic films, both written by Trumbo. He was such an interesting character in these pages that I just had to learn more about him.
Another intriguing bit of information was that a different studio was planning to make a film about Spartacus starring Yul Brynner. There was a big race between the two production companies, and Douglas got his film done but never says what happened to Brynner's, so I checked because I don't remember him being in such a film. Turned out that he had been asked to replace Tyrone Power in the movie Solomon And Sheba. Power had died, so Brynner took over the role and that work kept him from starting on Gladiator. Then when Spartacus was released, Brynner decided not to make his own version after all. Good choice, I'd say. There can be only one Spartacus in the hearts and minds of movie fans and as much as I love Yul Brynner, he was too intensely kingly to play this part with the same heart that Douglas brought to it.
Anyway, this book is not just about the actual making of the film; it is also about the struggle to get recognition again for those writers who had been blacklisted because of McCarthy. Most had been working under false names already, and I believe it was sort of an open secret with some of the writers. But no one dared give them screen credit for their work. Until Douglas did with Dalton Trumbo. That helped stop a ridiculous episode in Hollywood history.
There are great pictures from the filming of the movie, but my favorite of all is the shot on the final page, showing a 95 year old Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne sitting at a table, each with one hand on large coffee mugs. His says I AM SPARTACUS. And hers says NO, I AM SPARTACUS.
Great personal touch to close an amazing story. Very much worth the read for movie buffs, Kirk Douglas fans, and anyone who believes in the power of integrity.
January 18, 2021
-Un vistazo entre bambalinas.-
Género. Biografía (pero sin ser eso, ni una crónica por más que use varias de sus herramientas).
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Yo soy Espartaco (publicación original: I Am Spartacus! Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist, 2012), con el subtítulo Rodar una película, acabar con las listas negras, ofrece las memorias del actor Kirk Douglas, pero centradas en lo que rodeó la persecución del comunismo en el Hollywood de la década de los cincuenta bajo las atmósferas de la Guerra Fría y las entrañas del rodaje de la película Espartaco a partir de la novela de Fast, muy relacionado de varias formas con aquel fenómeno.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
Género. Biografía (pero sin ser eso, ni una crónica por más que use varias de sus herramientas).
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Yo soy Espartaco (publicación original: I Am Spartacus! Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist, 2012), con el subtítulo Rodar una película, acabar con las listas negras, ofrece las memorias del actor Kirk Douglas, pero centradas en lo que rodeó la persecución del comunismo en el Hollywood de la década de los cincuenta bajo las atmósferas de la Guerra Fría y las entrañas del rodaje de la película Espartaco a partir de la novela de Fast, muy relacionado de varias formas con aquel fenómeno.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
July 30, 2012
I just loved this book. Spartacus is one of my very favorite films, and it was fascinating to read the behind-the-scenes account of how it was made. With an all-star cast, there were a lot of healthy egos involved and Douglas has some funny stories about their elbowing. And I was intrigued to learn that he was the one who came up with the brilliant "I am Spartacus!" scene at the end of the film, and had to fight with the director to keep it in. It is also an insightful account of the blacklist and the damage it did to so many lives. I think Spartacus is that rarity, a film that was better than the book, for the novel was done in flash-backs which distanced the reader from the characters and the action. Kirk Douglas offers an honest look back, too, at his younger self through the mellow prism of age. A remarkable man, who has written a remarkable book.
June 12, 2012
Kirk Douglas is now 95, but in this book he turns his memory back to 1959 when he decided to make the film "Spartacus". This is not simply a film memoir though, as interesting as that might be, because the film had an important and historic event attached to it - the fact a blacklisted writer was given screen credit under their own name for the first time since the fears of McCarthyism.
Dalton Trumbo was one of the most respected writers in Hollywood when he went to jail in 1947 for refusing to incriminate colleagues after he was brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee (actually before McCarthy, although that is the name best associated with the witch hunts that followed). While in another prison for similar reasons, author Howard Fast was writing the novel "Spartacus", which was later turned down by seven publishing houses as the author was blacklisted and which he ended up publishing it himself. When Dalton Trumbo was released he went to Mexico and was left having to write under assumed names.
This then is the story of Kirk Douglas discovering Howard Fast's novel and deciding that he wanted to make it into a movie. It is a tale as epic as the movie itself, as he fights a rival production, "The Gladiators", finds his cast (despite a less than enthusiastic Charles Laughton), has problems finding a leading lady, more problems finding a director, fights the censors and deals with the issues that using Dalton Trumbo as his screenplay writer causes. When Douglas decides to use Trumbo's real name on the movie credits he is the first to end the Hollywood blacklist and it is here that the main story of the book is contained. This is a very interesting read by a man who has kindly shared his memories with us and whose brave actions gave back more than one person their career. It was personally important to Dalton Trumbo, but it was an event that changed Hollywood and the film industry, which had been mired in a time of fear of paranoia since the 1940's. Lastly, I read the kindle edition of this book and it contained the illustrations.
Dalton Trumbo was one of the most respected writers in Hollywood when he went to jail in 1947 for refusing to incriminate colleagues after he was brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee (actually before McCarthy, although that is the name best associated with the witch hunts that followed). While in another prison for similar reasons, author Howard Fast was writing the novel "Spartacus", which was later turned down by seven publishing houses as the author was blacklisted and which he ended up publishing it himself. When Dalton Trumbo was released he went to Mexico and was left having to write under assumed names.
This then is the story of Kirk Douglas discovering Howard Fast's novel and deciding that he wanted to make it into a movie. It is a tale as epic as the movie itself, as he fights a rival production, "The Gladiators", finds his cast (despite a less than enthusiastic Charles Laughton), has problems finding a leading lady, more problems finding a director, fights the censors and deals with the issues that using Dalton Trumbo as his screenplay writer causes. When Douglas decides to use Trumbo's real name on the movie credits he is the first to end the Hollywood blacklist and it is here that the main story of the book is contained. This is a very interesting read by a man who has kindly shared his memories with us and whose brave actions gave back more than one person their career. It was personally important to Dalton Trumbo, but it was an event that changed Hollywood and the film industry, which had been mired in a time of fear of paranoia since the 1940's. Lastly, I read the kindle edition of this book and it contained the illustrations.
December 13, 2016
A great short read.
Firstly as a film buff, I will always enjoy a great book about the great film stars, and here we have some great characters and personalities.
Secondly let's not forget the great Kirk Douglas was 95 years old when he wrote this book. His memory is incredible. I would be happy if I am still breathing at 95 years old, and now , this week he has just celebrated his 100 birthday.
I remember and love the great legends of the golden era of the cinema, Kirk Douglas made some great films. This is an incredible and sad story of how blacklisting of the 50's affected so many people. My respect goes to Kirk Douglas for making Spartacus, but also standing his ground.
Lovely little bits about three massive characters, Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton and Peter Ustinov, all great actors, but also directors and strong personalities.
Then add in Tony Curtis, Jean Simmons and Woody Strode.
A very enjoyable story and well told.
A clear four stars for me.
Firstly as a film buff, I will always enjoy a great book about the great film stars, and here we have some great characters and personalities.
Secondly let's not forget the great Kirk Douglas was 95 years old when he wrote this book. His memory is incredible. I would be happy if I am still breathing at 95 years old, and now , this week he has just celebrated his 100 birthday.
I remember and love the great legends of the golden era of the cinema, Kirk Douglas made some great films. This is an incredible and sad story of how blacklisting of the 50's affected so many people. My respect goes to Kirk Douglas for making Spartacus, but also standing his ground.
Lovely little bits about three massive characters, Sir Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton and Peter Ustinov, all great actors, but also directors and strong personalities.
Then add in Tony Curtis, Jean Simmons and Woody Strode.
A very enjoyable story and well told.
A clear four stars for me.
August 27, 2017
Il macho Kirk e la sua personalissima e pragmatica guerra contro la lista nera. L'avvincente racconto della tormentata lavorazione di Spartacus come oggetto contundente lanciato contro la testa del senatore McCarthy e le sua commissione per le attività antiamericane.
La lingua rozza e diretta del vecchio Douglas sputa vetriolo e amore in parti uguali verso i protagonisti di quell'epopea - Donald Trumbo, Stanley Kubrick, Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov,Toni Curtis, produttori e stralette varie. Epico e imperdibile backstage. Una stella in meno per aver generato l'irritante e inutile Michael.
La lingua rozza e diretta del vecchio Douglas sputa vetriolo e amore in parti uguali verso i protagonisti di quell'epopea - Donald Trumbo, Stanley Kubrick, Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov,Toni Curtis, produttori e stralette varie. Epico e imperdibile backstage. Una stella in meno per aver generato l'irritante e inutile Michael.
May 9, 2020
Emocionantísimo
September 26, 2015
This is a surprisingly good book about the difficulty of getting a great film made. And it was written by the man in charge, Actor and Producer Kirk Douglas. I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist tells us not only about the making of the film, but also how this country of ours morphed from McCarthyism to Radical Wingnut Conservatism. It made some interesting connections politically and sociologically, which made the book more valuable to me.
Hollywood books by celebrities tend to be vapid, but this one isn't -- not by a long shot! It's worth reading if you like Douglas (which I do), Spartacus (which I do), Stanley Kubrick, etc. etc.
Hollywood books by celebrities tend to be vapid, but this one isn't -- not by a long shot! It's worth reading if you like Douglas (which I do), Spartacus (which I do), Stanley Kubrick, etc. etc.
February 22, 2014
This was one of my monthly book club selections. I was eager to read it because it promised an insider's view of the Hollywood blacklist, when many notable figures were driven out of the film industry in a national frenzy of witch hunting.
I was far less interested in Kirk Douglas himself, but my opinion changed as I read the book. I took it for granted that Douglas' recollections would be self-serving, but the more I read the more I came to admire the actor/producer. His story is fascinating, and well-written to boot.
As to the Hollywood blacklist and Douglas' role in making sure Dalton Trumbo appeared on the credits as screenwriter, thus "breaking" the blacklist, this subject comprises just a small section of the book, which is mostly about the struggles of making a film: finding financing, casting, getting the right director, and so forth. The parts about the squabbles and idiosyncrasies of famous actors were fun, and kept me turning pages to get to the parts about the blacklist.
Clearly, Douglas paints everything in the most positive colors. The gossip doesn't sting; no one is revealed to be a wastrel, a drunk, a philanderer, or a complete shit (with the exception of the agent who systematically robbed Douglas for years, a story Douglas starts but regrettably doesn't finish). Nor do I think he tells the whole story of the blacklist and the pressure he must have been under to dump Trumbo. But what he does reveal is fascinating, and helped me better understand the era.
Even more fascinating than the breaking of the blacklist, at least to me, was the censorship: a great long list of words, scenes, and sub-plots Universal Studios cut out of Spartacus before its release. I want to watch the movie again after reading this book, but more than anything I want to see the parts that were cut out! My admiration of Mr. Douglas went up a few notches after realizing the movie he presented to Universal was a good deal richer and deeper than the movie Universal presented to the public.
Overall this is a fun and informative read, a nice supplement to more academic studies of the HUAC/Hollywood blacklist era.
I was far less interested in Kirk Douglas himself, but my opinion changed as I read the book. I took it for granted that Douglas' recollections would be self-serving, but the more I read the more I came to admire the actor/producer. His story is fascinating, and well-written to boot.
As to the Hollywood blacklist and Douglas' role in making sure Dalton Trumbo appeared on the credits as screenwriter, thus "breaking" the blacklist, this subject comprises just a small section of the book, which is mostly about the struggles of making a film: finding financing, casting, getting the right director, and so forth. The parts about the squabbles and idiosyncrasies of famous actors were fun, and kept me turning pages to get to the parts about the blacklist.
Clearly, Douglas paints everything in the most positive colors. The gossip doesn't sting; no one is revealed to be a wastrel, a drunk, a philanderer, or a complete shit (with the exception of the agent who systematically robbed Douglas for years, a story Douglas starts but regrettably doesn't finish). Nor do I think he tells the whole story of the blacklist and the pressure he must have been under to dump Trumbo. But what he does reveal is fascinating, and helped me better understand the era.
Even more fascinating than the breaking of the blacklist, at least to me, was the censorship: a great long list of words, scenes, and sub-plots Universal Studios cut out of Spartacus before its release. I want to watch the movie again after reading this book, but more than anything I want to see the parts that were cut out! My admiration of Mr. Douglas went up a few notches after realizing the movie he presented to Universal was a good deal richer and deeper than the movie Universal presented to the public.
Overall this is a fun and informative read, a nice supplement to more academic studies of the HUAC/Hollywood blacklist era.
June 30, 2020
“Douglas escogió para escribir el guion a Dalton Trumbo, un guionista puesto en la lista negra, uno de los hombres que habían ido a prisión tras declarar ante el Comité de Actividades sobre sus afiliaciones políticas”
“Su coraje moral al dar crédito público a Trumbo, una acción tan eficaz como arriesgada, pero que supuso el fin de la notoria lista negra de Hollywood”
“No se puede enseñar a otro lo que se aprende con el paso del tiempo, solamente se puede vivir”
“De los Diez de Hollywood, seis eran judíos. Lamento decir que la mayor parte de los hombres que suscribieron la Declaración de Waldorf también eran judíos.
¿Cómo es posible que unos judíos, que habían sido víctimas en sus propias carnes de millares de años de persecuciones, incluido el ejemplo más espantoso de miedo y genocidio que ha conocido el mundo, el Holocausto en Europa, justificaran perpetuar semejante clima de pánico en Estados Unidos?
La respuesta se puede encontrar en la propia pregunta. El miedo alimenta el miedo. A estos hombres, gentes como Jack Warner, Louis B. Mayer o Harry Cohn, les daba pánico que les arrebataran de un plumazo el poder que ejercían si se llegaba a poner en duda su lealtad a Estados Unidos."
Los familiares de Trumbo dicen que lo escrito en este libro no es verdad: no terminó con las listas ni la decisión de Douglas de poner el nombre de Trumbo se debió a una cruzada sino a que quería asegurar más el éxito de su película, y que hay escenas que Douglas se ha inventado (como una comida con Lawrence Olivier en casa de Trumbo). Como haya sido, es una lectura muy interesante, que cuenta todos los problemas que hay alrededor de la filmación de una película épica, y del hollywood de esa época.
Me hizo querer leer algo de Trumbo.
https://bibliobulimica.wordpress.com/...
“Su coraje moral al dar crédito público a Trumbo, una acción tan eficaz como arriesgada, pero que supuso el fin de la notoria lista negra de Hollywood”
“No se puede enseñar a otro lo que se aprende con el paso del tiempo, solamente se puede vivir”
“De los Diez de Hollywood, seis eran judíos. Lamento decir que la mayor parte de los hombres que suscribieron la Declaración de Waldorf también eran judíos.
¿Cómo es posible que unos judíos, que habían sido víctimas en sus propias carnes de millares de años de persecuciones, incluido el ejemplo más espantoso de miedo y genocidio que ha conocido el mundo, el Holocausto en Europa, justificaran perpetuar semejante clima de pánico en Estados Unidos?
La respuesta se puede encontrar en la propia pregunta. El miedo alimenta el miedo. A estos hombres, gentes como Jack Warner, Louis B. Mayer o Harry Cohn, les daba pánico que les arrebataran de un plumazo el poder que ejercían si se llegaba a poner en duda su lealtad a Estados Unidos."
Los familiares de Trumbo dicen que lo escrito en este libro no es verdad: no terminó con las listas ni la decisión de Douglas de poner el nombre de Trumbo se debió a una cruzada sino a que quería asegurar más el éxito de su película, y que hay escenas que Douglas se ha inventado (como una comida con Lawrence Olivier en casa de Trumbo). Como haya sido, es una lectura muy interesante, que cuenta todos los problemas que hay alrededor de la filmación de una película épica, y del hollywood de esa época.
Me hizo querer leer algo de Trumbo.
https://bibliobulimica.wordpress.com/...
January 10, 2017
"I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist" by Kirk Douglas is a gift. Everybody who wonders about where the United States is going or could be going should read this book.
In the opening chapter, Douglas muses,
"... When I look back at Spartacus today— more than fifty years after the fact— I’m amazed that it ever happened at all. Everything was against us— the McCarthy-era politics, competition with another picture, everything..."
Kirk Douglas begins the book by describing how his career as an actor took off, how he started his production company, and his family, while the McCarthy trials were going on. Though he is appalled by what's going on, he is also happy that he is not affected. Douglas describes the injustice; that screen writer Dalton Trumbo went to jail during for failing to raid on fellow industry professionals.
The fear is great. About director Frank Capra regarding "Roman Holiday":
"... “Capra passed because he smelled a Red,” replied Willy. “He thinks this story was written by some guy on the blacklist and he wants no part of it.”..."
It was of course Dalton Trumbo, who wrote the script.
Douglas meets Stanley Kubrik and shoots the famous anti-war movie "Paths of Glory," one of my favorites. Here is how it happened:
"... Stanley responded with a question of his own. “Have you ever read a book called Paths of Glory?” I shook my head. He handed me a script with that title. ... I took it home and read it that night. It knocked me out. Stanley was my first call the next morning. “You wrote this?” I asked. “Yes,” he answered, calm as always. “With Jim Thompson and Calder Willingham.” “Stanley, I love this picture! We are going to make it! It will never make a nickel, but we have to make it!” And that was how Stanley Kubrick came into my life. Paths of Glory was set to shoot in the spring of 1957.
I feel that it is then that Douglas' mind-set is changing. His mind-set is evolving to, "I can no longer be a bystander." Douglas falls in love with Howard Fast's novel "Spartacus." Fast too was in imprisoned during the McCarthy trials. To me, it is reasonable that helped Fast come up with the concept of "Spartacus."
And, Douglas wants to turn it into a movie, never mind what the obstacles. Douglas also wants to hire the finest actors to give the movie the backbone to become a success.
Douglas' biggest problem? - Fast is incapable of writing a great script to his own novel.
That's where Trumbo comes into play, again. And, slowly but surely the pieces fall together.
"... There’s always been a certain part of my personality that kicks in when people tell me I can’t do something. “You can’t make Spartacus.” “You can’t trust Sam Norton.” I’d had enough of being told “You can’t.” ..."
As the script evolves, seemingly simultaneously, Kirk Douglas "the Rebel" grows to become Kirk Douglas "the Honorable Rebel," the man who will break the Blacklist, more or less alone, against all odds, just like "Spartacus." Thank God, Kirk Douglas' life story has a happier ending.
Knowing the movie so well I can't help but think that Douglas put his and his industry professionals friends' thoughts into words when Spartacus says, "I pray for a son who will be born free."
The movie industry wanted to be "free", too; this movie, "Spartacus," was their vehicle, in a double sense. All of them grew with the movie's story line and in the end the movie became their vehicle to tell the world, that McCarthyism and Black-listing was over. And, Kirk Douglas/Spartacus was the man who elected to fight for it, against the odds.
The book is very personal, in part shocking, in part funny, and sprinkled with hilarious anecdotes.
Every chapter starts with a quote from the movie, for me the most significant being
“When a free man dies, he loses the pleasure of life; a slave loses its pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That’s why he’s not afraid of it. That’s why we’ll win.” —Kirk Douglas as Spartacus
These days, when we watch the news we see and hear thing which should be shocking to any American. Words of fear and "black-listing" others drive the dialog. I have always believe that
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. - George Santayana
Is a brilliant quote. Thus it makes sense to learn from Kirk Douglas/Spartacus' views.
"... Fear breeds fear. These men— people like Jack Warner, Louis B. Mayer, and Harry Cohn— were terrified their great power would be taken away from them in a heartbeat if their loyalty to America was ever called into question. So they became superpatriots. And to prove themselves right-minded, they were more than willing to sacrifice the lives of others, even their fellow Jews. They were like the Vichy government in France, collaborators who held on to their influence and position at the expense of their fellow countrymen..."
We can't let that happen again! Kirk Douglas' book "I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist" is an entertaining reminder, what would have to happen to break a cycle - again.
PS: This book is a beautiful homage to Dalton Trumbo, who "... was a man who loved life. He loved living it, he loved describing it, he loved affecting it...."
5!* stars, Mr. Douglas, I tip my hat.
You are Spartacus, and it is our duty to stand besides you and say "I am Spartacus."
Gisela Hausmann, author & Amazon review expert
In the opening chapter, Douglas muses,
"... When I look back at Spartacus today— more than fifty years after the fact— I’m amazed that it ever happened at all. Everything was against us— the McCarthy-era politics, competition with another picture, everything..."
Kirk Douglas begins the book by describing how his career as an actor took off, how he started his production company, and his family, while the McCarthy trials were going on. Though he is appalled by what's going on, he is also happy that he is not affected. Douglas describes the injustice; that screen writer Dalton Trumbo went to jail during for failing to raid on fellow industry professionals.
The fear is great. About director Frank Capra regarding "Roman Holiday":
"... “Capra passed because he smelled a Red,” replied Willy. “He thinks this story was written by some guy on the blacklist and he wants no part of it.”..."
It was of course Dalton Trumbo, who wrote the script.
Douglas meets Stanley Kubrik and shoots the famous anti-war movie "Paths of Glory," one of my favorites. Here is how it happened:
"... Stanley responded with a question of his own. “Have you ever read a book called Paths of Glory?” I shook my head. He handed me a script with that title. ... I took it home and read it that night. It knocked me out. Stanley was my first call the next morning. “You wrote this?” I asked. “Yes,” he answered, calm as always. “With Jim Thompson and Calder Willingham.” “Stanley, I love this picture! We are going to make it! It will never make a nickel, but we have to make it!” And that was how Stanley Kubrick came into my life. Paths of Glory was set to shoot in the spring of 1957.
I feel that it is then that Douglas' mind-set is changing. His mind-set is evolving to, "I can no longer be a bystander." Douglas falls in love with Howard Fast's novel "Spartacus." Fast too was in imprisoned during the McCarthy trials. To me, it is reasonable that helped Fast come up with the concept of "Spartacus."
And, Douglas wants to turn it into a movie, never mind what the obstacles. Douglas also wants to hire the finest actors to give the movie the backbone to become a success.
Douglas' biggest problem? - Fast is incapable of writing a great script to his own novel.
That's where Trumbo comes into play, again. And, slowly but surely the pieces fall together.
"... There’s always been a certain part of my personality that kicks in when people tell me I can’t do something. “You can’t make Spartacus.” “You can’t trust Sam Norton.” I’d had enough of being told “You can’t.” ..."
As the script evolves, seemingly simultaneously, Kirk Douglas "the Rebel" grows to become Kirk Douglas "the Honorable Rebel," the man who will break the Blacklist, more or less alone, against all odds, just like "Spartacus." Thank God, Kirk Douglas' life story has a happier ending.
Knowing the movie so well I can't help but think that Douglas put his and his industry professionals friends' thoughts into words when Spartacus says, "I pray for a son who will be born free."
The movie industry wanted to be "free", too; this movie, "Spartacus," was their vehicle, in a double sense. All of them grew with the movie's story line and in the end the movie became their vehicle to tell the world, that McCarthyism and Black-listing was over. And, Kirk Douglas/Spartacus was the man who elected to fight for it, against the odds.
The book is very personal, in part shocking, in part funny, and sprinkled with hilarious anecdotes.
Every chapter starts with a quote from the movie, for me the most significant being
“When a free man dies, he loses the pleasure of life; a slave loses its pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That’s why he’s not afraid of it. That’s why we’ll win.” —Kirk Douglas as Spartacus
These days, when we watch the news we see and hear thing which should be shocking to any American. Words of fear and "black-listing" others drive the dialog. I have always believe that
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. - George Santayana
Is a brilliant quote. Thus it makes sense to learn from Kirk Douglas/Spartacus' views.
"... Fear breeds fear. These men— people like Jack Warner, Louis B. Mayer, and Harry Cohn— were terrified their great power would be taken away from them in a heartbeat if their loyalty to America was ever called into question. So they became superpatriots. And to prove themselves right-minded, they were more than willing to sacrifice the lives of others, even their fellow Jews. They were like the Vichy government in France, collaborators who held on to their influence and position at the expense of their fellow countrymen..."
We can't let that happen again! Kirk Douglas' book "I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist" is an entertaining reminder, what would have to happen to break a cycle - again.
PS: This book is a beautiful homage to Dalton Trumbo, who "... was a man who loved life. He loved living it, he loved describing it, he loved affecting it...."
5!* stars, Mr. Douglas, I tip my hat.
You are Spartacus, and it is our duty to stand besides you and say "I am Spartacus."
Gisela Hausmann, author & Amazon review expert
May 3, 2021
Read this back to back and loved it just as much the second time!
I really really enjoyed this book. I found out about a lot of things that I didn't know and really enjoyed listening to Michael Douglas reading the book.
I really really enjoyed this book. I found out about a lot of things that I didn't know and really enjoyed listening to Michael Douglas reading the book.
February 21, 2020
This is the first book I ever picked up by Kirk Douglas, and it was an enjoyable read. This was truly another kind of history lesson. Of course I had heard about the blacklist and the shameful communist witch hunt from the ‘40s and ‘50s, but I don’t think I realized just how many lives were ruined, and how badly people’s rights were trampled on—and how long the effects lasted. In this current state of political anxiety, it was a good reminder how easily this country could go wrong. Spartacus was the first movie that broke the blacklist by publishing the name of a forbidden script writer, Dalton Trumbo. But this was not done in a heroic gesture by Douglas. It was a matter of necessity, but the risk was huge and if it had gone wrong, the whole project could have self-destructed. Luckily, by 1960 the pendulum was starting to swing the other way.
But this book was about much more than the blacklist. Spartacus was a huge project with big stars—and egos—all of which had to be juggled by Kirk Douglas wearing his producer’s hat. Written fifty years later, Douglas took his own walk down memory lane to give us a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of this project. Most of the book is told from memory, and he defines his current thoughts with italics:
Writing about myself almost fifty-three years ago is a strange experience. I’m not sure I like him very much. Burt Lancaster once introduced me at a dinner by saying, “Kirk would be the first person to tell you he’s a difficult man to work with. I would be the second.” I laughed. The truth didn’t hurt…
At ninety-five, I don’t have a need to prove anything to myself anymore…Age and circumstance—a stroke, a helicopter crash, knee surgery, and a pacemaker—have all slowed me down. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t race around like I did when I was making Spartacus.
Douglas did his own stunts, which contributed to the knee surgery. In the making of Spartacus, we get a first-hand look at some of Hollywood’s most interesting stars: Charles Laughton, Lawrence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, and Tony Curtis, as well as fledgling director Stanley Kubrick. These were the days before CGI, when an army had to be hired to shoot battle scenes and a football-stadium full of fans had to be drafted to shout “I am Spartacus!” for the famous ending scene. It was fascinating and very hard to put down. Definitely worth a read.
But this book was about much more than the blacklist. Spartacus was a huge project with big stars—and egos—all of which had to be juggled by Kirk Douglas wearing his producer’s hat. Written fifty years later, Douglas took his own walk down memory lane to give us a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of this project. Most of the book is told from memory, and he defines his current thoughts with italics:
Writing about myself almost fifty-three years ago is a strange experience. I’m not sure I like him very much. Burt Lancaster once introduced me at a dinner by saying, “Kirk would be the first person to tell you he’s a difficult man to work with. I would be the second.” I laughed. The truth didn’t hurt…
At ninety-five, I don’t have a need to prove anything to myself anymore…Age and circumstance—a stroke, a helicopter crash, knee surgery, and a pacemaker—have all slowed me down. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t race around like I did when I was making Spartacus.
Douglas did his own stunts, which contributed to the knee surgery. In the making of Spartacus, we get a first-hand look at some of Hollywood’s most interesting stars: Charles Laughton, Lawrence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, and Tony Curtis, as well as fledgling director Stanley Kubrick. These were the days before CGI, when an army had to be hired to shoot battle scenes and a football-stadium full of fans had to be drafted to shout “I am Spartacus!” for the famous ending scene. It was fascinating and very hard to put down. Definitely worth a read.
January 13, 2021
Kirk Douglas remembers the events surrounding the making of the film Spartacus in the late 1950's and early 1960's. At that time, writers who had been blacklisted during the McCarthy HUAC hearings in 1953, were still unable to work. Dalton Trumbo, one of America's greatest writers, was blacklisted. He had spent time in federal prison for refusing to name names, and he was struggling to provide for his family. Trumbo began writing under pseudonyms. In fact, his screenplay of Roman Holiday won the Oscar for best screenplay in 1953; another writer was given credit for the work. Kirk Douglas produced and starred in Spartacus. He hired Trumbo as the writer. When the movie was released, Trumbo was credited with writing the screenplay. This small act broke the insidious black list.
I listened to the memoir on audible.com. It was read by Michael Douglas, Kirk's son. Absolutely fabulous!!!! At times, I thought I was actually hearing Kirk, who died in 2020 at age 104. Such a great listen!
I listened to the memoir on audible.com. It was read by Michael Douglas, Kirk's son. Absolutely fabulous!!!! At times, I thought I was actually hearing Kirk, who died in 2020 at age 104. Such a great listen!
February 17, 2023
Come girammo un film e cancellammo la lista nera
Una lettura dinamica e schietta in cui ho sguazzato a mio agio, circondato da aneddoti e personaggi che hanno fatto la storia del Cinema, esattamente come la fece Spartacus.
In questa autobiografia, scritta a 95 anni, Douglas, star cinematografica tra le più importanti, usa la storia che ha portato alla realizzazione del film non tanto per valorizzare la pellicola in sé, ma per gettare uno sguardo al momento politico che attraversava l'America dei primi anni 50, quando il maccartismo, con la sua caccia alle streghe (rosse), falciava carriere e vite anche nel mondo Hollywoodiano relegandole in quella che veniva definita la Lista nera - un nome su tutti, quello di Dalton Trumbo, lo sceneggiatore più prolifico e più pagato al tempo.
Anche se non era propriamente l'intento finale di Douglas, la difficoltosa realizzazione di Spartacus contribuì a porre fine alla Lista nera.
Motivo, quest'ultimo, che fa brillare ancora di più un libro che dovrebbe essere solo un'autobiografia.
Oggi c’è ancora chi cerca di giustificarla, la lista nera. Dicono che era necessaria per proteggere l’America. Dicono che gli unici a farne le spese furono i nostri nemici.
Mentono. Fu una vergogna nazionale che rovinò la vita di uomini, donne e bambini innocenti.
Lo so. Io c’ero. L’ho visto coi miei occhi.
Adesso vi racconto com’è andata. E di Spartacus, del film che girammo in quel clima di follia.
Una lettura dinamica e schietta in cui ho sguazzato a mio agio, circondato da aneddoti e personaggi che hanno fatto la storia del Cinema, esattamente come la fece Spartacus.
In questa autobiografia, scritta a 95 anni, Douglas, star cinematografica tra le più importanti, usa la storia che ha portato alla realizzazione del film non tanto per valorizzare la pellicola in sé, ma per gettare uno sguardo al momento politico che attraversava l'America dei primi anni 50, quando il maccartismo, con la sua caccia alle streghe (rosse), falciava carriere e vite anche nel mondo Hollywoodiano relegandole in quella che veniva definita la Lista nera - un nome su tutti, quello di Dalton Trumbo, lo sceneggiatore più prolifico e più pagato al tempo.
Anche se non era propriamente l'intento finale di Douglas, la difficoltosa realizzazione di Spartacus contribuì a porre fine alla Lista nera.
Motivo, quest'ultimo, che fa brillare ancora di più un libro che dovrebbe essere solo un'autobiografia.
Oggi c’è ancora chi cerca di giustificarla, la lista nera. Dicono che era necessaria per proteggere l’America. Dicono che gli unici a farne le spese furono i nostri nemici.
Mentono. Fu una vergogna nazionale che rovinò la vita di uomini, donne e bambini innocenti.
Lo so. Io c’ero. L’ho visto coi miei occhi.
Adesso vi racconto com’è andata. E di Spartacus, del film che girammo in quel clima di follia.
July 6, 2019
If you've seen the 1960 film Spartacus, you'll probably enjoy this book. Fascinating back story about the entire production and the political struggles are still relevant today...
August 25, 2020
Hace poco decidí volver a ver "Espartaco", la cual había visto muy pequeño y recordaba poco. Verla de mayor me permitió admirar un montón de cosas, en especial el trabajo actoral.
Por otro lado, conocía la historia detrás del guión de la película por haber visto la película "Trumbo".
De manera que al ver este libro en la librería no pude resistirme.
Me gustó bastante. Douglas es muy egocéntrico, pero quienquiera que sepa algo de él, ya lo sabía, pero también es bastante honesto. A pesar de haber escrito este libro con casi 90 años, es sorprendente el número de cosas que recuerda, y el número de anécdotas que cuenta.
Y en ese sentido el libro cumple su cometido: cuando uno lee una memoria como esta, estás esperando anécdotas poco conocidas, experiencias del narrador y todo el tipo de cosas que no se saben sobre el proceso de creación y filmación de la película. Douglas lo cumple con creces. Muchas anécdotas sobre la filmación, y personales sobre su proceso como productor, y opiniones personales sobre el momento histórico, sobre sus colegas y sobre el resultado final.
Insisto, es obvio que Douglas no es imparcial, pero eso era de esperarse, de ahí en fuera, un libro muy interesante y entretenido.
Por otro lado, conocía la historia detrás del guión de la película por haber visto la película "Trumbo".
De manera que al ver este libro en la librería no pude resistirme.
Me gustó bastante. Douglas es muy egocéntrico, pero quienquiera que sepa algo de él, ya lo sabía, pero también es bastante honesto. A pesar de haber escrito este libro con casi 90 años, es sorprendente el número de cosas que recuerda, y el número de anécdotas que cuenta.
Y en ese sentido el libro cumple su cometido: cuando uno lee una memoria como esta, estás esperando anécdotas poco conocidas, experiencias del narrador y todo el tipo de cosas que no se saben sobre el proceso de creación y filmación de la película. Douglas lo cumple con creces. Muchas anécdotas sobre la filmación, y personales sobre su proceso como productor, y opiniones personales sobre el momento histórico, sobre sus colegas y sobre el resultado final.
Insisto, es obvio que Douglas no es imparcial, pero eso era de esperarse, de ahí en fuera, un libro muy interesante y entretenido.
January 4, 2022
What a wonderful little surprise this was!
There is something about the making of movies that is almost as interesting as the movie itself -- which is why so many DVDs have those sorts of featurettes. In this case, however, the *making* of Spartacus overlapped with the *breaking* of one of modern America's least "American" things --the "Unamerican Activities" investigations and the blacklisting of countless actors, screenwriters, authors, etc. "Spartacus," written by black-listed author Dalton Trumbo (author Johnny Got His Gun, The Brave One, Roman Holiday, the screenplay of Exodus, etc) based on a novel by the blacklisted Howard Fast, became the film that broke the blacklist, but as a 95-year old Kirk Douglas reminds us, his 40-year old self didn't set out to be a hero, and likely only took the stand he did because he was just old enough to have amassed fame, wealth and influence in popular media, and was still young enough not to think through all of the repercussions if he failed.
Of course there are all the usual interesting things in this sort of book: the juggling of actors' egos (and with Peter Ustinov, Lawrence Olivier, and Charles Laughton on set -- not to mention Douglas himself, there were some BIG egos); production disasters, rival studios, battles with censors, etc. Of particular interest is our view into the young, brilliant, and completely unlikable Stanley Kubric, who clearly had about as much empathy as the average old shoe. There are the fun anecdotes -- the famous "I'm Spartacus!" scene? Written by Douglas himself, hated by Kubric, and only in the film because ultimately Douglas signed the pay checks.
All of this is fun to listen to, but what makes the work special is the backdrop of the blacklist itself -- which unfortunately has chilling parallels to much of our modern politics -- and the aforementioned asides between the "two Kirks". Much like an elder telling a tale at the dinner table, the aged Douglas sometimes interrupts his narrative to tell us a little about one of his friends and what would become of them, or how he misses them, but also to critically look at the younger man he was and tell us point blank how often he doesn't like what he sees now. He's ruthless in his self-critique, just as he is effusive in his praise of his beloved Anne. The end result is an extremely tight, well-written work (Douglas wrote quite a few books) that gives us a snapshot into a very unique time and place that ended one of Hollywood and America's darker chapters.
The audio-edition is ready by Michael Douglas, whose own voice mimics his father's just enough that you can imagine it to be the elder man himself. Highly recommended.
There is something about the making of movies that is almost as interesting as the movie itself -- which is why so many DVDs have those sorts of featurettes. In this case, however, the *making* of Spartacus overlapped with the *breaking* of one of modern America's least "American" things --the "Unamerican Activities" investigations and the blacklisting of countless actors, screenwriters, authors, etc. "Spartacus," written by black-listed author Dalton Trumbo (author Johnny Got His Gun, The Brave One, Roman Holiday, the screenplay of Exodus, etc) based on a novel by the blacklisted Howard Fast, became the film that broke the blacklist, but as a 95-year old Kirk Douglas reminds us, his 40-year old self didn't set out to be a hero, and likely only took the stand he did because he was just old enough to have amassed fame, wealth and influence in popular media, and was still young enough not to think through all of the repercussions if he failed.
Of course there are all the usual interesting things in this sort of book: the juggling of actors' egos (and with Peter Ustinov, Lawrence Olivier, and Charles Laughton on set -- not to mention Douglas himself, there were some BIG egos); production disasters, rival studios, battles with censors, etc. Of particular interest is our view into the young, brilliant, and completely unlikable Stanley Kubric, who clearly had about as much empathy as the average old shoe. There are the fun anecdotes -- the famous "I'm Spartacus!" scene? Written by Douglas himself, hated by Kubric, and only in the film because ultimately Douglas signed the pay checks.
All of this is fun to listen to, but what makes the work special is the backdrop of the blacklist itself -- which unfortunately has chilling parallels to much of our modern politics -- and the aforementioned asides between the "two Kirks". Much like an elder telling a tale at the dinner table, the aged Douglas sometimes interrupts his narrative to tell us a little about one of his friends and what would become of them, or how he misses them, but also to critically look at the younger man he was and tell us point blank how often he doesn't like what he sees now. He's ruthless in his self-critique, just as he is effusive in his praise of his beloved Anne. The end result is an extremely tight, well-written work (Douglas wrote quite a few books) that gives us a snapshot into a very unique time and place that ended one of Hollywood and America's darker chapters.
The audio-edition is ready by Michael Douglas, whose own voice mimics his father's just enough that you can imagine it to be the elder man himself. Highly recommended.
April 30, 2024
This is an extremely interesting look at a great film by the ultimate insider: Kirk Douglas, who starred in the film, worked hard to get it produced and directed and had the courage to not only choose a blacklisted writer--Dalton Trumbo---to do the script but to put Mr. Trumbo's name on the credits, which in those days could have been the kiss of death for the film and its box office totals. This decision by Kirk Douglas was a watershed in, as the title clearly asserts, breaking the blacklist. His story about this and the making of the film and the actors and actresses who participated in it is fascinating and riveting. There were clashes of personalities, especially between Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton, and Mr. Douglas admits that his sometimes headstrong ways rubbed some people the wrong way, especially the director, Stanley Kubrick. But what emerged from the long, costly shoot was a truly outstanding movie about much more that just a slave revolt against the Roman Empire. Even today, 64 years after its release to theaters, Spartacus is the first-rate example of film making. As well, its themes are timeless and so relevant. The film won 4 Academy Awards, but was not nominated for Best Picture and Kirk Douglas wasn't nominated for Best Actor. Typical Hollywood politics and let's face it, too often the Oscars are essentially a popularity contest. Don't get me started on the countless times the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences got it wrong by commission or omission.
Nevertheless, this is an excellent book by a very admirable man who stood by his principles when it would have been so easy to go along to get along.
Nevertheless, this is an excellent book by a very admirable man who stood by his principles when it would have been so easy to go along to get along.
September 4, 2020
As a Kubrick fan I've seen this film several times, and tho I knew it was controversial because Dalton Trumbo (famously black-listed writer) had his name in the credits, I've never known how much Douglas fought to bring this to the screen.
Told from Douglas' perspective (some 40 years later), this is not only a film star and producer struggling to put a great story on the screen, but someone fighting to break a wrong-headed system from the inside.
Great anecdotes, full of personality, never shying away from incidents that don't necessarily show him in the best light.
I also love non-fiction audio-books read by the author, and tho Kirk does not read this, his son Michael Douglas sounds enough like him that if you're not aware of it it's as if Kirk is telling it himself.
Highly recommended on many fronts: film buffs, Douglas and/or Kubrick fans, and people who love activists fighting to change society for the better.
Told from Douglas' perspective (some 40 years later), this is not only a film star and producer struggling to put a great story on the screen, but someone fighting to break a wrong-headed system from the inside.
Great anecdotes, full of personality, never shying away from incidents that don't necessarily show him in the best light.
I also love non-fiction audio-books read by the author, and tho Kirk does not read this, his son Michael Douglas sounds enough like him that if you're not aware of it it's as if Kirk is telling it himself.
Highly recommended on many fronts: film buffs, Douglas and/or Kubrick fans, and people who love activists fighting to change society for the better.
February 4, 2022
Made me go back and watch the movie again.
February 16, 2020
Una gran película dentro de otra película.
August 2, 2018
Listened to the audiobook, as read by Michael Douglas. It's a wonderful book, written by one of my favourite Golden Age actors and a man with a conscience. The subtext of SPARTACUS was the harsh treatment of Americans by HUAC and Douglas talks about that, principally his decision to get the script written by Dalton Trumbo and the ensuing fallout. Stanley Kubrick comes across as a bit of a jerk. Douglas interrupts his account of the making of this excellent movie by discussing his regrets, those built over a lifetime, and it's very poignant. All in all a superb and short piece of work. I'm off to watch the film (again) now.
April 17, 2023
Before there was 'Gladiator' perhaps the most important and interesting of all the so-called 'sword and sandal' epics was the Universal Pictures movie 'Spartacus'. Kirk Douglas, producer and leading man in the movie, tells the story of what made 'Spartacus' the cinematic achievement that it is in this highly entertaining and informative memoir of his experiences in the film industry up to and including the release of the film. Douglas has provided the reader with significant insights into his own life, what was involved in making the movie, the personalities who he encountered in the process and perhaps most importantly spoken to the political problems that arose as a result of McCarthyism. 'Spartacus' the film was not just a big budget release that tried to retell the story of perhaps the most famous slave revolt in history. It was also a movie that saw Douglas and his creative team make a break with what had been imposed on the Hollywood Ten and left leaning artists of their ilk. 'I Am Spartacus' is the history of a film and its creators doing their best to overthrow injustice and repression over 2000 years after the the Thracian slave rose in revolt. This is a most welcome book from a Hollywood legend, looking back over his amazing life and a wonderful film.
Before this review continues it is appropriate to note that as both a lover of epics such as 'Spartacus' and as a student of history (including that of ancient Rome) this will be a biased critique of the text. This reviewer's predisposition towards Douglas's memoirs was favourable from the start and as the book was read this attitude was reinforced. However there are non-partisan reasons why 'I Am Spartacus' deserves commendation and these will be considered hereon.
The first cause for celebrating what has been written by Douglas is that it is a vivid and highly engaging look back on his own career and much that he experienced up to and after 'Spartacus'. Kirk Douglas was one of the last surviving members of the generation of actors who starred in movies made in the so-called 'Golden Years of Hollywood' and his anecdotes and narrative about what happened and who was involved during the period covered in his memoir is priceless movie history, Douglas writes with the kind of brio that one might expect from such an accomplished actor; especially one who worked with so many greats both in front of and behind the camera. Whether it's recounting domestic fights between Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier, detailing his sometimes fraught relationship with legendary director Stanley Kubrick or writing of that time he convinced Jean Simmons to go topless for a bathing scene in 'Spartacus' Douglas is a superb raconteur. His description of the people and experiences he encountered during the period covered by this book are lively, funny, without rancour and of so informative.
That 'I Am Spartacus' also recounts the significant problems and challenges faced by Douglas and his fellow movie makers is also very interesting and valuable for the film historian. The account given by Kirk Douglas shows that no film is the creation of just one person and production of a movie is a battle on several fronts. The insights given into the directorial methodology of Stanley Kubrick, the acting dynamics as exemplified in the performances of Olivier, Charles Laughton and Peter Ustinov, the money problems, casting issues, script rewrites and editing processes and even the then important influence of supposed moral guardians in the film industry are all explored by Douglas to considerable effect. This book may not be the perfect account of a troubled film production history but it certainly gives the reader lots to consider, to ponder, to contemplate.
These aspects of 'I Am Spartacus' are all very valuable however where this book really makes its most important statements are in how Douglas tackles the history of the House of Un-American Activities Committee as it imposed its repressive actions on left-leaning film industry figures. Through the focus on Douglas Trumbo, the screenwriter of 'Spartacus' and the somewhat lesser attention given to Howard Fast (the novelist who wrote the original book of 'Spartacus') Douglas is able to map how McCarthyism and right-wing demagoguery challenged the artistic and personal freedoms of many in the film industry of the period from 1947 through to 1961. He also writes with passion and reason about how he and others in Hollywood tried to deal with the ramifications of such political discrimination and then actually break the stranglehold HUAC and its fellow travellers held around film makers at the time. Douglas is not afraid to reveal how tentative his steps were when trying to resolve the challenge of using the black-listed writer Dalton Trumbo for 'Spartacus' and its a credit to his memory that he doesn't sell himself as a 'saviour'. Whilst he was ready and willing to oppose the blacklisting and its advocates Douglas was not an idealistic radical. He was also helped by the attendance of then newly-elected President John F Kennedy at a screening of 'Spartacus' and Douglas recounts that event to great effect. This memoir is a major testament to the power of artists in rejecting political oppression.
There are some other, more mundane reasons to commend 'I Am Spartacus'. This is a relatively short text and can be read within a day or so if the reader wishes to go hard. There are some fabulous photos in the back of the book that add colour and depth to the written account of the making of 'Spartacus' and Douglas's career. Finally this is a great yarn from a great American actor and if it says nothing else it shows that behind the slave costume and make up Kirk Douglas was a fascinating man.
Go on...read 'I Am Spartacus'. You will enjoy it.
Before this review continues it is appropriate to note that as both a lover of epics such as 'Spartacus' and as a student of history (including that of ancient Rome) this will be a biased critique of the text. This reviewer's predisposition towards Douglas's memoirs was favourable from the start and as the book was read this attitude was reinforced. However there are non-partisan reasons why 'I Am Spartacus' deserves commendation and these will be considered hereon.
The first cause for celebrating what has been written by Douglas is that it is a vivid and highly engaging look back on his own career and much that he experienced up to and after 'Spartacus'. Kirk Douglas was one of the last surviving members of the generation of actors who starred in movies made in the so-called 'Golden Years of Hollywood' and his anecdotes and narrative about what happened and who was involved during the period covered in his memoir is priceless movie history, Douglas writes with the kind of brio that one might expect from such an accomplished actor; especially one who worked with so many greats both in front of and behind the camera. Whether it's recounting domestic fights between Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier, detailing his sometimes fraught relationship with legendary director Stanley Kubrick or writing of that time he convinced Jean Simmons to go topless for a bathing scene in 'Spartacus' Douglas is a superb raconteur. His description of the people and experiences he encountered during the period covered by this book are lively, funny, without rancour and of so informative.
That 'I Am Spartacus' also recounts the significant problems and challenges faced by Douglas and his fellow movie makers is also very interesting and valuable for the film historian. The account given by Kirk Douglas shows that no film is the creation of just one person and production of a movie is a battle on several fronts. The insights given into the directorial methodology of Stanley Kubrick, the acting dynamics as exemplified in the performances of Olivier, Charles Laughton and Peter Ustinov, the money problems, casting issues, script rewrites and editing processes and even the then important influence of supposed moral guardians in the film industry are all explored by Douglas to considerable effect. This book may not be the perfect account of a troubled film production history but it certainly gives the reader lots to consider, to ponder, to contemplate.
These aspects of 'I Am Spartacus' are all very valuable however where this book really makes its most important statements are in how Douglas tackles the history of the House of Un-American Activities Committee as it imposed its repressive actions on left-leaning film industry figures. Through the focus on Douglas Trumbo, the screenwriter of 'Spartacus' and the somewhat lesser attention given to Howard Fast (the novelist who wrote the original book of 'Spartacus') Douglas is able to map how McCarthyism and right-wing demagoguery challenged the artistic and personal freedoms of many in the film industry of the period from 1947 through to 1961. He also writes with passion and reason about how he and others in Hollywood tried to deal with the ramifications of such political discrimination and then actually break the stranglehold HUAC and its fellow travellers held around film makers at the time. Douglas is not afraid to reveal how tentative his steps were when trying to resolve the challenge of using the black-listed writer Dalton Trumbo for 'Spartacus' and its a credit to his memory that he doesn't sell himself as a 'saviour'. Whilst he was ready and willing to oppose the blacklisting and its advocates Douglas was not an idealistic radical. He was also helped by the attendance of then newly-elected President John F Kennedy at a screening of 'Spartacus' and Douglas recounts that event to great effect. This memoir is a major testament to the power of artists in rejecting political oppression.
There are some other, more mundane reasons to commend 'I Am Spartacus'. This is a relatively short text and can be read within a day or so if the reader wishes to go hard. There are some fabulous photos in the back of the book that add colour and depth to the written account of the making of 'Spartacus' and Douglas's career. Finally this is a great yarn from a great American actor and if it says nothing else it shows that behind the slave costume and make up Kirk Douglas was a fascinating man.
Go on...read 'I Am Spartacus'. You will enjoy it.
March 16, 2016
The amazing thing is that Kirk Douglas was 95 years old when he wrote this book. It is a fascinating memoir about the making of the movie, I Am Spartacus!, and how Douglas broke the Hollywood blacklist for people who were communist or suspected of being communist. He hired a blacklisted writer to write the movie and put his name on the movie. Many blacklisted writers wrote under pseudonyms to support their families.
The movie was based on a book, Spartacus, by Howard Fast, a blacklisted novelist. Fast, as part of the original book deal, was to write the script, but was unable to produce a quality script so Douglas hired Dalton Trumbo.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves movies and how they are made.
The movie was based on a book, Spartacus, by Howard Fast, a blacklisted novelist. Fast, as part of the original book deal, was to write the script, but was unable to produce a quality script so Douglas hired Dalton Trumbo.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves movies and how they are made.
January 23, 2017
Great book about making a great film and the long and difficult road traveled to get there. Douglas is back with a book that is on target and informative. Some things are repeated from previous books, but the stories here are all germane to the film and go into great depth. Any student of film, fan of the movie, or of movies in general should really read this book. Highly recommended.
March 6, 2014
Anyone who didn't live through the '50s probably doesn't fully appreciate the extent of the Hollywood blacklist. I didn't, until I read this book. You should too, even if you're not a huge fan of Kirk Douglas or Spartacus.
October 30, 2015
En este libro autocomplaciente, construido demasiado en torno a anécdotas, Kirk Douglas recuerda el Hollywood de las listas negras y cómo el rodaje de Espartaco contribuyó a acabar con aquel mundo hipócrita donde los guionistas seguían escribiendo bajo otros nombres. Lo he leído de una sentada.
January 16, 2016
El propio Kirk Douglas cuenta las dificultades del rodaje de Espartaco y su relación con el guionista Dalton Trumbo. Interesante por las anédotas pero autocomplaciente y de poco valor literario.
February 2, 2018
McCarthyism, Hollywood, Spartacus and Kirk Douglas
Imagine spending a day getting drunk while talking about Spartacus as it's being made with Laurence ('Larry') Olivier, Dalton Trumbo, and Kirk Douglas--Douglas' memoir I Am Spartacus: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist (2012) is full of such entertaining vignettes.
Lots of appalling details of McCarthyism: 'pompous ass' congressional committee chairmen, contempt of congress prison sentences, black listing, etc. Lots of interesting details on how movies were made in the 1950s: securing funding, securing rights to adapt novels, writing and revising screenplays, casting actors, finding directors, promoting films, worrying about entertainment columnists, costume fittings, table readings, editing, satisfying the Motion Picture Association censors, etc. Lots of snapshots of Hollywood stars: Lauren Bacall, Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, George Sanders, Jean Simmons, etc. Lots of intriguing pieces of Kirk Douglas' biography: Russian Jewish ancestry, birth name Issur Danielovitch, beloved mother, first movie role, stardom, marriages and children, production company, etc. Lots of apt insights into human nature: why persecuted people like Jews would persecute their fellows; what kind of people name names of friends to save their careers and what kind don't; what kind of religion would be most helpful to the world; etc.
Of course the book is full of interesting details about how the classic historical epic Spartacus was made: the involvement of the author of the novel, Howard Fast; the race to beat a rival studio before they could make their similarly themed epic; the efforts of Douglas to find another studio to back his movie; and the chaotic making of the picture, including the director and the female lead actress getting fired after filming had begun, Douglas breaking the jaw of another actor during a fight scene, and Tony Curtis splitting his Achilles tendon while playing tennis with Douglas, the recording of 73,000 college football fans at an MSU game shouting 'I am Spartacus' in unison, and the purchase from Franco of the Spanish army to play clashing armies in the climactic battle filmed at the last second. Douglas' depictions of the large personalities involved are entertaining: Laurence Olivier suffering the break up of his marriage to Vivien Leigh; Charles Laughton throwing temper tantrums; Peter Ustinov stealing scenes; Tony Curtis greeting Douglas, 'Hail Spartacus!' Not to mention Kubrick, the young director, rubbing everyone the wrong way with his perfectionist genius, deficient empathy, and refusal to change his clothes, and Dalton Trumbo, the Oscar-winning black listed writer, chafing at having to write yet another screenplay under yet another pseudonym, a screenplay plagued by constant requests for changes.
Although the book is mostly about the making of Spartacus and the raising of the Hollywood blacklist, part of its appeal concerns the struggles of Douglass at 95 to recall his 1950s' self, not only because it's difficult to remember events from long ago but especially because it's painful to remember the man he was then: cocky, energetic, and at times possessed of an anger that pains him to realize resembled that of his 'cruel' father (as when he threw a chair at Kubrick in a rage over the scene of Spartacus on the cross being cut without prior discussion). Without pride, Douglas, mentions that Tony Curtis' description of him back then was spot on: 'A panther with a thorn in his side.'
Douglas writes a lot of witty lines, like these:
--'I didn't enjoy firing people. I'm not Donald Trump.'
--'Nobody wrote outrage better than Dalton even in a telegram.'
--'Eddie was a man of conviction. Stanley was a man of calculation.'
--'His sighs and grunts and soft reproaches somewhat unhinged me at close quarters.'
Michael Douglas gives a fine reading of the audiobook, his gravely voice a nostalgic echo of his father's.
Fans of Spartacus or Kirk Douglas or people curious about McCarthyism or Hollywood of the 1950s should like this book.
PS. For obvious reasons, people who believe that Douglas brutally raped Natalie Wood when she was 16 and or who believe that his son has been guilty of sexual harassment would probably not enjoy this audiobook. I hadn't heard about such things before listening to the audiobook, and Douglas doesn't mention anything about Wood in his book. If he were guilty, I'd have to rethink my feeling for an actor I've always admired for his roles in Spartacus and Lust for Life.
Imagine spending a day getting drunk while talking about Spartacus as it's being made with Laurence ('Larry') Olivier, Dalton Trumbo, and Kirk Douglas--Douglas' memoir I Am Spartacus: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist (2012) is full of such entertaining vignettes.
Lots of appalling details of McCarthyism: 'pompous ass' congressional committee chairmen, contempt of congress prison sentences, black listing, etc. Lots of interesting details on how movies were made in the 1950s: securing funding, securing rights to adapt novels, writing and revising screenplays, casting actors, finding directors, promoting films, worrying about entertainment columnists, costume fittings, table readings, editing, satisfying the Motion Picture Association censors, etc. Lots of snapshots of Hollywood stars: Lauren Bacall, Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, George Sanders, Jean Simmons, etc. Lots of intriguing pieces of Kirk Douglas' biography: Russian Jewish ancestry, birth name Issur Danielovitch, beloved mother, first movie role, stardom, marriages and children, production company, etc. Lots of apt insights into human nature: why persecuted people like Jews would persecute their fellows; what kind of people name names of friends to save their careers and what kind don't; what kind of religion would be most helpful to the world; etc.
Of course the book is full of interesting details about how the classic historical epic Spartacus was made: the involvement of the author of the novel, Howard Fast; the race to beat a rival studio before they could make their similarly themed epic; the efforts of Douglas to find another studio to back his movie; and the chaotic making of the picture, including the director and the female lead actress getting fired after filming had begun, Douglas breaking the jaw of another actor during a fight scene, and Tony Curtis splitting his Achilles tendon while playing tennis with Douglas, the recording of 73,000 college football fans at an MSU game shouting 'I am Spartacus' in unison, and the purchase from Franco of the Spanish army to play clashing armies in the climactic battle filmed at the last second. Douglas' depictions of the large personalities involved are entertaining: Laurence Olivier suffering the break up of his marriage to Vivien Leigh; Charles Laughton throwing temper tantrums; Peter Ustinov stealing scenes; Tony Curtis greeting Douglas, 'Hail Spartacus!' Not to mention Kubrick, the young director, rubbing everyone the wrong way with his perfectionist genius, deficient empathy, and refusal to change his clothes, and Dalton Trumbo, the Oscar-winning black listed writer, chafing at having to write yet another screenplay under yet another pseudonym, a screenplay plagued by constant requests for changes.
Although the book is mostly about the making of Spartacus and the raising of the Hollywood blacklist, part of its appeal concerns the struggles of Douglass at 95 to recall his 1950s' self, not only because it's difficult to remember events from long ago but especially because it's painful to remember the man he was then: cocky, energetic, and at times possessed of an anger that pains him to realize resembled that of his 'cruel' father (as when he threw a chair at Kubrick in a rage over the scene of Spartacus on the cross being cut without prior discussion). Without pride, Douglas, mentions that Tony Curtis' description of him back then was spot on: 'A panther with a thorn in his side.'
Douglas writes a lot of witty lines, like these:
--'I didn't enjoy firing people. I'm not Donald Trump.'
--'Nobody wrote outrage better than Dalton even in a telegram.'
--'Eddie was a man of conviction. Stanley was a man of calculation.'
--'His sighs and grunts and soft reproaches somewhat unhinged me at close quarters.'
Michael Douglas gives a fine reading of the audiobook, his gravely voice a nostalgic echo of his father's.
Fans of Spartacus or Kirk Douglas or people curious about McCarthyism or Hollywood of the 1950s should like this book.
PS. For obvious reasons, people who believe that Douglas brutally raped Natalie Wood when she was 16 and or who believe that his son has been guilty of sexual harassment would probably not enjoy this audiobook. I hadn't heard about such things before listening to the audiobook, and Douglas doesn't mention anything about Wood in his book. If he were guilty, I'd have to rethink my feeling for an actor I've always admired for his roles in Spartacus and Lust for Life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews