Films to Love: The Glory of Ancient Rome
While writing Monday’s Books to Love: All Roads Lead to Rome post, recounting such exciting and exclusively Roman activities as chariot racing and gladiatorial games, I found myself wanting to experience those elements on the big screen. Thankfully, numerous directors have also felt the same way.
While I was writing about Kate Quinn’s Empress of Rome series, I found myself wanting to watch a chariot race with the same excitement as Diana did in the Daughters of Rome. Or to witness the specter of the gladiatorial games in all their gore as Arius stepped into the arena. So, today, I’m writing about two films that will give you a taste of these Roman spectacles.
“You may conquer the land; you may slaughter the people. But that is not the end. We will rise again.”
Remember how Anne Shirley could barely contain herself when she was reading Lew Wallace’s classic, Ben-Hur? She got in trouble for reading during the teacher’s lesson because she really, really wanted to find out what happened during the chariot race. And, truly, the book did capture the glory of the sport. How does a director compete with something that iconic- the anticipation, the majesty, the thrill? Well, when you’re William Wyler, brilliant director that he was, you hire two other directors, each with specific giftings, to help you do just that. And, you take over a year to ensure that the set is correct, the horses are trained, and the actors and stunt doubles are ready.
The work that went into the filming and completion of the chariot race alone in the 1959 epic classic has gone down in cinematic history as a thing of legend. Of course, the time and expense panned out as the movie earned a whopping 11 academy awards. And, as a great fan of the film, I can say that the chariot race does not disappoint. The lead up is expertly constructed- beginning with the breach in the brotherhood between Judah Ben-Hur and Messala to the festering grudge Judah bears toward all things Roman to the tipping point when Judah finds out his mother and sister died in prison (or so he thinks) due to Roman injustice propagated by his once brotherly companion, Messala. By the time these two men arrive in their quadriga chariots, the audience is ready for the culmination. And what a culmination it is. I’m glad the directors gave the time to this sequence.
Filming took five week in total spread out over three months to complete this scene and cost- just the filming- about $1 million. That doesn’t include the fact that the set was built from the ground up, taking over 1,000 workmen a year and another $1 million to finish. The racetrack was hewn out of a rock quarry to exact specification to mimic the actual track built outside Jerusalem by the Romans and it took over 36,000 tons of sand brought in from Mediterranean beaches to fill it. Then there was the preparations needed to make sure the filming could begin, including the two principles, Charleston Heston and Stephen Boyd, training to control four horses while they raced each other in their chariots. Heston and Boyd did most of the driving and even a few of the stunts during the filming. Boyd even wore a special metal lined armor so that he could be filmed being dragged behind his horses; thankfully, a lifelike dummy was used when Messala is trampled.
The chariot race is not the only worthwhile aspect of this film, but it is one of the most awe-inspiring sequences, to be sure. Ben-Hur is an absolute favorite in our family and I cannot recommend this version enough. The 1925 silent version is also a worthy watch.
“Brothers, what we do in life... echoes in eternity.”
While Ben-Hur gives us a taste of the Roman provinces- with a single scene that tips its hat to the grandeur of Rome itself when General Marcus Arius rides in his Triumph to be honored by Caesar- the glory of Rome as well as her shame is showcased perfectly in Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator starring Russel Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. From the start, during the final siege in Germania, when we see an excellent example of the Roman phalanx in action to the final sequence in the center of Coliseum’s arena, Rome is on display. We see her provinces. We see her palaces and grand architectural achievements, like the Coliseum. And we see the lesser spoken of parts- the gladiator training schools that were more prisons that schools, the slave markets, the battlefields, and the barbarism of an ancient empire.
Given the title of this film, you’ll no doubt know that this movie will ultimately bring you into the arena at the Coliseum in Rome. Certainly there were many gladiatorial games throughout the enormous empire, but Ridley Scott gifts us with this vivid imagining of what the gladiatorial games must have looked like in the heart of the empire. And, from what we know from history, the depiction doesn’t disappoint. While Scott didn’t go as far as to fill the arena with water in order to enact full battles fought at sea, he did give use the display of battles reenacted and exotic animals brought in to spice up the fights.
And while the scenes in the arena can dominate because of their awesomeness, what makes Gladiator unforgettable is the stunning character development of Maximus. Russell Crowe, who, like Charleston Heston, received an academy award for his performance, deserved every ounce of that little gold statue. Maximus starts as a prominent general in the Roman army only to be betrayed, stripped of all his wealth, witness to his family’s brutal murder, thrown into slavery, and forced to endure the most barbaric of practices- becoming a gladiator. Crowe embodies acting chops that allow for the subtly of transition throughout all these stages of Maximus’ development with the utmost integrity and believability. Furthermore, it is not only Crowe’s performance that captivates. Joaquin Phoenix is thoroughly detestable as Commodus, heir of the great Caesar Marcus Aurelius. And yet, while his actions are grotesque and shameful, Phoenix is still able to cull a measure of compassion from the viewer. Certainly by the end, we are ready for the climax that unfolds to the conclusion, but there are glimpses throughout the film when you truly feel for this wayward, insecure character.
And, because I must, there are two minor performances that continue to dominate in my mind to the point that the scenes when these characters appear are among my favorites. The first would be Proximo, the owner of the gladiator school where Maximus finds himself. Proximo has an odd kinship with Maximus as he was once a gladiator who was given his freedom by Marcus Aurelius. Then there is Marcus Aurelius played by one of my all time favorites, Richard Harris. Obviously, he’s at the twilight of his life. We meet him on the battlefields of Germania, where Maximus serves with distinction under him. In fact, Maximus holds a very special place in Marcus Aurelius’ heart. And, as only Richard Harris could, the idealism and ideology of Marcus Aurelius is beautifully expressed. I know it’s not the same role, but I honestly saw King Arthur from Camelot echoed in Harris’ performance as the aging caesar. Both Proximo and Marcus Aurelius have the best lines, too. Look for these jewel performances. They don’t disappoint.
These movies are among my family’s favorites. If you haven’t seen either, both are worth the watch. Or, if you’ve seen them before, give another gander. You’ll enjoy them, I’m sure.
Now you’ve heard my favorites movies about ancient Rome, what are yours?
