Gladiatoris one of the rare ostensibly “original” films of the 21st century that managed to become both a massive critical success and a commercial achievement; this level of success is rare under parameters, but it’s even more impressive considering thatGladiatorwasn’t connected to a previously established franchise. Although there may have been doubt about whetherRidley Scottcould pull off a modern “sword-and-sandal” epic, a genre that had been largely dormant since the 1950s,Gladiatorproved to be an unmissable cinematic hit and became one of the few summer blockbusters towin the Academy Award for Best Picture. Although it’s easy to look back at the film’s production with rose-tinted glasses,a constantly fluctuating script made filmingGladiatoran experience as challenging as fighting in the Coliseum.
Gladiatorhadbeen in development for years at Universalbefore Scott eventually signed on to the project and hiredJohn Loganto rewrite the screenplay. Although production had been progressing at a steady pace in 1999, the death ofOliver Reedcaused temporary shutdownsthat forced Scott and his crew to rewrite the script,much to the displeasure of his actors.Due tomany changes in character motivationsand expositional events,both Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix improvised a lot of their dialogue onGladiator.
In ancient Rome, after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, loyal general Maximus is betrayed and sentenced to death by the new emperor, Commodus. Escaping execution, Maximus is enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator, where his skills and honor lead him toward a path of vengeance and redemption.
Russell Crowe Improvised on the Set of ‘Gladiator’
Crowe was peaking in popularity at the timeGladiatorwas going into production, as hisstellar performance inMichael Mann’s acclaimed biopicThe Insiderhad earned him the first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor of his career. Perhaps it was his inflated ego that led him to assume some creative responsibilities on the set ofGladiator, asCrowe and Scott had completely different ideas on what Maximus’ character arc should look like.A DreamWorks executive reported that Crowe “was not well behaved,” as he would frequently get into brawls with local villagers on set in Morocco to get into character. While Scott had to reign in Crowe’s improvisations when he took to rewriting elements of the script, he knew that he needed a significant star to ensure thatGladiatorwould be a box-office success and justify its ballooning budget.
Crowe outright rejected many ofGladiator’s most iconic moments; the iconic line “in this life or the next, I will have my vengeance?” was almost absent from the film because Crowe refused to say it. However,some of Crowe’s improvisations made it into the final cut.Scott liked a moment where Crowe kneeled and prayed before a major battle so much that he decided to include it, figuring that it was in line with the chivalrous way that Maximus would conduct his duty in the midst of any hectic conflict.The now beloved momentwhere Maximus runs his hands through a field of wheat was the result of an improvisation on the part of Crowe’s stunt double, who was performing in his place during pick-up shots in Rome.
Joaquin Phoenix Added Complexity to Commodus in ‘Gladiator’
Crowe was an established star at the time thatGladiatorwas filming, but Phoenix had much more to prove;despite doing stellar work in films likeParenthoodandTo Die Forwhen he was a younger actor, Phoenix needed to prove that he had graduated from the “child star” phase and was worth taking seriously as an adult actor. However, the production was also challenging for a different reason, asGladiatorwas the first film that Phoenix filmed after the death of his brother, River, a child star best known for his work inIndiana Jones and the Last CrusadeandThe Mosquito Coast. Commodus wasn’t necessarily written as a very complex villain, but Phoenix drew from his own feelings of heartbreak to create a multifaceted character who truly believed that his wicked actions were in the best interest of the Roman Empire and its future. It was a performance that earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, solidifying his place among the most brave performers of his generation.
Phoenix also made observations that helped improveGladiator’s historical accuracy.While filming a carriage scene in which Commodus is riding with Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Phoenix noted that there were no public bathing houses at the time, meaning the entire vehicle would be laced with a horrible odor. This led Scott to add shots of both Commodus and Lucilla using fans made out of butchered herbs in an attempt to mask the smell. While it’s a minor detail that viewers may have only noticed after multiple watches, it just goes to showthe importance that Scott paid to minor details. None of the film’s grandiose action sequences would be nearly as inspiring if it didn’t feel like they took place in an authentic version of history.
What Is the Legacy of ‘Gladiator?’
The massive success ofGladiatorled to arevival of the historical epic genre, with subsequent “sword-and-sandals” films like300andTroyreleased in the direct aftermath. While none of these imitators had the same staying power as the originalGladiator, it did inspire Scott to make several other projects set in the same genre. The next two decades saw him making the medieval war filmKingdom of Heaven, the darker reinterpretation ofRobin Hood, the biblical epicExodus: Gods and Kings, and the acclaimed biopicThe Last Duel. Each film contained a similar amount of spectacle and stakes asGladiator.
After years of rumors and rewrites,Gladiator IIis finally set to his theaters this falland has easily become one of the year’s most anticipated films. While it’sexciting to see how new cast memberslikePaul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Denzel Washington,andPedro Pascalwill fit into the dense mythology, it remains to be seen if the sequel can live up to the legacy of its predecessor.
Gladiatoris streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.
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