I Am Spartacus!
Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist
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I Am Spartacus!
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Narrated by:
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Michael Douglas
About this listen
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.
©2012 Kirk Douglas (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about I Am Spartacus!
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- L A Stevenson
- 27-02-14
I'm spartacus
Would you listen to I Am Spartacus! again? Why?
Yes. It's not too long and is paced very well. Michael Douglas is excellent too.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Dalton Trumbo sounds like a hoot.
Which character – as performed by Michael Douglas – was your favourite?
Hmmm...it's a memoir so that's not an applicable question...
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Yes, it made me laugh at points. Descriptions of actor's luvee tantrums and indulgences are pretty amusing.
Any additional comments?
I'd always liked Kirk Douglas after seeing films on the BBC like Lust for Life, Spartacus when i was a kid. Saw this and am delighted I got it. An interesting, sometimes funny and touching story. I had heard about the Blacklists in the 50s before and Kirk Douglas writes about how ridiculous and how dangerous a time it was. All the movie's background deals, actor cajoling, betrayals and on set shenanigans. Thoroughly entertaining.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ms. L. Murphy
- 14-07-18
Quick and entertaining
A fast memoir of the making of the 1960 movie Spartacus. A great, quick read loaded with a significant social history and fun anecdotes, very much enjoyed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alan Coady
- 01-07-18
No crucifixions, but a tough time.
All collaborative projects face challenges but the film industry brings together so many strands that it seems a wonder that many films are completed. Add to the usual tensions the McCarthy blacklisting of writers and you can imagine the difficulties. If you're an IMDb fan, you soon realise that names are 'on board' who are not credited in the film and this raises a familiar feeling of suspense: wondering how they came to disappear. One strength of this book is KD's balanced view of sometimes problematic people: their flaws (often ones of ego) don't blind him to their strengths.
As an aside, let me mention Howard Fast's original novel. He appears in the story here and I was prompted to try the novel: it's really fine writing, although clearly a different thing altogether from the script - no spoilers - I won't mention the name, in case you're not an IMDb addict.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shaun52
- 03-11-17
brilliant and very moving in parts.
loved the narrative by Michael Douglas, never got bored throughout the book . Kirk Douglas comes across has a special human being that has lived an extraordinary life .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Me & Him 2022
- 21-10-21
A superb and detailed walk through another era
I loved this audio book, and i dont say that often. It's autobiographical but paired with research and insight into a time that those in middle age won't remember today. Kirk's reflections are interesting, funny and often a delight to listen to. I was amazed that I knew so little about this time in what is recent history, and to see it from the inside - the culture, politics and the growth of Kirk's family and career in the midst of it all is something I have already recommended to others. And at the core of it, the relationship between Kirk and his wife Anne - she sounds like an amazing person. This whole listening experience left me with a big smile, made even better by the fact that Michael Douglas performs it, evoking his father every step of the way. Wish there was more!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- MR M PIDGEON
- 22-04-23
Great story
Thoroughly enjoyable listen. It's an interesting glance into the past which may or may not have echoes of the 'cancel culture' we're enduring today. If you love Kirk's movies you'll probably enjoy this. Worth it alone for the albeit one sided insights into Kubrick. Beautifully read by Michael Douglas - who sounds a hell of a lot like Kirk!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-08-21
Utterly brilliant enthralling & inspired
Bigots hypocrites & right wing fundamentalists will not enjoy being exposed by this beautiful tender recollection by a true artist & gentleman
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mark
- 13-02-18
fantastic book!
loved it and if Kirk can't read it to us himself then who better than Michael.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- S. cassidy
- 10-01-23
Great backstory of great film
Good insite into a dark period in USA history. bygone age of movies and making of. Will read more from Mr Kirk Douglas.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mister Peridot
- 18-04-18
Politics meets Hollywood
The film Spartacus tells the story of a great Roman slave revolt. But its the making of this film in the midst of the Hollywood blacklist and hysterical anti-communism that is the real story here. Kirk Douglas does a great job of weaving together the characters, both contemporary and historical, into a facinating account of how the film was made. And as the lead actor and producer he experienced it all first hand.
Most significant was the scriptwriter, Dalton Trumbo, who had to work anonymously as he had been blacklisted and even imprisoned. There are many more major Hollywood players involved in the making of the film, Stanley Kubrick and Laurence Olivier amongst them. Had never realised what an important film Spartacus was and is.
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1 person found this helpful