Spartacus
About Spartacus
Under the consuls Pompey and Crassus, the young Spartacus is captured and trained for the games in Rome. He runs from the violence, gathers a slave army, and falls in love with a young Thracian woman. He defeats Crassus at Petilia in Puglia. In Lucania, Crassus destroys that army. Spartacus is forced to submit and is crucified on the Appian Way in Rome with the survivors.
Cast & crew
More about Spartacus
Giovanni Enrico Vidali directed and Ernesto Maria Pasquali produced for Pasquali e C. Silent Era credits the scenario to Renzo Chiosso, from Raffaello Giovagnoli's novel, while the Italian Wikipedia credits the screenplay to Giovagnoli. Domenico Gaido designed the sets, Caramba (Luigi Sapelli) the costumes, and Silent Era credits Antonio Martini with the photography. George Kleine Attractions released it in the United States on May 11, 1914, as Spartacus; or, The Revolt of the Gladiators.
Themes
Background
The story is the Third Servile War as told in Giovagnoli's novel, with the last battle placed in Lucania and the crucifixions on the Appian Way.
Look
Silent Era credits Antonio Martini. The Italian Wikipedia does not name a cinematographer.
Music
Modest Altschuler is credited with the music on Wikidata and on the Italian Wikipedia.
Preservation
Silent Era lists a surviving print. A digital copy circulates under the title Spartaco, il gladiatore della Tracia.
Notes
- Mario Guaita-Ausonia plays Spartacus, Cristina Ruspoli plays Idamis, and Enrico Bracci plays Marcus Licinius Crassus.
- Maria Gandini plays Narona, Luigi Mele plays Noricus, and Giovanni Verdi plays Artemon on the Italian Wikipedia cast list.
- Another Italian title is Spartaco, il gladiatore della Tracia.
- Silent Era lists the survival status as print exists, and marks the U.S. rights as public domain.
Scenes
- Spartacus beats Crassus at Petilia, then loses the army in Lucania.
- The survivors are crucified along the Appian Way.
Influenced by
- Raffaello Giovagnoli's novel Spartaco
Also available
- Internet Archive (silent-spartacus)
- Wikimedia Commons (Spartaco, Il gladiatore della Tracia (1913).webm)
