When we talk about classic films, our minds are flooded with numerous titles of excellent films that were already there when we first saw them, as well as many that have grown with us. But what causes a film to become a classic?
Today we’ll speak about Gladiator, Ridley Scott’s masterwork that not only transformed what cinema was at the time, but also featured one of Russell Crowe’s best performances. But what made this picture so successful? Perhaps it was nominated for Best Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Russell Crowe), perhaps it grossed over 460 million dollars worldwide.
What is Gladiator about?
If you haven’t seen it yet, we won’t spoil it for you, but we will tell you a little about this great film. This is the narrative of Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general who, after being deceived by the new Emperor Commodus, is forced to become a gladiator.
A script full of controversy
Ridley Scott stunned cinemagoers in 2000 with this ancient Rome-set thriller. It quickly became one of the biggest hits of a young century, but not everything has gone smoothly for this film. David Franzoni initiated the project, basing his initial draft on Daniel P. Mannix’s essay Those About to Die, but everything changed when Ridley Scott arrived. The story’s final form required the participation of multiple screenwriters.
The team experienced stress during the process, particularly owing to Russell Crowe’s critical approach to the discussions. Years later, the actor admitted that his lines were “garbage,” even saying, “I am the best actor in the world and I can even make garbage sound good.”
But… what was wrong with Crowe’s script?
Crowe was aware at the time that one of the most crucial aspects of acting is emotional communication, yet he rejected certain lines from his script and wanted to eliminate or rewrite them. The actor first refused one of his character’s most iconic lines, “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius (…) And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next”.
Crowe, for his part, admitted in an interview years later that he felt there were some lines that would not sit well with the audience and that he needed to feel them as if they were part of himself in order to create an atmosphere in which they only saw the character and never the author.
Did you know that… from the set!)
Perhaps you were unaware, but a significant portion of the scenes in the Colosseum were made digitally. Perhaps it does not seem like a novelty today, but considering that this video was shot in 2000, it was really innovative at the time since they employed CGI technology paired with a scale model to reproduce that massive Colosseum.
Gladiator, two decades after its premiere, remains a cinematic reference due to its mix of action, drama, and emotion, and it continues to captivate new audiences. We have some wonderful news for you that you may not be aware of. Gladiator 2 was published in November of last year! Are you ready?
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