The story of Spartacus is much adored—the liberation of the masses, led by a humble man inspired not by ideology, but by righteous ire. A buff Kirk Douglas plays the proud slave who leads the revolt against the Roman Republic. Beside him is Varinia (Jean Simmons), a slave herself, who bears him a child, born into freedom. The epic began with veteran director Anthony Mann at the helm and a cast that included Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and Tony Curtis. Within weeks, Kubrick took over, finding himself with an emperor’s ransom—twelve million dollars—to throw at monumental battle scenes with eight thousand Spanish soldiers playing the brawny Roman legions.