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Gladiator was a popular movie that appeared in 2000, directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. The protagonist of the movie is a Roman general turned gladiator named Maximus Decimus Meridius (played by Russell Crowe) whose family was killed on orders from the Emperor Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix), and is now eager to seek revenge. It won five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor (Crowe), Visual Effects, Costume Design, and Sound. It was nominated for seven more, including Best Supporting Actor (Phoenix) and Best Director (Scott).
Historical Sources
The Roman emperors in the movie are loosely based on Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris), who ruled 161–180, and his son, the deranged Commodus, who ruled between 180–192 AD, and who scandalized Roman society by appearing in the Colosseum as a gladiator. The film's characterization accurately reflects Marcus Aurelius's reputation for wisdom, but its representation of Commodus is extremely watered down, as Commodus was far more insane and bloodthirsty than he appears in the film.
The republican senators Gaius and Gracchus are based upon the brothers Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus ( 163 - 132 BC) and Gaius Sempronius Gracchus ( 154 - 121 BC) , two radical democratic senators who lived three hundred years before Commodus' reign, during the late Roman Republic.
The character of Maximus is entirely fictional, though he is similar in some aspects to the historical figures of Narcissus and Spartacus. Also inaccurate is the quick death of Commodus and the supposed return of republicanism to Rome at the end. Instead, Maximus, Quintus and other characters, as well as the opening sequence of the film (set in Germany) are inspired by a work of extraordinary historical fiction by Wallace Breem, Eagle in the Snow (set some 200 years later).
The Making of the Film Actor Oliver Reed died during the filming of Gladiator; as a result, in later scenes he was digitally inserted into the film using computer-generated imagery.
The sound track was composed by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard.
Main Cast
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