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Best Performance - Laughton? Olivier? Ustinov?

posted 13 years ago by JazzyBee04
49 replies | jump to latest

The general consenus on this board, and with critics, tends to be that these three actors gave the films best three performances.
I was just wondering what everybody else thought??
Having re-watched Spartacus yesterday with my family, we were completely split on who we thought was the best:
My father - Ustinov, My mother - Laughton, Myself - Olivier.
I just believed that Sir Laurence's acting gave Crassus many different layers and allowed the character to elevate beyond the stereotypical 'villain' title.
Having said that, Ustinov and Laughton were wonderful also.
Any thoughts??

"The essence of all art is giving pleasure in order to recieve it" - Mikhail Baryshnikov.

[–] MissMcCrocodile 13 years ago

I'm a fan of all three actors, but my vote has to be with Laughton.

Yes, sir, I'm going to do nothing like she's never been done before!

[–] Its_in_Belgium 13 years ago

I've gotta go with Ustinov.

True, all 3 were great, as well as others in the film too, but Ustinov was compelling whenever he was on the screen.

[–] movie_nazi 12 years ago

I liked Olivier's performance except the scene where Spartacus spits in his face and then he squeals like a little fag-boy and throws the wimpiest punch I have ever seen.

[–] Errington_92 12 years ago

Olivier was a great antagonist along with the others who played high ranking Romans. He along with the others gave their characters a righteous attitude which you had to hate.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] xfranco_uk 12 years ago

Ustinov for me...his performance during the whole of the "Crassus and his entourage visiting the gladiator school" episode is just brilliant! From his panic to him trying to convince the ladies to choose the least valuable gladiators.
"Second best wine...no, best wine, but small goblets"..."He looks smaller here than he does in the actual arena"...LOL...no one else could deliver those lines the way he does.
Laughton runs a close second, Olivier way back in third.

I thought Lom was excellent too in his small greedy part!

[–] pp312 8 years ago

I think you've got things a little mixed up. Crassus screams in rage and frustration ('You must answer me, Gladiator"), then slaps Spartacus hard across the face (not a punch). After a pause, Spartacus spits in his face. Crassus's rage is the result of his inability to destroy the bond between Spartacus and his men, plus the love he enjoys from Varinia and Antoninus, both of whom have rejected Crassus's advances. It all makes perfect sense, unless of course you get it completely ballsed-up.

[–] jstang411 12 years ago

Best Performance - Laughton? Olivier? Ustinov?

I think that subject title is a reminder of how exceptional this cast is.

But I'll go with Ustinov. His performance is not just good, but unique.

[–] deeveed 12 years ago

I think this might have been discussed and that is the fact that the ensemble acting involved the Brits vs the Americans...a Tory "upper" (patrician) class vs a Trumbo working class group. Kubrick et al had that down to a science even with the very evident language and diction spoken by the Romans and the slaves. All played their parts very well in opposition to each other. There was one part (where the Roman senators were foreced to fight each other) where the language spoken by one of Spartacus' men sounded as if he came from a block on the lower East Side of New York in the 50's or 60's.

[–] cwente2 12 years ago

My understanding is they STILL talk that way on the lower East Side of New York.

[–] deeveed 12 years ago

You are indubitably correct cwente! But I should say that 'dialects' in NYC stll have felt the presence of changes in language and pronunciation as the century has gone on. You know something like when the Romans had all those "visitors" crashing down their walls and then began to populate the city.
Their Latin changed a bit!

[–] cwente2 12 years ago

I've no doubt of it. Thanks.

[–] nutsberryfarm 11 years ago

ustinov

Season's Greetings!

[–] Ser_Stephen_Seaworth 12 years ago

Ustinov, who gives my favorite supporting actor performance of all time.

“Perhaps he's past help... or insane.”

[–] scarlettsdad 12 years ago

Ustinov. No doubt. My favorite line: "Most exciting. I tingle."

Signatures annoy me.

[–] cwente2 12 years ago

Everyone does a fine job in this. And I like Ustinov very much but, for me, it's Laughton. He has, I think, less screen time and a part less, shall we say, "juicy", but I seem to look forward most to those times when he is on the screen. Laughton never disappoints.

[–] joet1999 12 years ago

I vote Kirk Douglas, then Ustinov and Laughton and then Olivier

'Loneliness has followed me my whole life' - Travis Bickle Taxi Driver

[–] baum6666 12 years ago

Ustinov

[–] ribby45 12 years ago

cwente2 -
Your crack about the Lower East Side is very funny.

But back to the point of the thread.

Best performance for me is Douglas - you would follow him to the gates of hell & beyond.
Laughton - I've watch this film maybe 20 times & his performance still puts big lumps in my throat.
And it's easy to imagine him as a ladies' man ( but I'm 51).

Olivier is deeply barmy and it's a bit of a carpet-chewing performance.

Ustinov is a brilliant sleazebag.

One of the best epics ever ever ever.

[–] bardmore 9 years ago

The scene between Ustinov and Laughton is just an AMAZING piece of acting. They so inhabit their characters and every gesture, every look, every word comes so naturally that you can't believe this was from a script. I could watch this scene forver and alwayswish there were more.

[–] Kawada_Kira (7282) 7 years ago

"Dignity and honesty in a single day? I hardly recognize you."

Love that scene.

[–] Trish0101 12 years ago

I first saw it when it came out in 1960. I saw Spartacus again today for the umteenth time and still couldn't answer your questions -- all three are outstanding. We don't have actors of that ilk today.

[–] A_Fistful_of_Pennies 12 years ago

I can't pick. These are indeed the three best but Kirk Douglas and Jean Simmons aren't slouches themselves. What a tremendous cast this was.

They were all great for different reasons. I might have to go with Olivier just because he got the biggest reaction from me, I truly hated his character and wanted him to be brought to justice. I rarely feel that with film villains, I can usually remind myself it's acting. With this though, Crassus really got to me and made me root for Spartacus even more.

Laughton and Ustinov did a lot with their roles though, they made the most out of the material. They elevated their roles.

[–] Drenyelle 12 years ago

Gonna go with Olivier. As you said, his performance is wonderfully layered. The acting he did with his eyes alone spoke volumes.

[–] Jamal-Nazreddin 12 years ago

Laughton and Olivier and Ustinov were all equally delicious!

I so wish all their scenes could be re-edited into a separate film-drama so I wouldn't have to spend so much time cringing at that middle-aged American/Jewish/Russian man strutting around in the title role.

[–] cwente2 12 years ago

Ahhh, come on Jamal, he did fine.