Kirk Douglas Used Horse to Threaten 'Spartacus' Director Over Iconic Scene
The actor confronted Stanley Kubrick on horseback over a disputed line in the 1960 film.
Actor Kirk Douglas once used his horse to intimidate director Stanley Kubrick during the filming of the iconic "I am Spartacus" scene in the 1960 epic.
According to an account on the Turner Classic Movies podcast "The Plot Thickens," Douglas was displeased that Kubrick had removed a key line from the script without consulting him. Douglas, who had sent a memo advocating for the inclusion of the line, confronted Kubrick on set.
Mankiewicz recounted that Douglas "trotted" his horse over to Kubrick, positioning it "inches away from Stanley’s face." Douglas then reportedly stated, "When I send you a memo about shooting a scene, I at least expect an answer. I sent you that note about the ‘I am Spartacus’ scene, and you haven’t even bothered to respond."
Kubrick's response was dismissive: "That’s because I don’t wanna do it – it’s a stupid idea." In reaction, Douglas allegedly "pushed the horse right up against" Kubrick. Douglas then told the director, "Listen, you little pr–k. This may be a stupid idea, but we’re gonna try it. If it doesn’t work, we’ll cut it out, but we’re gonna shoot it."
The confrontation led to the scene being filmed the following day, becoming one of the movie's most memorable moments.
Douglas had brought Kubrick onto the project after becoming frustrated with the original director, Anthony Mann. Mann's approach, which encouraged improvisation, had caused significant delays.
Douglas had previously collaborated with Kubrick on the 1957 film "Path of Glory." He recalled Kubrick's talent and self-confidence, noting that the director's "self-confidence often bordered on arrogance, a quality that could be a help or a hindrance when dealing with hard-to-rein in actors such as [Laurence] Olivier, [Charles] Laughton, and [Peter] Ustinov."
Despite the creative tensions, "Spartacus" was a critical and commercial success, earning over $60 million worldwide and securing four Academy Awards. The film is widely regarded as a classic of its genre. Kubrick passed away in 1999, and Douglas died in 2020 at the age of 103.