Such high handed decisions, combined with Kubrick’s demanding and perfectionist directorial style, made for an uncomfortable experience on set. When Spartacus eventually won the Oscar for cinematography, Metty, as the credited cinematographer, was left in the humiliating position of having to accept an award he had done almost nothing to earn.
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When he became dissatisfied with the cinematographer’s approach, Kubrick, a former professional photographer, took over the work himself, leaving the position ostensibly occupied by 25-year veteran technician Russell Metty, who was reduced to doing nothing. Kubrick took over the production with a level of confidence that caused unrest on the set, as did his insistence on altering the film to fit his own vision. Following a mysterious dispute with the film’s star and executive producer, Kirk Douglas, Mann was quickly replaced by Stanley Kubrick before more than a few minutes’ footage was complete.
Spartacus began filming under the direction of Anthony Mann, a popular and well-established Hollywood director in multiple genres. To begin with, Kubrick had not originally been intended as the film’s director. Actor Tony Curtis was reported to have emerged from the set one day, storming to fellow actors, “who do you have to screw to get off this movie?” Spartacus was purportedly a nightmare of conflict, censorship, disorganisation, and clashing artistic visions, from beginning to end, an ordeal for cast and crew, and a project whose very survival was in question more than once. In spite of generous funding and studio support, it was not an easy undertaking for Kubrick.
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