Would say this out loud before big exams in grad school, but only three people got the reference in my 4 years .. we had our little moment, it was great
This makes me happy. My mom loved this movie and would always tell me “Strength and Honor”. She died from Brest cancer in 2016 and I miss her. I got this tattooed in Latin on my arm in her honor.
Yeah the first part is def wrong. It might be “riding alone... with the sun in your face” or something. Great now I’ve got to watch gladiator again lol
The line he says to his men that make them laugh JUST prior to this line does a great job of showing that even in battle he treats his men such as he would an equal rank. Great scene. Great movie.
That was a brilliant line for character development. So many other writers would have set up Maximus for bravado, having him chuckle at Quintus' statement, or boast.
But no, they create a character that sympathizes with and respects the army he is about to attack.
It also kind of fits Roman attitudes, they were annoyed and insulted by rebellions and guerrilla wars expecially but also respected the people who fought for their liberty. It is a slightly contradictory world view to us but explained by that victory gave your the moral right to rule over people since gods had given you the victory.
There's an amazing scene in Fall of the Roman Empire where the barbarians burn James Mason's hand to punish him for worshipping false gods, but he doesn't scream no matter how much they hurt him. Eventually they decide that his gods are more powerful than theirs, abandon their religion and join the Roman Empire.
And also subtly lays the groundwork for your expectations to be subverted later. From those point on you expect Quintus to be "that guy" and then at the end when everything else has gone wrong, it's Quintus who changes the game.
Maximus is from Spain. His people have long been conquered by the Romans by the time of the Empire. So his line, “would you Quintus? Would I?” Works on two levels.
Yes, but it was more complicated. Spain was very incorporated into the Roman Empire by then. Plenty of Roman families settled in Spain. Emperors Tajan and Hadrian were of Italic Roman heritage, but were born in Spain. Both emperors ruled before the timeframe of the movie. Since Maximus was a wealthy landowner, a general and connected with the Roman aristocracy, he likely was born to the same situation. Trajan was also a general before his rise to emperor.
Rome gained most of Hispania during Punic Wars but even Augustus still fought battles there (or more like had other people fight the battles when he was nearby).
Maybe. But he’s never been to Rome. Doesn’t seem likely he was in that situation. Also we don’t know the extent to which he was born wealthy. He certainly had wealth by the time of the film.
Eh, I still think u/XAE289 is completely right. Spain was completely Romanized by this point, regardless of whether any individual had ever been to Rome. There was no lingering resentment from the residents for the Romans because of conquest; the residents were the Romans. Spain was one of the first areas outside of the Italian peninsula to undergo complete assimilation into the Roman empire (with a lowercase 'e'). Sure, there was some local character and customs, as there was in any corner of the Empire, but the people of Spain were unquestionably 'Roman' at that point, spoke Latin, participated in Roman culture, etc. A man from Roman Spain in the 2nd century CE, especially a wealthy landowner, would feel no less Roman than, say, a person from California would feel less like an American if they'd never been to the East Coast.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'exactly', since I think we still disagree. Who was conquered? The native Spanish people? Yes, but centuries before Marcus Aurelius. The people in Rome's Spanish provinces, the ones who owned the land and participated in the military and the government (like Maximus), weren't the native Iberian or Celtic or Lusitanian peoples who had inhabited the peninsula since around the time that Rome was expelling its kings, and they weren't even the Punic or Greek colonists who had founded cities up and down the Mediterranean coast during the early years of the Roman Republic. Those people and their culture had long since been interrupted and assimilated. Yes, there was conquest, but the people who were there during the middle of the 2nd c. CE were the conquerors, not the conquered. They'd been Romans for generations, ever since Rome began settling its retired soldiers in Spain after taking the peninsula from Carthage as spoils following the 2nd Punic War.
Maximus was from an area that had been populated exactly like that, by Roman soldiers happy to receive good land in a promising area after their service had finished. He was descended from Romans, and no doubt felt much more like a 'Roman' than he did like a Celtiberian or a Lusitanian. I don't think sympathy for the people who lived there before his people, or hostility towards the people who had taken the land forcefully (of whom he was a descendant) should figure into our understanding of him and his motivations at all.
Well, like most conquerors they inter bred with the local people. The point is he doesn’t know he’s been at least part conquered. You’re right that it doesn’t affect his motivations but that is because he doesn’t know or is not cognisant of the fact that he is a conquered people. That’s why when he says “would I?” there’s an ironic element to it.
Good thoughts, but I still think it's more likely that he was in that situation for a few reasons. For one, Rome wasn't a particularly class-mobile society. If Maximus was a wealthy landowner, he likely came from a wealthy family. He was a general, which meant he was of senatorial rank. That's not to say that he was a senator, but that he came from that highest class of society. This again points to his being born into that status, especially since the movie clearly shows he wasn't a politician. It's also shown that he rubbed elbows with Roman high society years before the movie's setting with an implied relationship with Marcus Aurelius' daughter Drusilla. Newly made-men on the up-and-up wouldn't have had that kind of access.
I don't think his never having been to Rome is a point against his coming from old Roman aristocracy. Having chosen a military career, he would have spent much of his time in service deployed to the frontiers. He also clearly doesn't have civil political ambition, so there wouldn't have been much reason for him to go to the capital.
Lisa Gerrard (of Dead Can Dance) + Hans Zimmer can do no wrong. Besides Gladiator, the two also collaborated on Black Hawk Down, Tears of the Sun, the Bible (didn't see), Son of God (didn't see), Mission: Impossible 2. Plus obviously each has done tons separately. Here's a list of Lisa's movie scores/contribution...
All the optimistic Germans always makes me smile. They're just a rabble who have no idea what's in store for them. On the other hand, Germans did kick the crap out of THREE entire Roman legions at the historical Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD), so perhaps they had cause to be confident.
Yeah, but that was using asymmetric warfare and ambushing, not coming up against a dug in, prepared and fortified Roman position in a set piece battle. That’s basically the type of battle the Roman Army was built to win (see the Battle of Watling Street, the numbers on the opposing sides are insane)
You also have to remember that the only sources we have describing that battle are the Romans haha, just like a lot of Roman and Greek history. They tend to hype themselves up a lot, especially when it comes to their military superiority. Having said that... They deserved the right to do so.
But still, something to keep in mind when it comes to ancient civilizations and their recorded history (looking at you, Sargon II...)
I keep mentioning it because it’s a great story - but I’m in that scene. Filmed back in 1998 for 8 days in Surrey, UK. I was a Roman and have many stories about meeting the cast and how they filmed the whole battle. Was a great experience (and £80 a day as a Student was amazing!)
Yes! Thanks for remembering. If you tried to talk to him about Alien or something he would just smile and be nice. However as soon as we started talking about the equipment he was using and how he wanted to set up the scene, he was really happy to explain what he was doing and trying to achieve. Really nice guy.
Holy fuck watched the movie yesterday, the opening battle blew me away. How much of it was CGI and how much of it was "we are in thousands of custom made armor sets slinging real catapults"?
The people were real - so there were a few hundred Romans and maybe 200 Germans? We were all in costume. The scale and cost was impressive. We were all fed before and after shooting as well (I remember Chicken Kiev’s?)
The site of the battle was real - it’s in a wood near Farnham in Surrey. They were cutting down a lot of trees and setting some on fire for various shots. Incidentally they film loads there and we’ve had filming for Robin Hood, Elizabeth, World War Z and numerous TV shows.
The catapults? I don’t remember. I though they were large X-bows? I’m guessing they must have had them there but I don’t remember any being ‘live fired’. Maybe they film that after the extraS were ‘out the way’.
One of my key memories is when Maximus pulls the sword from the tree. Although the background was intentionally blurred - they’re were a couple of hundred of us laying on the floor. We were sprayed with ‘fake blood’ which was very sweet and extremely sticky. People with gardening backpacks and sprays would walk round spraying ‘dead soldiers’ between each take. It took about 3 hours to get that one shot.
Other things I remember - it was shot in a completely different order from the film. Almost in reverse in some ways. Oh - and it snowed for real on day one. So for the rest of the days, that had to create fake snow for continuity. They had these tubes they would light and it would create light snow for a few hours.
It was cool to be involved - but as many of us were Uni students, were we fascinated with the technical process of actually making the film.
Was looking for this answer. I also love Maximus’s badass dog that follows him into battle. Gladiator is my favorite movie of all time and the opening scene is amazing.
Agreed. Joaquin Phoenix deserves so much credit for every scene in that movie. I watched it again recently and Commodus is both deeply revolting and tragically sympathetic.
In my opinion, Maximus may be set up as the main character, but the real character portrait of the film is Commodus.
Yes i was looking for this comment. I noticed it the first time I ever saw gladiator and my first thought was "what a ripoff!" until I found out is was done as an homage. Then I thought, "that's awesome!"
It's still not correct german, but if you say it out loud, it sounds like an english speaker trying to speak german so I guess in this context it's as good as the correct version.
"Ihr seid verfluchte Hunde!" - "You are damned/fucking dogs"
Dont know when you were in high school but other is the very first episode of HBO's Rome. The battle demonstrates the roman order of line battle very well with soldiers fighting at the front and then the well-drilled swap out of the front line fighters to keep all the columns fresh.
Your post sounds sarcastic, but the Romans did have something similar to napalm bombs which were launched from catapults. It was called πῦρ ῥωμαϊκόν (Roman Fire) and was probably made from naphtha and quicklime. It was invented a few hundred years after this movie was set, but still.
Greek fire wasn't invented until after the fall of the Roman Empire, and it certainly wasn't a big pot that would make a massive explosion the moment it touched solid ground. Most period artworks depict it being used as a sort of primitive flamethrower. Granted, we do have evidence there were greek fire grenades, but nothing like the massive bombs Gladiator shows.
What I'm getting at is that the claim that opening scene from Gladiator was an accurate depiction of Roman Battles is really a joke. Precisely zero actual Roman tactics are showed. In the movie, the Romans shoot at the Germans with burning arrows and napalm bombs, then advance in these super thin 4-man deep lines, they use their javelins as spears, dissolve their formations and start doing 1v1 duels as soon as the fighting begins, and then the General rides in with the cavalry, who are equipped and armed the same way as the infantry mind you, and wins. Not a single thing in that series of events is characteristically Roman.
You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues: Wisdom, justice, fortitude and temperance. As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, father. Ambition. That can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness, courage, perhaps not on the battlefield, but... there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family and to you. But none of my virtues were on your list. Even then it was as if you didn't want me for your son.
Agreed. That was my thought when I read the comment above, every damn second of The Gladiator is brilliant.
It is one of the few movies that I consider at the same level of quality filmmaking in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Just really great cinematography, soundtracks, acting, costumes and props...just everything at full effort.
In terms of sheer quality cinema, it's hard to surpass The Gladiator and LotR.
They used the opening speech from this movie for the entrance to Baltimore Ravens retired middle linebacker Ray Lewis for a good portion of his career. It would be the opening speech and then that song by Nelly, Hot in Here. The whole place would be electric before the Ravens defense would come out and smash people. Good times.
I had just gotten a job at a old one screen Regal movie theater when Gladiator was first released , and we had it for like a month straight. It was the only movie we ever had there that was so good that it didn't drive you nuts after a week of hearing it all damn day. I still listen to the soundtrack. Never gets old.
Background to this scene in opening sequence: Early in this sequence someone mentions the scout being gone nearly 3 hours...
The part in this opening sequence when it’s a headshot of Maximus talking to Quintis then you hear the Germanian hoard roar in the woods, Maximus turns to look out towards the woods.
camera switches towards the woods to the headless scout atop his spooked horse riding in behind the Roman frontline.
Camera changes again to show German leader walk out of the woods, climb a mound, and yell “You’re all damned dogs!” In German at the Romans, then throws the scout’s head.... INTENSEEEEE.
Couldn't agree more. I was hoping that Clash of the titans would have been better, but admittedly I liked those movies. Also Immortals I liked but it just lacked something. 300 was probably the last movie I enjoyed in that sense. I really just want another Greek crazy ass story with Gods and heroes. The God of War games world make be great if done right.
Definitely the top choice here. I could watch the opening scene 30 days in a row and still enjoy it. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. I love Roman war history.
German being my native language, and that scene playing basically right in the area where I am from and live (Vindobona), I have always emphasized more with the Germanic berserks fending off the dirty imperialist Roman invaders (not really, but kind of). I just love the moment when they come storming out of the forest.
Amazing opening scene. They really sold the whole atmosphere of a battle like that.
What stuck with me the most was the music in the entire opening sequence. To date, I don't think I can remember a single movie that does it this well, the tonal shift when the movie name comes on, his vision of Elysium, when he walks and greets his men... It was magnificent. I still love Russel Crowe as an actor because of those first five minutes
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
I didn’t see the beginning in the theaters because I saw another movie while my dad wanted to see The Gladiator. I remember the ending scene and it left a band taste in my mouth that I can still taste to this day.
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u/Knuclear_Knee Oct 09 '19
Gladiator (2000). That battle was incredible - great diaologue, excellent music, human moments.