Critical Reception
The movie received mixed reviews when first released, but over time its reputation has gained in stature. Critics such as Roger Ebert have argued that the film has flaws, though his review is generally positive otherwise. When released, the movie was attacked by both the American Legion and the Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper because of its connection with Trumbo. Hopper stated, "The story was sold to Universal from a book written by a commie and the screen script was written by a commie, so don't go to see it."
Bosley Crowther called it a "spotty, uneven drama." It has a 96% (fresh) rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Read more about this topic: Spartacus (film)
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