GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott, 2000)

Maximus (played by Russell Crowe) is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (portrayed by Richard Harris). Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus (a delightfully evil Joaquin Phoenix), and a power struggle leaves Maximus and his family condemned to death. The powerful general is unable to save his family, and his loss of will allows him to get captured and put into the Gladiator games until he dies. The only desire that fuels him now is the chance to rise to the top so that he will be able to look into the eyes of the man who will feel his revenge. Join co-hosts Elysabeth Gwendolyn Belle and Robert Meyer Burnett as they review the film and sip on a delightful bottle of the fermented grape. Togas optional.(Episode #121 • Originally streamed February 11, 2021)