The Gladiator Scene That Nearly Killed Russell Crowe

"Gladiator" is a rough-and-tumble film from director Ridley Scott about a victorious army commander-turned-slave-turned-gladiator. The film delves into the backstabbing and brutal violence that defined the Roman Empire. One of the best parts of this towering historical blockbuster is the combat sequences in the Colosseum, the massive building where the Ancient Romans indulged in a sadistic spectacle of torture and death for fun. Through the intricate stuntwork and fighting choreography, "Gladiator" offers a fascinating glimpse into an ancient world driven by primal instincts.

The lead role of Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, required a considerable amount of athleticism and strength to portray the skilled ease with which he defeats his enemies. Maximus endures various battles throughout the film that range from hand-to-hand combat to swordplay, and dodging chariots. These fight scenes were long and hard work that demanded Russell Crowe be at the top of his game. The actor recalls telling his mother during shooting, "I actually feel like a football player who's played one season too many" (via Variety). According to Variety, filming these highly intense and physical sequences was often "as dangerous as the real thing" — especially the one with multiple real tigers.

In the adrenaline-fueled scene, Joaquin Phoenix's dastardly Emperor Commodus has pulled out all the stops to defeat Maximus who has been winning all of the gladiator fights so far. One of his tricks is adding multiple tigers to the battle who pop out from beneath trap doors in the ground. Ridley Scott's camerawork heightens the suspense of Maximus being trapped with these eleven-foot predators. Employing handheld cameras and a high frame rate, he creates jittery shots that tremble with fear and immerse the audience directly into the heart of the action. 

These elegant but deadly big cats were not CGI (although there was a prosthetic tiger that jumped on Maximus) and Russell Crowe really did get terrifyingly close to them, which Ridley Scott recalls in his Variety interview: 

"You've got two guys on a chain with a ring in the floor to control [the tiger]. Russell said, 'OK, release them' and when Russell would fall back, the tiger would come out of the hole and Russell would roll out of the way and he said, 'F— me, that was close.' And I said, 'We were there as well, Russell. Hey, you were two feet, I was like four feet.'

Working with animals, especially such lethal ones as tigers, always poses a risk because of their unpredictable reactions and wild instincts. One false move and Crowe could have been highly injured or killed. By having these creatures so close to the lead actor in such an elaborate fight scene, "Gladiator" creates an extremely visceral and thrilling viewing experience. In a way, these behind-the-scenes dangers evoke the lives of gladiators where the line between life and death was razor-thin.