Gladiator (2000 film) Gladiator (2000 film) Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. The film was jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures. It stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed (in his final role), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays Hispano-Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial
William Clemens (film director) Hour" in 1947. He died in Los Angeles, California in 1980. William Clemens (film director) William Clemens (September 10, 1905 – April 29, 1980) was an American film director. Born in Saginaw, Michigan, Clemens began his Hollywood career as a film editor in 1931. His first directing project was "Man Hunt" in 1936. His major credits include "On Dress Parade" with the Dead End Kids, two Perry Mason mysteries ("The Case of the Velvet Claws" and "The Case of the Stuttering Bishop"), three films featuring detective Tom Lawrence, a.k.a. "The Falcon," four films based on the Nancy Drew series, and