He claimed that he had tipped off the FBI about the Vulture, but Peter had interfered and his actions had jeopardized the operation:Who do you think called the FBI, huh? Do you know that I was the only one who believed in you? Everyone else said I was crazy to recruit a 14-year-old kid.Although anachronistic in costuming and accents and overly long (at 3 hours and 17 minutes) with some ""wooden"" acting,Spartacusremains one of the more beloved and intelligent gladiator films (and a model for Ridley Scott""sGladiator (2000)).]The film then returns to about fifteen years earlier, and the story of the orphaned/adopted Geste brothers, "three young gentlemen of fortune":"Beau" (Donald O""Connor as a child), the oldest brother, nicknamed for his charmJohn (Billy Cook as a child)Digby (Martin Spellman as a child)While growing up, the three Geste brothers are being raised as wards by kindly blueblood Lady Patricia Brandon (Heather Thatcher) at her English estate, Brandon Abbas.Scout: How old were you?Jem: Six.Scout: Old as I am now.Jem: Uh huh.Scout: Was Mama pretty?Jem: Uh, huh.Scout: Was Mama nice?Jem: Uh, huh.Scout: Did you love her?Jem: Yes.Scout: Did I love her?Jem: Yes.Scout: Do you miss her?Jem: Uh, huh.They are trying to come to terms with the ambiguities and uncertainties of their lives, and justice (and injustice) in he world.Secrets that might""ve given us a new science.Gone."Scotty added an epitaph: "The greatest discovery in history up in flames.Turning a new civilization into a 4th of July piece."The strange metal alloy used in the ship""s construction had reacted negatively to the thermite.However, just a few moments later, hopes were raised when Cpl.Barnes (William Self), with a Geiger counter, detected a second object with residual radioactivity: "I""m getting something over here.