Gladiator was essentially a remake of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire starring Steven Boyd as the hero (not a gladiator), Alec Guiness as Marcus Aurelius and Christopher Plummer and Sophia Loren as Commodus and his sister. Other than Boyd the acting was better in the earlier picture, and the writing was more intelligent, until late in the picture. Naturally, the special effects were better in Gladiator.
Just dropped in to say hello, I am late meeting Mrs. Sulla.