I believe it is true. The extras were told they wouldn’t get paid if they laughed. I love when he swings his toga around and gets in that guards face - “how 'bout you centurion? Do you find it risible to laugh when I say the naaaame…”
I think most of the scene was scripted apart from the part about his wife which was improvised, that’s why you can hear the crew behind the camera laughing as well.
I’d like to think it was less a threat and more an appeal to professionalism.
“We’ve got to get this scene, and time is running out. You guys have to treat this like you’re doing Shakespeare live. Whatever you do, don’t fuck this up.”
I believe it is true. The extras were told they wouldn’t get paid if they laughed. I love when he swings his toga around and gets in that guards face - “how 'bout you centurion? Do you find it risible to laugh when I say the naaaame…”
I think most of the scene was scripted apart from the part about his wife which was improvised, that’s why you can hear the crew behind the camera laughing as well.
Here’s the video I got that from: https://youtu.be/RmCWDZulUuQ
I’d like to think it was less a threat and more an appeal to professionalism.
“We’ve got to get this scene, and time is running out. You guys have to treat this like you’re doing Shakespeare live. Whatever you do, don’t fuck this up.”