 In 1960, actor Kirk Douglas recruits him to write the screenplay for his epic film "Spartacus", and director Otto Preminger recruits him to script "Exodus".Both men publicly credit him as the screenwriter, despite Hopper's futile efforts to intimidate Douglas into dropping Trumbo.By 1960, the effectiveness of the Blacklist has been broken to the point where newly elected US President John F. Kennedy publicly endorses "Spartacus", and Trumbo and others are able to begin rebuilding their careers.