Ben-Hur (1959)

When one thinks of a big Hollywood spectacle, Ben-Hur, the 1959 (and third) adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is one of the first films to pop into one's mind.  At the Academy Awards it won a record eleven Oscars (a feat that has been equaled twice, but never surpassed) and was the highest grossing film of 1959.  For the film, director William Wyler won his third directing Oscar and star Charlton Heston won his only acting Oscar.

The film focuses on the trials and tribulations of Judah Ben-Hur, a rich and respected Jew living in Jerusalem who seeks both peace and vengeance.  The film opens with the nativity scene and then skips to the reuniting of Judah and his childhood friend Messala.  Messala has returned a proud and ambitious Roman seeking nothing more than to appear impressive to the emperor.  Driven by his ambition, he tries to force Judah to give up names of dissenting Jews in Jerusalem.  Judah refuses and Messala has him sent to the galleys and his mother and sister are imprisoned; Judah never loses his desire for vengeance.  All the while, there is talk of a new prophet throughout the land.

The film is considerably long, at over three and a half hours, and tends to drag considerably at points.  The story is a complex one and necessitates the lengthy runtime, although I cannot help but feel that the shaving off of thirty minutes or so could have helped the film move more quickly.  The religious themes will be appreciated by many, though others may find them overly abrasive.  As it stands, Ben-Hur has a sufficient story to support its vast scope and ambitious vision.

One element of the film that must be mentioned is the phenomenal chariot-race scene.  The scene, filmed over fifty years ago over the course of three months, is still a wonder to behold, all the more impressive because it was filmed decades before the use CGI in cinema.  I have yet to see a match for it in any film since in terms of thrills and ability to awe.

The acting in the film was exceptional throughout, particularly the work done by Charlton Heston in the lead role of Judah Ben-Hur.  Heston, one the greater movie stars of the era, gave the performance that has come to define his career in the years since in this film.  The supporting cast also did an admirable job in their roles; particularly Stephen Boyd  in the role of Messala and Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrias.

The film, though possibly not of best picture quality, is one of the stand-outs of the epic and sword-and-sandal genres.  While not without its faults, Ben-Hur is an epic that is well worth the time to watch it and shows star Charlton Heston and director William Wyler in top form.

7/10

Note: This review was previously posted on another blog I wrote.