Ben-Hur (A or 4/4 stars)
If you're in the mood to watch a 212 minute historical epic that happened to win 11, yes, 11(!) Oscars including Best Picture ... then I highly recommend 'Ben-Hur' (directed by the great William Wyler). The film is framed by events in the life of Jesus Christ; beginning with his birth where the 3 kings present their gifts & ending with a miraculous healing following the crucifixion. But the brunt of the story deals with Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a wealthy Prince of Judea, and his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd), who has returned home from Palestine as 2nd-in-command with the Roman army. This ambitious man is a zealous believer in the glory of Rome, the Emperor, his imperial power, and wants to make an impression upon him by restoring law & order to the country he loves.
But Ben-Hur is devoted to the freedom of the Jewish people. And when he refuses to give Messala the names of Jews opposed to Roman rule, Messala cuts him off. When an accident occurs during the parade for the new governor, Messala blames it all on Ben-Hur & banishes him into slavery. His loving mother & sister (Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell) are then imprisoned in a dungeon. And his loyal steward is beaten while that man's daughter, Esther (Haya Harareet), vows to await her master's return. On a long, hard march through the scorching desert, Ben-Hur & the other slaves reach Nazareth. There, a compassionate man (guess whooooo) gives the dehydrated Jewish prince some water to revitalizes his body & restore his soul.
But during his 3 tumultuous yrs. as an oarsman on Roman ships, Ben-Hur's vow of vengeance is all that keeps him alive. After rescuing the captain (Jack Hawkins) of the ship, Ben-Hur is taken to Rome where he excels as a chariot racer. His benefactor adopts him as his son, but the Ben-Hur decides to return to Jerusalem where he is reunited with Esther. Ben-Hur & Messala square off in a grueling chariot race before the Jewish people in games hosted by Pontius Pilate. Afterwards, he returns the courtesy of Jesus of Nazareth by offering him a cup of water as he is carrying the cross to Golgotha.
Ben-Hur is a majestic achievement. The famous 9-minute chariot race btwn. Ben-Hur & Messala is a CLASSIC. But the film is also inspiring in the smaller, humanistic moments. i.e., Ben-Hur's sweet romance with Esther; his admiration of Quintus Arrius, the Roman consul who he saves after a sea battle; his relationship with Arab horse owner, Sheik Ilderim (wonderful Hugh Griffith); the emotional scene were Ben-Hur finds his mother & sister in the valley; their miraculous recovery from leprosy after the crucifixion of Christ; and Ben-Hur's soul-ripping struggle with Messala, the childhood friend who becomes his mortal enemy. The indirect treatment of Jesus is also very effective -- he's a part of the story, but we never see his face, and he isn't integral to the main plot thrust. Near the end of the movie, Jesus' path of forgiveness provides a powerful allure to Esther & others. And Ben-Hur's cold, hardened heart finally starts to thaw.
Aided by a rich script, veteran director William Wyler succeeds in bringing nuances of every scene & ironing out the artificiality that sometimes rears its head in conversations btwn. biblical characters. Charlton Heston is excellent as the imposing, yet kindly Ben-Hur; a man who barely survives the life of a slave to seek revenge. Israeli actress Haya Harareet gives a sensitive & quietly effective portrayal of Esther, the former slave. She has a striking, fresh appearance; mostly because she was cast as an unknown. And Stephen Boyd, as Ben-Hur's mortal enemy Messala, is not your standard villain; we respect his dedication to the Roman Empire; we acknowledge his close tie with Ben-Hur from boyhood; but the terrible things he does to Ben-Hur et al are reprehensible. It's a strong performance.
Cinematographer Robert Surtees accomplishes wonders in the thrilling chariot race, the sea battle, the birth/crucifixion of Christ, Caesar's welcome of the hero Quintus Arrius ... but he also creates stirring visuals in the smaller, intimate scenes where characters are simply talking. The astounding production design contains over 300 sets (like the ones in Rome, as well as the enormous mountainside arena for the chariot sequence). The costumes are copious. And Miklos Rozsa's music score also contributes to the film's excellence; it also happens to be the lengthiest composed film score in history. 'Ben Hur' is just a colossal entertainment. It's one of my father's favorite films of all-time. And I am glad that he finally made me sit down & watch it for myself.
But Ben-Hur is devoted to the freedom of the Jewish people. And when he refuses to give Messala the names of Jews opposed to Roman rule, Messala cuts him off. When an accident occurs during the parade for the new governor, Messala blames it all on Ben-Hur & banishes him into slavery. His loving mother & sister (Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell) are then imprisoned in a dungeon. And his loyal steward is beaten while that man's daughter, Esther (Haya Harareet), vows to await her master's return. On a long, hard march through the scorching desert, Ben-Hur & the other slaves reach Nazareth. There, a compassionate man (guess whooooo) gives the dehydrated Jewish prince some water to revitalizes his body & restore his soul.
But during his 3 tumultuous yrs. as an oarsman on Roman ships, Ben-Hur's vow of vengeance is all that keeps him alive. After rescuing the captain (Jack Hawkins) of the ship, Ben-Hur is taken to Rome where he excels as a chariot racer. His benefactor adopts him as his son, but the Ben-Hur decides to return to Jerusalem where he is reunited with Esther. Ben-Hur & Messala square off in a grueling chariot race before the Jewish people in games hosted by Pontius Pilate. Afterwards, he returns the courtesy of Jesus of Nazareth by offering him a cup of water as he is carrying the cross to Golgotha.
Ben-Hur is a majestic achievement. The famous 9-minute chariot race btwn. Ben-Hur & Messala is a CLASSIC. But the film is also inspiring in the smaller, humanistic moments. i.e., Ben-Hur's sweet romance with Esther; his admiration of Quintus Arrius, the Roman consul who he saves after a sea battle; his relationship with Arab horse owner, Sheik Ilderim (wonderful Hugh Griffith); the emotional scene were Ben-Hur finds his mother & sister in the valley; their miraculous recovery from leprosy after the crucifixion of Christ; and Ben-Hur's soul-ripping struggle with Messala, the childhood friend who becomes his mortal enemy. The indirect treatment of Jesus is also very effective -- he's a part of the story, but we never see his face, and he isn't integral to the main plot thrust. Near the end of the movie, Jesus' path of forgiveness provides a powerful allure to Esther & others. And Ben-Hur's cold, hardened heart finally starts to thaw.
Aided by a rich script, veteran director William Wyler succeeds in bringing nuances of every scene & ironing out the artificiality that sometimes rears its head in conversations btwn. biblical characters. Charlton Heston is excellent as the imposing, yet kindly Ben-Hur; a man who barely survives the life of a slave to seek revenge. Israeli actress Haya Harareet gives a sensitive & quietly effective portrayal of Esther, the former slave. She has a striking, fresh appearance; mostly because she was cast as an unknown. And Stephen Boyd, as Ben-Hur's mortal enemy Messala, is not your standard villain; we respect his dedication to the Roman Empire; we acknowledge his close tie with Ben-Hur from boyhood; but the terrible things he does to Ben-Hur et al are reprehensible. It's a strong performance.
Cinematographer Robert Surtees accomplishes wonders in the thrilling chariot race, the sea battle, the birth/crucifixion of Christ, Caesar's welcome of the hero Quintus Arrius ... but he also creates stirring visuals in the smaller, intimate scenes where characters are simply talking. The astounding production design contains over 300 sets (like the ones in Rome, as well as the enormous mountainside arena for the chariot sequence). The costumes are copious. And Miklos Rozsa's music score also contributes to the film's excellence; it also happens to be the lengthiest composed film score in history. 'Ben Hur' is just a colossal entertainment. It's one of my father's favorite films of all-time. And I am glad that he finally made me sit down & watch it for myself.