A Loews Inc Picture, Written by Karl Tunberg, Directed by William Wyler.
This is an epic film in scale, story and runtime, and it justifies all those things. The story of one man’s remarkable fall, rise and redemption is supremely told, and it will always be my go to film to watch at Easter.
The chariot race is famous for being the most shocking and spectacular thing ever put on cinema at the time of release, and still to this day it remains an incredibly visceral and intense sequence.
I am far from being a religious person, but if told well, I do enjoy the story of Jesus on screen, and this was the perfect way to do it. To have Ben-Hur’s journey mirror Jesus’ in many ways and to also have Jesus appear very briefly in key moments of Ben-Hur’s story was so smart, and benefited both stories.
Charlton Heston is one of the most definitive movie stars of all time, and he is at the peak of his powers here. He is perfectly melodramatic, charming, and exudes the ‘masculine good guy’ vibe that Ben-Hur represents.
Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, and Haya Harareet also all do strong supporting work to carry the film through its epic run time.
This is one of the most iconic and simply best blockbusters of the 20th Century in Hollywood.
Rating = 4.5/5
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