This is a story of how friends fall out. Judah Ben-Hur is a Jewish prince living in Roman occupied Judea in the first century AD. His boyhood friend Messala, a Roman, is now a tribune in the Roman Army. Messala visits Judah's home and asks him to identify the leaders in one of the frequent Jewish rebellions against the Romans. Judah refuses and the friends part under a cloud.
A few days later, the new Roman Procurator enters the city with his army. Judah and his sister watch the parade from the flat roof of their house. The sister leans over, dislodging a roof tile, which strikes the procurator. The Romans arrest Judah's whole family. Now the worm has turned. Messala asks Judah one more time to cooperate but Judah refuses. Messala testifies against Judah who is sentenced to transportation for life - he will be a galley slave. Enroute to the sea, the exhausted slaves pass through Nazareth, where Judah collapses. An unidentified bystander gives him water. An Irish cop-looking Roman soldier tries to intervene but turns away shamefaced when he meets the stranger's gaze, then retreats. We can see by Judah's reaction that the stranger is Jesus.
Judah begins his life as a galley slave on a warship under the command of Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins). During a battle, the ship is sunk but Judah is able to escape and save Quintus' life. From that point on his fortunes rise to the point where he can take revenge on Messala. There is much, much more that you need to see for yourself in this film that is every inch an epic!
Charlton Heston stars as Judah Ben-Hur and does it with style. Stephen Boyd stars as the villain Messala - his finest role, and really one that was worthy of an Oscar -- too bad he didn't get it. Boyd really makes a great villain; with his death scene among the most memorable I've ever seen. He just spews hatred for his one-time friend - an absolutely smashing performance. The supporting cast, notably Jack Hawkins, is excellent as well.
Director William Wyler did a marvelous job with Ben-Hur giving it a human touch that makes the 3 ½ hour epic a delight to watch. The action scenes are particularly well done, especially the galley scenes, the battle, and of course the chariot race. Ben-Hur used lavish sets, the like of which had never been constructed before, over 1,000,000 props, and a cast of thousands. The photography was immaculate and boasted special deep focus Panavision lenses. The Miklos Rozsa score is moving and perfectly suited to the action. Rozsa won an Academy Award for the score, as Heston won for Best Actor, and Wyler won for best director. In all, Ben-Hur won 11 Oscars, a record that has only been equaled once, by The Titanic.
Ben-Hur is a movie that everybody should see at least once, but once they have seen it, they want to see it again or perhaps even own it. It is a part of my own video library, as are other recommended epics, Spartacus, Barabbas, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Jesus of Nazareth, King of Kings, The Robe, Quo Vadis, El Cid, and Gladiator. Five Stars
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