epic to end all epics

Rating: 9/10 (4 December 2001)

What other film can keep the attention for the best part of four hours? It's terrific, well-written in that usual Hollywood glossy style, and everyone's mentioned the chariot race already. There's quieter moments which are well done too - the lepers watching their son/brother from the shadows, devoted little Esther, the sequences with Christ ... after 40 years it is still the best of the epics. I loved the silent version too and recently read the book for the first time. I'd recommend all three.