A Sweep at the Oscars: Wyler's Ben Hur

Rating: Null/10 (15 June 2003)

You have to give this film's detractors credit for trying. But there are just some films that are inviolate. They can NOT be tarnished no matter how much the self-made critic protests. It seems a futile effort in any case given the age of some of the truely great films. In the book, 'Movies in America' 1929-1969, (currently out of print as the names of the authors escapes me.) the authors' remarks reflected the changing esthetics of the time referring to MGM's color remake as an "above average quasi-Biblical spectacle with a fine piece de resistance"-the chariot race. Over lauded with accolades for every season: Winner of 11 Academy Awards (losing best adapted screenplay to 'Room at the Top'.) Best picture winner: The NY Film Critics Circle Award. Best picture winner: The British Film Academy. Best picture winner: Golden Globe Award. Sam Zimbalist received the Producers Guild Award and Wyler the Directors Guild Award. Among the great and powerful men of letters, film critic for the NY Times, Bosley Crowther-champion of religion in modern cinema-rendered a glowing review. Whereas Dwight MacDonald-reviewer for Cosmopolitan- panned it vociferously likening the whole viewing experience to watching 'a lumbering freight train as it passes' However, it's a fair assessment of this film's endurance when one considers the ratings poll and how it ranks a point or two above Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator' as a film still very much in high demand in sales and rentals. So is it great? Well, I believe that's subject to individual tastes. Is it a masterpiece? That could be safely said of any film that does well both critically and commercially. Is it a keeper? That's a definite **** out of five stars. Yes. I'd say so.