Cinema excellence.

Rating: 9/10 (2 March 2008)

This telling of the many trials and tribulations of Judah Ben-Hur is indeed one of my favorite classic films.Watching it makes me wish I had been around to see it on the big screen back in the day.The story is quite captivating.He is forced to stand against a man who was a childhood friend that he loved dearly.He takes the blame for his own family in an incident against a Roman governor that was nothing more than an accident,and is forced into slavery by that former friend.Somehow he perseveres,ultimately becoming an adopted son of the consul from the very ship on which he was enslaved,and sets out to find his family,as well as the friend who betrayed them.I have always admired those who take the time,money and effort to bring bible stories,or stories based on the bible to life on the big screen,and William Wyler did an outstanding job with Ben-Hur,as did Charlton Heston and everyone else involved.With it's 11 Academy Awards,it's obvious that Hollywood very smartly thought so as well.Let me not close without mentioning the still talked about chariot race,which is often called the best action sequence in cinema history.I haven't seen every action sequence ever filmed,but it is indeed hard to believe anyone can top that.Excellent film.