An iconic film from the golden age of Hollywood

Rating: 8/10 (22 January 2013)

The name Ben-Hur is synonymous with epic historical drama. The original novel by General Lew Wallace was for many years the best-selling American novel of all time. The 1925 silent film was the most expensive motion picture of its time and the 1959 version was the most expensive of its time. The vast amounts of money poured into these adaptations resulted in some of the most impressive productions in movie history.
The film, which is subtitled 'A Tale of the Christ', revolves around Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur during the time of Christ. Betrayed by his boyhood friend, Messala, he is condemned to life as a galley slave. Despite the hopelessness of his situation, he vows to return and exact vengeance on his erstwhile friend. The story of Christ forms a backdrop that recurs from time to time and ties in with Ben-Hur's experiences.
The film was nominated for a dozen Oscars and ended up winning 11 of them. These included several wins in technical categories such as costume design, art direction, sound and special effects. Basically, no expense was spared and the results showed on the screen. The film still impresses today as an example of sheer cinematic spectacle.
The acting was also honoured, with Charlton Heston taking home a statuette for his performance in the title role and Hugh Griffith nabbing an Oscar in his supporting role as the lusty Sheik Ilderim. Both individuals were deserving of this recognition and they also received admirable support from Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins & Haya Harareet. In general, the performances of the large cast leave little cause for complaint.
In the director's chair, the great William Wyler steered the film from set-piece to set-piece without overwhelming the intimacy of the story at the film's core. He was rewarded with an Oscar for his efforts, as was Robert Surtees, whose cinematography contributed greatly to the film's visual appeal. Also worth mentioning is Miklós Rózsa, whose Oscar-winning score has since been recognized as one of the best in American cinema.
Ultimately, though, some may have reservations about the film's religious slant, even though it's (purposely) not as overt as in the 1925 version. That being said, the story of Ben-Hur, while highly compelling on its own, is undoubtedly enhanced by incorporating elements of the story of Christ. All in all, in my opinion "Ben-Hur" still stands as one of the greatest epics ever to come out of Hollywood.