Ben Hur: From Prince To Pauper To Prince To Race Car Driver

Rating: 6/10 (21 March 2006)

Every time I hear the name of this movie, I always think of the story about the man who had a dog named Ben, but had to change his name to Ben Hur after he had pups! Really, people! I know I could get crucified for this review, but as good as this movie is, it's just too long. A person in later age has to find time to go to the bathroom! A twenty minute intermission in-between 2 hour acts just doesn't get it! And, in Ben Hur, if it isn't one thing it's another. Poor Ben with his mishaps in life goes from Prince to Pauper to Prince and ends up winner of a race that was Rome's version of the Indiana 500! But through all the madness and miracles, no one seems to see the greatest miracle of all in the film. Here's Ben's mother and sister in that prison all those years! They know they're there; after all; the food disappears! And, how and where did they go to the bathroom all those years if that door was so small to get in and out of? Don't get me wrong! Sure, this is epic-movie making at its finest, but again, it's just too damn long, and I'm sure the whole thing could have been wound up in about two and a half hours without any trouble! Now, when compared with the silent version; sure you can see a little bit of copying from the silent version to the William Wyler version. That's very obvious if you really observe what's going on on the screen, but there is something about the silent version that makes it a much better version. The use of the tints and their version of Technicolor at the time, and the whole thing wrapping up at a descent time; time enough for a person at my age to hit the john without any mishaps!