Classic

Rating: 10/10 (4 July 2006)

I have seen this piece of work many times over the years, and each time it seems, I have come away with something more. This is Heston at his best, and he brings out the best in the supporting cast. The scene where Ben Hur is offered a drink of water from Christ after coming out of the desert is as powerful as any I have watched in any movie, and using an angle that never show's the face of Christ seems to make it more remarkable. The movie is so well acted and crafted that the lack of special effects technology available at the time only makes this effort more amazing. What elevates this movie is the story told around the time of the Crucifixion, and interpreting that event into the storyline so as not to be preachy, yet the message is clear. Well worth the time to see it again.