Not perfect, but nearly

Rating: 9/10 (16 April 2011)

Probably Charlton Heston's finest hour, Ben-Hur is a very good film version of a good bible-related story. General Lew Wallace's book tells part of the gospel stories through the interesting means of someone else's story, which crosses Jesus' at two or three critical points. Which is not to say that Judah Ben-Hur's story is lacking - it's an interesting, gripping, emotional, credible, engaging journey, told brilliantly well.
The film is spectacular, with great performances, particularly Stephen Boyd.
Hindsight makes the model work of the naval battle somewhat obvious, although, for the time, it is very good. And the film is maybe a touch more earnest than it needs to be.
But it is still a great film. And that chariot race!!!