My all time second-favorite film

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2013)

I want to begin by saying that I watched this film...again...on Easter weekend, and, by coincidence, when I had just learned that MGM is planning a remake. I'm usually not a big fan of remakes, but I think in this case it will -- at the very least -- be interesting. I understand that the new script will be closer to the story as written by General Lew Wallace. Let me skip to my recent experience of watching the new Oz film...not bad...enjoyable...but knowing that virtually every scene in that movie was filmed in front of a blue/green screen kinda ruined it for me...I felt as if the actors were simply placed within a cartoon. Much as the rather over-the-top special effects in the final Indiana Jones movie ruined that for me. There's nothing wrong with special effects...they're in all films to some degree or another...but it's getting to the point where so many films focus on the special effects that we are losing the ability to judge fine acting and fine script-writing. I fear the remake of "Ben-Hur" may end of that way, also -- a special effects extravaganza that will make the new film a shadow of this classic.
I mentioned that this is my second-favorite film...just behind "Gone With The Wind", and that's partly because each had a superior story, and each was ahead of its time in terms of sheer movie-making. It seems to me that "Ben-Hur" pretty much has it all, beginning with a superb story (even if you're not a Christian) and a very fine script.
And then there's the acting. I'm going to hand out so many kudos here, that I feel I should begin with the one performance that was shallow and so passive as to be nearly worthless -- that of Cathy O'Donnell as Ben-Hur's sister, Tirzah. How bland can an actress get? O'Donnell answered that question definitively. No wonder this was her final film, and that after this she showed up in mostly bit parts on television.
Charleton Heston is an actor that I simply can't stand any longer. I won't watch any of his films, with two exceptions: "The Ten Commandments" (because it's hard to resist the spectacle of a Cecil B. DeMille film) and "Ben-Hur". As much as I dislike the man because of his political stands, I have to admit that his acting here is absolutely superb and spot-on. His performance as a man who is constantly evolving here, is nothing short of phenomenal. Heston had a few other great performances, but this is the one that stands out and forms the basis of his legacy.
We only see Jack Hawkins in on part of the film -- from the battleship to Rome -- but his performance is also right on target. Interestingly, he didn't want to do another spectacle film so soon after "Bridge On The River Kwai", which is probably a better role and performance. But he's still excellent here. Incidentally, this film was made shortly after he had gone through cobalt treatments for what eventually turned out to be throat cancer, which killed him at a relatively young age.
Haya Harareet was an Israeli actress who only made 9 films in her career. Nevertheless, even aside from her beauty, this film is her finest performance, and I felt worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Stephen Boyd also gave his finest performance in this film, and was just right as the selfish and spiteful antagonist. The whole controversy over whether or not he played his role as if he was a jilted gay lover spurned by Ben-Hur is an interesting one, and based on interviews with Gore Vidal.
Hugh Girffith is very good as the Arab sheik. Martha Scott is not a well-remembered actress, but I always thought she was very good and very underrated. As Ben-Hur's mother here, she turns in another durable performance. Sam Jaffe is a treasure as Simonides, and this performance rivals his performance as the abbot in 1937's "Lost Horizon". I have always enjoyed Finlay Currie's performance as Balthazar in this film, and only recently have been discovering some other fine performances by the Scottish actor ("I Know Where I'm Going" and "People Will Talk"). And finally, Frank Thring as Pontius Pilate is terrific.
And last but not least -- the spectacle. "And a cast of thousands" is certainly true here, excellent sets (particularly for the chariot race), and of course -- that chariot race...probably film-making at its finest and most spectacular.
This has it all, with few complaints. This kind of product makes Hollywood proud.