Great Movie

Rating: 10/10 (28 August 2005)

"Where's my mother and my sister?" The scene when Ben Hur confronts Messala is enough to make this film worth watching. Charlton Heston as outstanding in the title role, but the performance that really was extraordinary was that of Stephen Boyd as Messala. Mr. Boyd's portrayal of the sinister Messala is uncanny. In fact, if it wasn't for Mr. Boyd, this movie would have run out of steam and become just another overblown Hollywood biblical epic. Another wonderful performance is that of Jack Hawkins as the Roman proconsul who is saved by Ben Hur and ultimately adopts Ben Hur, which allows Ben Hur to return to Judea to search for his mother and sister, who Messala had imprisoned out of sheer spite for Ben Hur. Of course, this movie contains two classic moments: first, when Ben Hur returns to Judea as the Roman proconsul's adopted son and in one of the greatest scenes in movie history confronts Messala and demands to know the whereabouts of his mother and sister; and second, the chariot race where Ben Hur, wearing the Star of David and now hero of the people, defeats Messala. This movie offers a compelling story and powerful acting, and as such, is a great work of art.