Cast: Charleton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Frank Thring
Genre: Adventure/Drama 1959
Running time: 212 mins.
During the birth, lifetime, and death of Jesus Christ; comes a story of Judah Ben-Hur (Charleton Heston), a wealthy prince and merchant in Jersulem. A childhood friend, now a Roman tribune, Messala (Stephen Boyd), betrays Ben-Hur into slavery. After many years of struggle, Ben-Hur takes revenge for his people, and triumphs in freedom.
Oh the good ol' days, when there was still an overture. Not only setting the tone of story about to be told, but allowed any strangling movie goers, who were late in coming, wouldn't miss anything. The set was elaborate, theatrically epic, and breathtakingly beautiful. The script was powerfully poetic, an art form, and unrealistic. The extras and the costume designs aided beautifully in setting the tone along with the music, the struggle of hardship towards the lead characters, and the god-like perfection of other characters. And scenes that gave just enough for the audience to catch wind into the psyche of a character or what is going on and didn't just assume that the audience was too stupid to figure stuff out on their own. This film is a perfect example of what a movie should do, an escape from the viewer's own life and transported into a fantasy and a dream. It speaks for itself. Plus, you have Charleton Heston, what more could one ask for? Nothing.
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