The battles feel not only large, but are filmed with long, continuous shots, with wide angle lenses. It's the film's action sequences that, by far, separate Ben-Hur from other epics, and place it among the best of its era and, perhaps, among the best grand epics ever. Such a combination is reminiscent of other brilliant Epics of its era, notably Lawrence of Arabia. The sense of flow is also impeccable for most of the film, keeping a kinetic energy about itself. No one seems unmatched, its host of interesting characters populate the screen, giving texture to the film's ambitious narrative. He is matched well by a supporting cast including Stephen Boyd, who excel with their dialogue. Charlton Heston feels perfect for the role, possessing the physical presence necessary to command a scene. This is combined with strong cinematography, and laudable performances. In fact, it surpasses many modern sword and sandal epics of today. Its world building is grand, realistic, and meticulous in its detail. The vast scope of Ben-Hur is awe-inspiring. It doesn't feel as if its building to one point, so much as its building to its theme, a sure sign of a maturely rendered film. Thus the film has a powerful progression, and is complete in its acts. The story feels organic to itself, we are left to see events unfold in a natural way. At over 3.5 hours, this is certainly not a problem with Ben-Hur. Too many modern films rush the acts, and fail to fully elaborate on their story. The film follows a wealthy Jewish prince, at the time of Jesus, who finds himself at odds with the Roman Empire.īen-Hur embodies the classical three-act story structure, and does so in an admirable way. The winner of 11 Oscars, Ben-Hur stands the test of time as extremely well-executed, strongly acted, and enthralling in both its scope and action sequences. The definition of a classic epic film, Ben-Hur is a film that well over 50 years later still packs a punch. Last 40 minutes drag the film into an unnecessary place +Supporting characters help improve the journey So although I don't think the last 40 minutes of the film are necessary, I also won't deny the influence the entire film had on cinema. It's something you'd have a hard time denying. To see the crew's clever use of miniatures in action scenes, seamless green screen work, and a grand scale chariot race makes it one of the most important and influential works of art in the 20th century. Some things just don't translate to film.Īnyways, Ben-Hur is every bit as impressive now as it has been for decades. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but for me, the film ends when the relationship between Judah and Messala is at its climax. Judah and Messala are at the core of this story, but by the end, the story is taken over by the presence of Jesus. Both interpretations have a strong presence of Jesus and the idea of faith, but I don't believe the heavy inclusion of Christ's story worked in the film. The 1880 novel of the same name had its impact, but the film opened the door for big budgeted ideas to steer their way into theaters for years to come.īut speaking of the original story from the book, I feel like Wyler may have been too stuck on adapting what he saw in the pages to the big screen. Maximus and Judah's story take similar turns, and there's even a massive colosseum sequence in Gladiator that could be seen as a tribute to the chariot race in Ben-Hur. With so many decades passing since the film opened, there's bound to be influences found in other films, but I can't help but draw a comparison to Ridley Scott's Gladiator. With Heston, and great supporting performances from Hugh Griffith, Jack Hawkins, and Stephen Boyd, the story most certainly does not fall flat. It's a great story on paper, but if Wyler doesn't bring the best out of his actors than the story can fall flat and melodramatic. Wyler, who also directed one of my favorite films, Roman Holiday, does a brilliant job at bringing this classic tale to life through his actors. Not only does the film have a nice mix of green screen work and on location set work, but the performances and work from William Wyler also deserve some credit. Known for its epic scale as a 1950's film, Ben-Hur is still one of the most impressive achievements in film to this day. Starring the iconic Charlton Heston as the titular character, Ben-Hur tells the story of a Jewish prince who returns for revenge after being wrongfully enslaved by his childhood friend turned foe. Luckily, it's themes of betrayal and redemption hold up just as well as the epic chariot race that so many cinephiles hold so dearly to their hearts. There may not be a film so highly regarded in its influence and stature for the history of cinema than Ben-Hur.