If you have seen Ben-Hur before, read to find out why you should watch it again! If you haven't seen it, find out why you must see it not just once, but again and again.
Unfortunately, Ben Hur is not free on Amazon Prime, at least not with my subscription. However, the review and comments here have convinced me that I should pony up and spend the $3.99 rental charge to re-watch the movie. ☺️
(Incidentally, The Greatest Story Ever Told is free on Amazon Prime.)
I read the novel “Ben Hur” when I was an adolescent and was immediately absorbed by it. I loved history, too, and thought it was a coincidence that the author shared the name of a Civil War general. My mother set me straight on that. It impressed me that a man who achieved great success in one field could achieve it in another, unrelated one. Decades later in Santa Fe I saw a plaque commemorating his service as Governor of the New Mexico Territory. ‘You again!”, I thought, “and way out here!” I like Wyler’s film very much and will re-watch it. The scene of the women in the leper colony stuck with me even after I forgot which film it was in. The chariot race is superb.
The soundtrack is wonderful. The alleluia in the closing scene was sometimes (coincidentally, I suppose) used in my parish's Masses. My wife and I used to jokingly call it the "Ben Hur Alleluia."
My favorite movie of all time. It is a masterpiece.
I live in Urbana, MD near the site of the civil war Battle of Monocacy where General Lew Wallace commanded Union forces against Confederate General Jubal Early. Although considered a Union defeat, it did slow Early's attack on his ultimate target, Washington, DC which failed. There is a street in Urbana named for Wallace.
I have also read the book and was struck by the subtitle: A Tale of the Christ.
"Ben Hur" (1959 version) is, in my humble opinion, the greatest film ever made. William Wyler also directed two other films on my Best Movies of All Time List: "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "The Big Country". Additionally, Charlton Heston is at the top of my Favorite Male Actor List.
Always loved this movie, as I loved most of the bombastic “swords and sandals” epics of the ‘50s and ‘60s. There are so many high points in the movie for me. To mention but two: the constant love and devotion of the beautiful Esther (Haya Harareet). She essentially holds together the Jewish family from beginning to end. And the death of Masala after the chariot race. Steven Boyd’s character, evil to the end, delivers the most agonizing, most terrifying death scene I’ve ever seen in cinema.
Just the brief video shown was enough to inspire me to take the VHS from my collection and play it again on an old VCR. This epic should encourage one to re-vitalize his love of Christ-- or to search for Him if unknown.
How great was Charlton Heston? Moses, Ben Hur, Gordon of Khartoum, a Saxon War Lord, El CID, a major in the Boxer Rebellion, Michelangelo. And at the end of his career three great science fiction movies. I’ll revisit Ben Hur this weekend.
Unfortunately, Ben Hur is not free on Amazon Prime, at least not with my subscription. However, the review and comments here have convinced me that I should pony up and spend the $3.99 rental charge to re-watch the movie. ☺️
(Incidentally, The Greatest Story Ever Told is free on Amazon Prime.)
I read the novel “Ben Hur” when I was an adolescent and was immediately absorbed by it. I loved history, too, and thought it was a coincidence that the author shared the name of a Civil War general. My mother set me straight on that. It impressed me that a man who achieved great success in one field could achieve it in another, unrelated one. Decades later in Santa Fe I saw a plaque commemorating his service as Governor of the New Mexico Territory. ‘You again!”, I thought, “and way out here!” I like Wyler’s film very much and will re-watch it. The scene of the women in the leper colony stuck with me even after I forgot which film it was in. The chariot race is superb.
"Ben Hur" is my all time favorite movie. The scene where water and blood pour from the crucified Christ can never be surpassed.
The soundtrack is wonderful. The alleluia in the closing scene was sometimes (coincidentally, I suppose) used in my parish's Masses. My wife and I used to jokingly call it the "Ben Hur Alleluia."
My favorite movie of all time. It is a masterpiece.
I live in Urbana, MD near the site of the civil war Battle of Monocacy where General Lew Wallace commanded Union forces against Confederate General Jubal Early. Although considered a Union defeat, it did slow Early's attack on his ultimate target, Washington, DC which failed. There is a street in Urbana named for Wallace.
I have also read the book and was struck by the subtitle: A Tale of the Christ.
"Ben Hur" (1959 version) is, in my humble opinion, the greatest film ever made. William Wyler also directed two other films on my Best Movies of All Time List: "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "The Big Country". Additionally, Charlton Heston is at the top of my Favorite Male Actor List.
Pax Vobiscum, Don Young
Always loved this movie, as I loved most of the bombastic “swords and sandals” epics of the ‘50s and ‘60s. There are so many high points in the movie for me. To mention but two: the constant love and devotion of the beautiful Esther (Haya Harareet). She essentially holds together the Jewish family from beginning to end. And the death of Masala after the chariot race. Steven Boyd’s character, evil to the end, delivers the most agonizing, most terrifying death scene I’ve ever seen in cinema.
Thanks for this review, Professor.
Just the brief video shown was enough to inspire me to take the VHS from my collection and play it again on an old VCR. This epic should encourage one to re-vitalize his love of Christ-- or to search for Him if unknown.
I recently learned Heston himself rode the chariot in the legendary scene in the Circus Maximus. Pretty good.
How great was Charlton Heston? Moses, Ben Hur, Gordon of Khartoum, a Saxon War Lord, El CID, a major in the Boxer Rebellion, Michelangelo. And at the end of his career three great science fiction movies. I’ll revisit Ben Hur this weekend.