Ben-Hur is one of the most famous and honored films of all times. Its eleven Oscars only recently were matched by Titanic but certainly for its time the movie was in a category of its own. This film was a remake of an adapted screemplay by General Lew Wallace but never had so much time, money and manpower been put forth in this adaptation nor any other film up until that time. Certainly, Ben-Hur can be considered one of the greatest epics of all time and a profound influence on the history of film.
The filmmaking and direction aspects of Ben-Hur are certainly to be marveled at. Behind the control of William Wyler Ben-Hur was a gigantic task to be tackled in terms of creating a blockbuster film that was much more than spectacle and special effects. The dialogue of the film contributes heavily to actual quality in addition to the famous scenes involving complex stunts such as the chariot race. The film starts out set in Judea where Ben-Hur and Messala, his childhood friend, are reunited and still possess a strong friendship. This deteriorates quickly as Ben-Hur disdains the Romans and how they treat his people. Thus, the main plot begins and Ben-Hur is soon imprisoned by Messala and becomes a galley
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The scene’s special effects were spectacular for the day and still are a marvel as the stuntwork was complicated and the direction magnificent to create a realistic recreation of what a chariot race might have been like. Nevertheless, Ben-Hur was a success and brought acclaim for MGM in its waning years of power and prestige. The epic blockbuster of Ben-Hur will be a favorite among critics and film fans for many year to come. In the year Ben-Hur was released Loews was finally separated from MGM still retaining a partnership in some respects but much more independent than the relationship of distribution and production of earlier decades. Other notable crew members included Oscar winners Sam Zimbalist who died making the movie, Miklos Rozsa, a great film composer and Robert Surtees the cinematographer who made the famous chariot scene so great. The religious aspect of the film also serves an important role with the end of the film involves the ideas cleansing and purity through the scene where Jesus is crucified and they recognize his sacrifice. There were other actors that played memorable performances in this film besides Heston. MGM did not produce many epics as it was already in decline in the 1950s and was still hot on musicals into the 1960s but they made a smart decision in the investment of Ben-Hur. This was more common among the blockbuster films of the day such as The Ten Commandments or Spartacus. They often payed extras for sitting on the beach for days while waiting to film. Independent film at the time was growing but MGM still had the residual power to invest in such a film to draw audiences to the theatres. The main plot of the film is a focus on the journey of Ben-Hur as he tries to exact revenge on Messala and the struggle to do so. Haya Harareet first major Hollywood role as Esther exhibited her talent as an actress.
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