Cheap Ben-Hur (DVD) (Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd) (William Wyler) Price

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Customer Reviews of Ben-Hur

I'ts easy to see why this film did so well, it is brilliant in almost every way.

For those who don't know, Ben Hur tells the tale of a young prince of Judah named Judah Ben-hur, (Charlton Heston), who has a falling out with his boyhood friend Messala, (Stephen Boyd), that has dramatic repercussions. After an accident involving his sister and a Roman Governor, Judah and his family are locked away by Messala. This begins an epic story of faith and struggle. Judah ends up in as a galley slave on a Roman vessel. After he saves the lifeof the new Roman leader on the ship Quintus Arius, (a brilliant Jack Hawkins, Judah gains prominance as a Charioteer and gets his chance for revenge.

Along the way, Judah has a few very moving meetings with Jesus of Nazereth, this scenes are some of the most touching of the movie. Charlton Heston gives a fantastic performance as does Stephen Boyd. It's an epic movie in every sense of the word and the chariot race is worth the price of the dvd alone.

The only real weakness in this otherwise perfect film is the charecter Esther, (played by Haya Harareet), I really wish they cast Jean Simmons or Deborah Kerr in this part.

Ben Hur deserves it's reputation as one of the greatest epics of all time and is worth repeated viewers, like a fine wine it seems to get better with age. I look forward to watching it every year at Easter time.

Happy viewing.

The Thinking Man's Epic
Ben-Hur is one epic that really deserves the label. Big in every sense of the world, yet it manages to be intimate and personal. The story is familiar to most: the childhood friendship of a Roman and a Jew turns sour when the two meet as adults. Judah Ben-Hur is a wealthy young Jewish prince who despite his wealth cannot deny the plight of his people. Judah's belief that the Romans are killing his people destroys his friendship with Messala, now a Roman tribune. To prove his loyalty to Rome, Messala has Judah sent to the galleys as a slave, based on trumped-up charges. Judah vows revenge and is consumed with hate for Messala and Rome. His chance encounter with Jesus Christ sets him on a path he never thought he'd walk down. There is so much to admire about this film. Charlton Heston in the title role does a wonderful job portraying the title character's torment. Stephen Boyd as Messala, gives the performance of his life. There are wonderful performances from the supporting cast: Finlay Currie (Mr. Shunderson in People Will Talk) as Balthasar, Sam Jaffe as Simonides, and Hugh Griffith as Sheik Ilderim. Griffith's performance is one of the great characterizations in this film. His sheik is wonderfully human and believable. The way he interacts with his horses provide some of the film's best scenes. Jack Hawkins (Academy Award Best Supporting Actor) is stolid and dignified as Heston's adoptive father. As the love interest, Haya Harareet is believable as Esther, a slave in the service of the House of Hur, who has loved Judah from her youth. The DVD transfer is beautiful and the sound is great. It's too bad they opted for a two-sided disc instead of two. The way they've labeled the single disc, it's difficult to know which is "Side A," (the movie) and which is "Side B," (the extras). It's also unfortunate that Warner Brothers (who seems to own most of the MGM library), again used the less than wonderful cardboard packaging. Some of the extras are worth a look. Heston's commentary during the movie is fun, especially his recollections regarding the chariot race. The screen tests of Cesare Danova and Leslie Nielsen (testing for Ben-Hur and Messala respectively) are enjoyable to watch. You'll have fun noticing the zippered back of Danova's costume. The test seems to favor Danova, since Nielsen is off camera during most of their scenes. The "screen test" of Haya Harareet seems more like a costume or lighting test. There's no dialogue and what we see is a rather short head shot of the actress. All in all, Ben-Hur is one of the most enjoyable movie epics ever made. William Wyler's skill with dramatic tension and emotional impact help the storyline direct the focus of the film, rather than the special effects, which are quite amazing, even by today's computer generated standards. The chariot race between Judah and Messala, among many others, is still one of the screens great moments. I've seen it a million times, it seems, but it always seems fresh and exciting. The biblical aspect of the storyline is handled with great care and sensitivity. The change in Judah's life because of his meeting with Jesus is one of film's emotional highlights. As is the crucifixion and Judah's reunion with his mother and sister. By all means get this DVD not for the extras or the packaging, but for the sheer power of its narrative, its great performances, its epic scale, its impeccable musical score, and that incredible chariot race! Lastly, try and view this on the largest TV screen you can find. The larger the screen the bigger the impact this film will have on the viewer.

Really The End of an Era
One of the last great grand sweeping epics. Truly a cast of thousands. I've never been a big Heston fan but you got give the man his due. He was born to play these larger than life characters. The chariot race is really all its cracked up to be. One of the greatest cinematic moments ever. The chariot race in the silent version is even better, if you can believe that. Just amazing.