Ben Hur

Fractured friendships, broken slates, galleys, a sheik who spews catchphrases, circus races, and crucifixions. Three and a half hours of the greatest spectacle Hollywood has ever offered. It does have its flaws: It's too long, theatrical, and overwrought, but the film grabs you (ladies forgive me, I’m just figuratively speaking) by the balls and lets you go only after the closing credits. A sequence of memorable scenes that, in the end, deserves all the little statues, regardless of what you think of them. If I have to define a great film, I'll religiously always mention this one first. (2009.12.26)

I was about to rate it with four stars, but that wouldn't be fair, this stunning big film doesn't deserve that from me. In spite of its visible signs of age and its terrifying runtime, this remains one of the brilliant gems of cinema, and if anyone really has the right to boast the title "great film", it is the devoted and persistent Ben Hur, heading for revenge, suffering in heavy galleys and watching the last breath of Jesus of Nazareth. The sets are stunning, breathing grandeur from every shot, and it all culminates in a horse-drawn carriage race that is still one of the most legendary and breathtaking scenes ever filmed. And there’s also the great Charlton Henston, who seems to have been born for this role and gave it a huge charisma. So in the end, I'm happy to set aside the slight tediousness and just tip my hat to director Wyler for the adventure spectacle he was able to make in the 1950s. (2012.10.27)

I don't like religious stories, and actually, I generally don't like historical films either, but here, so many good factors came together and the fact that the film never gets boring, I simply can't do anything else than give it a maximum rating. What's beautiful about it is also that it hasn't aged a bit and still has its strong message. Every good film should be able to achieve this. (2015.03.21)