Based on a bestselling novel from the turn of the (twentieth) century, Ben Hur is a drama, a ripping adventure yarn and a biblical fable all rolled into one. Judah Ben Hur (Charlton Heston) finds himself in deadly conflict with his boyhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) over the Roman occupation of Jerusalem.
It's bigger than ... um ... something really big! I mean it - this movie is truly huge. Back in the days before CGI, every person in the crowd was actually a person and every colossal temple or hippodrome was actually built. Ben Hur is a feast for the eyes - the colour and spectacle of the Roman Empire at its height are wonderfully recreated.
While the movie is very impressive as a whole, there are two set-pieces that stand head and shoulders over everything else. The first is the great sea-battle, with catapults hurling balls of fire as opposing galleys try to ram and sink each other. The other high point is, of course, the chariot race. Judah and Messala have their final confrontation in a lethal race that is simply one the most spectacular movie events ever. Fans of The Phantom Menace may get an odd sense of deja vu at this point as this is where from George Lucas 'borrowed' the whole pod-racing scene.
Ben Hur won a colossal 11 Oscars (equaled, but not bettered by Titanic) including best Picture, Director and Actor. An absolute must-see film - If only to see what Spielberg, Lucas and Cameron are trying to top.