Charlton Heston is the beating heart of this epic film. His intensity and facial expressiveness are awesome to behold. This is an actor rising to the occasion. Stephen Boyd plays his rival Massala and is equally riveting. The classic chariot race in the second half of the film remains stunning. Hard to imagine those scenes being executed any more vividly or successfully - truly, a triumph. The storytelling is dense and multi-layered. As we follow the life of Judah Ben-Hur of Nazareth, the story of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is simultaneously presented. But the spiritual aspect of the film is never heavy-handed, and at the end Christ's role in the proceedings feels absolutely essential. Though the running time is long, "Ben-Hur" is that rare epic where everything is in its right place and the end result feels measured and true.
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