Time for another episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? the podcast examining the top box office earner and the Best Picture Academy Award winner of the same year. For the year 1959, the film Ben-Hur claimed both of those honors.
Ben-Hur, directed by William Wyler and starring Charlton Heston, is the story of rebellious Israelite diplomat, Judah Ben Hur. After defying his best friend, Roman solider Messala (played by Stephen Boyd), Ben Hur is forced to work as a slave while his family is imprisoned. This eventually leads him down a path of vengeance. With a running time of 212 minutes, this epic movie covers a lot of ground, from religion to love to revenge, all the while dovetailing Ben Hur's story with the contemporary story of Jesus Christ. Heston delivers a strong performance, carrying this film on his back. He expertly portrays the rage, passion and desperation Ben Hur endures at the hands of the Roman Empire. The film becomes something more when, as his quest for vengeance loses meaning and purpose, Ben Hur gains forgiveness and solace from the presence of Christ. Jesus Christ is subtlety presented throughout the film, with a mystery that makes his character uniquely captivating. Like other "sword and sandal" epics of the time, the settings, costumes and props are all top notch, giving a grandiose sense without infringing upon the story. The stunts and action sequences are quite remarkable, especially the amazing chariot race where people get trampled over and chariots smash each other. The renowned score is indeed magnificent but at times can be a little overblown and manipulative (possibly a common characteristic of film scores from the era). The film could possibly benefit from some creative trimming... a running time of 212 minutes can sound bloated. But overall, Ben-Hur is more than worth your while.
Since we only reviewed one movie this time around, I guess the real question becomes: how long can Jesse and Shaun talk about one film? Tune in and listen!
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