Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Let's be realistic.

Brilliant and touching

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This dramatic documentary is a great denunciation of the evil nature of the Roman empire. Their conquests were extremely brutal and merciless. We are all very grateful that Judah Ben Hur won the horse race against the evil Messala.The scene where we see the back of Jesus is a spiritual elevation experience for the soul...

William Wyler's Presentation of Ben-Hur (1959) is by far the purest form of entertainment that I have ever seen! The great sea-battle and chariot race is by far what makes this film so epic in both scope and scale. The Acting, Production, Directing, Screen writing, Cinematography, Editing and Art Direction/Set Decoration are incredible. It cleaned up the Awards for a good reason. What makes it even more powerful and unique are the scenes that show Christ, but not his face (and voice neither heard).The movie is not only a Biblical Epic like Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments", but it is perhaps the first time we as an audience, have to observe the film from an artistic perspective, rather than being exposed to the entire message. The film moved me on many levels when I first watched in 2014, with both my Mother and later my Grandmother. Wyler puts us in a position where the film's main concept functions in both ways, both by listening and watching. The relationship between Messala and Judah Ben-Hur is a familiar parallel to the Civil War battles between the North and South, Ben- Hur's slavery at the Galley of Rowers is also similar to that issue with the South back in the time.The Film expresses its' meanings on many different levels, whether if it be on the topics of politics, faith, corruption, and friendship. For a 3 hr. Epic, This movie is worth the time. This is my all-time Number one Favorite Film!

Jesusalem, 26 AD. Judah Ben-Hur is a wealthy Jewish nobleman who is reduced to a life of a slave due to the machinations of Messala, the Roman military commander. Ben-Hur is sentenced to spend the rest of his life as a slave, chained to the oar of a Roman galley. What follows is an epic tale of survival, determination and revenge.An epic in many ways: the larger-than-life sets (the chariot race takes the cake), the scale of it (time and distance-wise) and the running time. Unfortunately, that's all there is to recommend for this movie as it is otherwise just a long, conventional, linear story. Not overly engaging or interesting but entertaining enough to be watchable.Won the 1960 Best Picture Oscar, plus 10 other Oscars.

In AD 26, Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is a wealthy prince and merchant in Jerusalem, who lives with his mother, Miriam (Martha Scott); his sister, Tirzah (Cathy O'Donnell); their loyal slave, Simonides (Sam Jaffe) and his daughter, Esther (Haya Harareet). Esther loves Judah but is committed to another. Judah's childhood friend, the Roman citizen Messala (Stephen Boyd), is now a tribune. After several years away from Jerusalem, Messala returns as the new commander of the Roman garrison. Messala believes in the glory of Rome and its imperial power, while Judah is devoted to his faith and the freedom of the Jewish people. This difference causes tension between the friends, and results in their split after Messala issues an ultimatum to Judah.