Ben Hur (1959) [VHS]
starring: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith
directed by: William Wyler
directed by: William Wyler
![Ben Hur (1959) [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511KRTN051L._SL160_.jpg)
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William Wyler(Wuthering Heights) had directing duties on most of this 1959 version of the story by Lew Wallace, starring Charlton Heston as the Jewish friend of a Roman (Stephen Boyd), who inevitably become enemies during the time of Christ. Stodgy but engrossing, the film has never lost its initial value as an ambitious and entertaining historical epic. Heston looks at home against the broad canvas, which leads through days of slavery, loss, and triumph. Andrew Marton directed the climactic chariot-race scene, a triumph of kinetic action and great editing.--Tom Keogh
William Wyler(Wuthering Heights) had directing duties on most of this 1959 version of the story by Lew Wallace, starring Charlton Heston as the Jewish friend of a Roman (Stephen Boyd), who inevitably become enemies during the time of Christ. Stodgy but engrossing, the film has never lost its initial value as an ambitious and entertaining historical epic. Heston looks at home against the broad canvas, which leads through days of slavery, loss, and triumph. Andrew Marton directed the climactic chariot-race scene, a triumph of kinetic action and great editing.--Tom Keogh
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Ben Hur at 50 still nifty!
Recently I have been watching some movies that were big in the year I was born...1959. This one is definitely in the top 10! A story of redemption, betrayal,anger and oh yes,a chariot race! Charlton Heston was first rate in this classic William Wyler movie. 212 minutes of classic cinema. After 50 years Ben Hur has stood as a monument to great movie making! Bravo! :)
Rating: 
- BEN HUR
Ben-HurMOVIE EVENTUALLY FAILED TO BOOT ON SIDE A AT ALL.PREVIOUSLY IT FROZE AT NAVAL BATTLE SCENE.SIDE TWO ALSO FROZE AFTER FIRST SCENE.I SENT IT BACK WITH AN EXPLANATION BUT LATER DISCOVERED THAT DUMMIE ME FORGOT TO PUT THE DISK IN THE PACKAGE.I HEARD NOTHING FROM PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM, BUT MUST ADMIT I WASN'T SURPRISED SINCE I HAD FAILED TO INCLUDE THE DISK IN THE RETURN. AT THIS POINT I GAVE UP AND BOUGHT A NEW ONE AT BEST BUY FOR $19.99
Rating: - No Hyperbole Here!
You don't have to be a Christian (though I am) to enjoy this massive Magnum Opus of drama, forgiveness, revenge, action, and rich dialouge.Besides, there is no story in the bible that mirrors this, as the origins of this movie is historical fiction.Now that even satanists have no way to back up their hate of this movie because it's not shoving any bible stories (and their messages, if any) in their face!
Though this movie is extremely long at four hours, this movie doesn't move along ... Read More
Rating: 
- Ben-Hur DVD
This movie is 50 years old.But is nonetheless exciting and poignant. I saw it when it first came out, and it was just as meaningful to me today as it was back then.
Watching the young Charlton Heston is a nostalgic experience.
Rating: 
- 3 stars out of 4
The Bottom Line:
The chariot race sequence is just as spectacular and amazing as you've heard, but the rest of the movie is sluggish and weighted with its own greatness; long and self-important, Ben-Hur is a movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon, not a Friday night.
- Ben Hur at 50 still nifty!Recently I have been watching some movies that were big in the year I was born...1959. This one is definitely in the top 10! A story of redemption, betrayal,anger and oh yes,a chariot race! Charlton Heston was first rate in this classic William Wyler movie. 212 minutes of classic cinema. After 50 years Ben Hur has stood as a monument to great movie making! Bravo! :)
- BEN HURBen-HurMOVIE EVENTUALLY FAILED TO BOOT ON SIDE A AT ALL.PREVIOUSLY IT FROZE AT NAVAL BATTLE SCENE.SIDE TWO ALSO FROZE AFTER FIRST SCENE.I SENT IT BACK WITH AN EXPLANATION BUT LATER DISCOVERED THAT DUMMIE ME FORGOT TO PUT THE DISK IN THE PACKAGE.I HEARD NOTHING FROM PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM, BUT MUST ADMIT I WASN'T SURPRISED SINCE I HAD FAILED TO INCLUDE THE DISK IN THE RETURN. AT THIS POINT I GAVE UP AND BOUGHT A NEW ONE AT BEST BUY FOR $19.99
- No Hyperbole Here!You don't have to be a Christian (though I am) to enjoy this massive Magnum Opus of drama, forgiveness, revenge, action, and rich dialouge.Besides, there is no story in the bible that mirrors this, as the origins of this movie is historical fiction.Now that even satanists have no way to back up their hate of this movie because it's not shoving any bible stories (and their messages, if any) in their face!
Though this movie is extremely long at four hours, this movie doesn't move along ... Read More
- Ben-Hur DVDThis movie is 50 years old.But is nonetheless exciting and poignant. I saw it when it first came out, and it was just as meaningful to me today as it was back then.
Watching the young Charlton Heston is a nostalgic experience.
- 3 stars out of 4The Bottom Line:
The chariot race sequence is just as spectacular and amazing as you've heard, but the rest of the movie is sluggish and weighted with its own greatness; long and self-important, Ben-Hur is a movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon, not a Friday night.
