In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Ben-Hur (1959)

In the time of Jesus, two friends, one a Jewish prince and the other a Roman tribune, have their loyalties tested, divided by heritage and desires.
Famed mostly for its treacherous chariot race, the 1959 version of Hur does well with the heartbreaking elements of the story, too. The part of the novel that brought me to tears is absent, but it had so much ground to cover that something had to get cut. What remains is a journey by the resolute Judah Ben-Hur from riches to chains, and into the very heart of the thing that vilifies him. The biblical moments get more and more heavy-handed as the narrative nears its end, but it's something I've come to accept over the years.

5 gifts of water out of 5

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