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Actors: Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Ben-Hur (1959) |
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Judah Ben-Hur is a Jewish prince about the year 26 A.D. His longtime Roman friend Messala betrays him for no reason and sends Ben-Hur into slavery on a Roman galley, while Ben-Hur's mother Miriam and sister Tirzah go to prison. Ben-Hur vows revenge, saves the life of Roman commander Quintus Arrius during wartime, and is set free. Finally, he gets a chance to avenge himself in a glorious chariot race in Rome, but when he finds his kin, they are residents of a leper colony in Jerusalem. Based on the 1880 novel by Union General Lew Wallace, this 1959 film was the most expensive up to that time -- $15 million to make -- in a successful effort to save MGM from bankruptcy. (The same studio had filmed the 1925 silent version of this story.) More than 3-1/2 hours long, this classic epic -- a bit talky and creaky for today's audience but still visually sweeping -- won 11 Academy Awards, a feat matched only 38 years later by "Titanic."
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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Ben Hur tells the plight of a Jewish prince who was betrayed by his friend and sent to the Roman galley ships as a prisoner. He later regains his freedom & saves his family from a certain death in a leper colony.
--MonaK, Resident Scholar
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Based on Lew Wallace novel, BEN-HUR has been released in 1959. the picture won eleven academy awards.
Stephen Boyd has just been appointed consul of Judea by Rome. He doesn't manage to convince his close friend, the native Judas Ben-Hur to help him impose the Roman culture on the jewish people. Their friendship soon turns into hate and Ben-Hur is sent as a galley slave on a roman ship. After having saved the life of a general, Ben-Hur is adopted by him and, seven years after having left home, returns to Judea with two ideas in mind : to take revenge on Stephen Boyd and to find his own mother and his sister. He'll learn that the two women are suffering from leprosy but is nevertheless looking forward to meet them.
--Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Ben-Hur (1959) |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- Roman Era
Job/Profession/Poverty Story?
Yes
Job:
- slave
Strong "rags to riches" component?
Yes
Abuse on the job story?
Yes
Ethnic/Regional/Gender story?
Yes
Main Char. ethnic: (if not US Caucasian)
- Jew, regular
Culture of surrounding area:
- Italian
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) muscular
Unclothed?
- Chest
Events of movie makes character more...
- aggressive
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Jewish
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- bulging muscles
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Body type
- (woman) ample bosom & buttocks
How much in movie?
- 20%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Jewish
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- govt employee
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) muscular
unclothed?
- chest
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Italian
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Italy
Asia/Pacific/Middle East
Yes
Asian country:
- Israel
Water?
Yes
Water:
- warship
Misc setting
- sports arena
Style
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
Any profanity?
- None
If this is a kid's movie...
- Ages 10-15
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Orchestra/classical
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 David Loftus
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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