When I was very young, my mom took me to the movie theater to see “A Tale of the Christ.” I was only nine years old in 1959, but she knew I could sit still and watch an almost four-hour film. After all, I was always her movie partner. She never censored what we saw together. She knew I understood the difference between the words’ fake’ and ‘real’. My mom encouraged me to ask any questions I had about what appeared on the screen. This would open lengthy discussions about plots, actors, directors, and a plethora of Hollywood gossip. She seemed to be a great source. I leaned on her and learned from her, even when we saw FANNY in 1961 (Great sex education).
This time was different. I was confused. I was raised in a very Jewish home. I thought I knew who and what I believed to be true. I attended Hebrew school three times a week after regular school until I was in the 10th grade. I sang in the choir, we celebrated all holidays, and attended services every Shabbat. I was Bat-Mitzvahed and could read Hebrew. I never felt “left out” or different. I was a Jew.
I didn’t think about Jesus much. To me, he was just a man who created a following with a different point of view. It didn’t affect me… until I saw BEN-HUR. From this moment forward, I became an agnostic Jew. Don’t get me wrong. I knew down to the depths of my soul that I was Jewish, and I was proud of my heritage, but what changed was how I would view every Bible story. I would pester my Rabbi and Hebrew School principal, Mr. Merrin, with questions when I saw them. So much so, they gave me the book, WHAT IS A JEW, which I still have decades later. They must have known I needed extra help.
BEN-HUR was a catalyst for a lifelong quest to learn about other faiths. I made it my mission to be aware and accepting of contrasting beliefs. I wanted to know the differences and the similarities. I attended services at churches with my friends. I talked with others about the power of faith and believing in something greater than yourself. When I lived in Israel, I traveled to Bethlehem, walked the path Jesus took centuries ago in the Old City, and visited both a Muslim and a Baha’i temple. I climbed Mt. Sinai and prayed at The Wall. I finally stopped labeling myself agnostic. I was at peace with my Judaism. BEN-HUR started it all. It influenced and overwhelmed me in more words than I can write. I often wonder how many others felt the same when they first saw it.
BEN HUR was a cinematic masterpiece. It was the first to win eleven Oscars. It held that record for 38 years until TITANIC came along. In total, only three movies have achieved this gold standard level. BEN-HUR won best picture, leading actor, supporting actor, director, cinematography, costumes, art direction, sound, editing, special effects, and musical score. The only nomination it did not win was for screenwriting, which is crazy since PILLOW TALK was the recipient.
William Wyler (THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, ROMAN HOLIDAY, MRS. MINIVER) was the director of this iconic film. He had a cast and crew of 50,000. This did not include the 82 horses necessary for the chariot racing. He was paid a million dollars to pull this off for MGM. The studio executives were very nervous about the $15 million budget. They thought they would go bankrupt, but in the end, BEN-HUR grossed almost $75 million.
Wyler was a perfectionist. He was a detail guy. Every aspect of this magnificent spectacle had to be exact. He used 65mm cameras, which were very new and extremely expensive at the time. He had them shipped to Italy by boat, and today film students still study his, ahead of his time, techniques. He was a man of few words when he directed. He said in later years he could never be friends with his cast when he was in directing mode.
Charlton Heston portrayed the larger-than-life Judah BEN-HUR, the Jewish Prince, who was also known as 41 on the slave ships. After the first few days of filming, Wyler told Heston to “Be better.” It must have worked. Heston delved deeply into his characterization and delivered a powerful performance. Heston was a method actor, but he could never cry on cue. In his big emotional breakdown, seeing his mother with leprosy, Heston covered his face with his hands. Even so, Heston deserved all the accolades. He commanded every frame as his struggle for survival unfolded.
The supporting ensemble was also stellar. Stephen Boyd as the villainous Messala made me feel such hatred for humanity’s injustices against each other. He had problems with his wrists (while filming the chariot race) and his eyes. He wore contacts, and the dust was a killer. Production had to be halted in between takes for additional rest periods. Kudos to Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, and Sam Jaffe (Scott was his mother, Miriam, and she played Heston’s mother in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS as well).
The chariot race is what most people remember about BEN-HUR. It took five weeks to film, at a cost of $4 million. Contrary to rumors, no man or horse was harmed during the filming. Heston trained for a month to be able to lead a four-horse carriage. The arena was eighteen acres in size, the largest of all time. The ground was covered with imported sand. Sometimes, the camera crew would only use three horses as they rounded the turns to achieve incredible, close-up angles. There was no music played during the race. Only the sound of hoofbeats was later added during editing. Twelve thousand extras were used, and it took fourteen months to build. The race is immortal. It is doubtful it could ever be done again since CGI would now be used. It is a once-in-a-lifetime scene that personified artistic perfection.
Over seventy sets were created for BEN-HUR. They were in pre-production mode for several years. The elaborate and specialized costumes took three years to make. The spears, swords, helmets, battle armor, and other props were created over two years. There were over seventy statues that needed to be molded. The list is endless. I can’t help thinking about where they stored everything and how they kept it all clean and organized. It boggles my brain. The music was heart-pounding, inspiring, uplifting, and memorable. When the score swells with joy, so does the audience. All this created beauty and magical, believable moments.
Ben-Hur is a timeless Bible classic. It is a passionate spectacle of infinite proportion of what was exquisitely achieved over sixty years ago. The topic of slavery is still fresh today, with one country or another continually seeking control. It’s as if we never learned that lesson. Judah BEN-HUR is a hero forever. He stood up to tyranny and bullies. Blood begets blood, so he evolved within the true essence of love. He realized “the world is more than what we know.” Maybe this is what confused my nine-year-old self. Maybe it is time for another restart.
BEN-HUR is available on TCM.
