| Leonard Maltin/Plot synopsis: |
Epic-scale rendering of Gen. Lew Wallace's ``tale of the Christ. '' Heston and Boyd are well matched as the proud Jew Ben-Hur and his boyhood friend Messala, whose blind allegiance to Rome turns him into a bitter enemy. Poky at times, but redeemed by the strength of its convictions. Some of the special effects show their age, though the galley-slave sequence, and climactic chariot race (directed by Andrew Marton and staged by the legendary stunt expert Yakima Canutt) are still great. Won a record 11 Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Heston), Supporting Actor (Griffith), Cinematography (Robert L. Surtees), Music Score (Miklos Rozsa), Art Direction, Film Editing, Sound, Costume Design, and Special Effects. Some TV prints expand to widescreen format for the 15-minute chariot race sequence only. MGM Camera 65.
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