Boxers or Briefs?

Forgive me for reducing this legendary movie to such a banal thought, but whenever there are men in miniskirts, I have to wonder. Elizabeth Haffenden (the costume designer) is not available for comment, and I wouldn't go near Heston even with a long sharp stick,(he would shoot me) so the question shall remain unanswered.

How many times have I seen this movie? Not counting the excerpts I saw in Sunday School, probably about a hundred times. But I don't think I ever just sat and WATCHED it. For at least 40 years, this movie, SPARTACUS and the TEN COMMANDMENTS had, for me, blended into one extravagant film experience, with the most memorable aspects being the anguished faces of Heston, Kirk Douglas and Heston respectively, suffering for something, followed closely by the images of men in skirts, sweating in the desert. Of course, TEN COMMANDMENTS was the best because it had Yul Brenner, who looked good in a miniskirt, and Heston, (who did not) at the end at least, wore a long robe. I don't mean to make light of these classic movies, but I was very young when these became movie events. I am older than that now.

Wyler, who directed this movie, had a long and prolific career in Hollywood, most of it at MGM. He was trained, like Truman, as a men's clothing salesman...but that's another story. The music, which is a critical element of this epic, was done by a guy named Rozsa, and the movie was actually a remake of the 1925 movie of the same name. And like this version of BEN HUR, the 1925 version was the most expensive Hollywood film made at that time, with a hefty 4 million dollar ticket. This movie cost more than 14 million, but I think by now, MGM has made that back.

The story was based on a novel (NOT REALITY, FOLKS) by General Lew Wallace, a civil war survivor, and was called BEN HUR a TALE OF THE CHRIST. The novelist was an agnostic at the time(who later converted) The screenplay is credited to Karl Tunberg, although in an interview, Gore Vidal likes to take credit. Tunberg's script was supposedly SO bad, it had to be totally rewritten, and Tunberg did NOT get an Academy Award for his participation.The majority of the rewriting was done by Christopher Fry.

The story takes place in times CONTEMPORARY with the time Jesus Christ walked the earth , and is not biblical although it takes place in "biblical" times. Wallace wanted to show the politics in Judea, and the conflict, and the overwhelming influence of the Roman Empire. As is often stated in the flick, Rome WAS the world. He may not have intended the dramatic Christian message, but the message was there anyway.
The film was made in Rome, and a fantastic set was built. The actors were trained to drive chariots. The actors themselves were a mixed lot, with at least two of the major players virtually unknown at the time. One of the actresses was the director's sister in law. The Romans were played by the British actors, and the accents were British. Some of the Roman aristocracy were given bit parts in the movie.

MGM was counting on this film to get them back in the black, being close to bankrupt at the time. It must have paid well. The producer was so stressed during the process of the filming that he actually keeled over of a massive heart attack and died. BEN HUR killed him. It hasn't killed me yet, although the long musical interludes brought me dangerously close to dying of boredom and Heston's self aggrandizing commentary nearly made me ill.

So do you get the feeling I don't like Charlton Heston much? Bingo! I really can't say his acting was second rate, but it is interesting that he is the only big star in the flick. Stephen Boyd, who played his Roman childhood friend, was an unknown Irish actor, the love interest never acted again, and Griffith's performance was actually more interesting than Heston as Judah Ben Hur. I never forgave Heston for THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY*** based on the life of Michelangelo,( who remains my artist hero, after all these years.) And in recent years, his NRA activities and staunch Republican politics leave me cold. But, at the time he was a Hollywood hero who could act with his shirt off.

THE FACE OF GOD

In the early Christian Church, and extending to the 12th Century, it was forbidden to portray God with a human face. It would be close to idolatry, to the early Christians. In fact, using a human figure in religious art was a key element in the schism between Eastern and Western Christianity. In this movie, we see the hands of Jesus Christ, and his back, but we never see his face. He was played by a German actor, whose name was Claude Heath, and whose face was not bad. I can remember it being rumored a movie that puts a face to God will be cursed, sort of like the Curse of the Mummy. These are childhood rumors, based on childhood imaginations, but there are still sects of Christianity that believe this. I know Wyler was not making this movie for an international audience, but it would have internationally politically correct.

CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM

This movie has it all. A shepherd leading a flock of sheep past Golgotha is the final image. There is symbolism in offering a life- giving drink of water, which restores our hero's will to live. This particular symbol recurs frequently. Crosses appear in images of angst (frequent). And finally, there is the saving blood of Christ, which flows in the rain and washes the earth clean, and heals the sick.

ACTION

The CHARIOT RACE remains one of the best action scenes ever filmed for Hollywood. While I would stay safely away from Chariots, knowing full well the dangers of working with high strung race horses, the scene is thrilling, even when you have seen the movie a hundred times. The set built for this was extensive, the actors had to be able to drive the chariots (the stunt doubles were used for the dangerous scenes) and it must have been amazing to accomplish. No CGI here folks! Special effects were used only to "pad" the crowds in the coliseum.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

No history lesson, I promise. The fact that the Romans were played by Brits wasn't lost on me. Roman Empire, British Empire, the interpretation doesn't have to be subliminal. In 1959 (and later) the United States was still seen as a crude, uncultured, imitation Great Britain. In fact, I think most of Europe still sees us that way. Wyler himself was Swiss-Jewish until adulthood. Heston speaks in his amazing Moses voice, but his inflection is American.

But the historical fact does bear out that Roman conquest civilized the western world. Their influence saturated everything, and Judea was a problem. The Romans saw following Christ as one of many forms of rebelling against Roman rule. Rome acted in the interests of order, and maintaining their control. In fact, when Christianity "takes over" it does so with the structure and eclectic influence of Rome. But is this art influenced by history, or history as interpreted by art? Maybe a little of both, for this movie.

"DOWN EROS! UP MARS!"

This line, spoken by Judah Ben Hur and Messala when they first meet at the start of the movie has long been confusing to me. But listening to Gore Vidal talk about his input in the movie, it may be the one line that implies the story line that Vidal injected. Vidal implied that the childhood friends had an "emotional" relationship, (meaning homosexual?) that Messala wanted to pursue and Judah did not. Some of the conflict he attributes to unrequited love. I have to admit, that their hugging and giggling together did seem a might strange, even before I saw that interview. However, this paragraph is meant only as food for thought, not my interpretation of the movie. The politics is plenty of story line for me.

OTHER ELEMENTS

Pomp, color, fanfare, music, the stark reality of the desert, the sea battle, all these things added to a rich and varied film experience. For 1959 the movie was practically a world unto itself, and caught every aspect of the public imagination. The score was used to dramatize the moments, in ways that could be forgiven if they were less obvious. If you had any question about what was to happen, the music told the tale. Other sounds that were used to great effect, were the rowing cant, on the galley, and the choirs that occasionally sounded in the background whenever God was to manifest. It's easy to critique this now, but the emotional impact is still impressive.

THE PLOT

The plot can be summed up in one silly ditty, which I MUST include just to see if anyone is actually reading this

(Hur to Messala)

"You're a Roman
I'm a Jew...
God loves me
But he don't like you!"
(not an actual line in the movie)

Everybody recover from that?

The movie, after an impossibly long overture, that I had to fast forward, opens at the birth of Christ, and the trek of the Wise men to find him. (In the book, this is the tie that binds). It fast forwards to 27 years later, give or take a year. Judah Ben Hur is a wealthy and influencial Jewish prince in Jerusalem. His best friend from childhood, Messala, has just been posted to Jerusalem as second in command. His title is "tribune". This translates roughly as "enforcer".

They are mutually glad to see each other. Messala sees Judah as an ally to help keep Judea in control, and quell the ever present rebellion. Judah does talk to his friends, but refuses to give names of dissenters. When the cards are on the table the conflict is clear. For Messala it is black and white. Judah, erstwhile his friend, is now his enemy.

Judah, his mother Miriam, and sister Tirza are thrown into jail. Using the prominence of the wealthy family to his advantage, Messala uses Ben Hur and his family as examples to others, to use fear to control the Judeans. Judah is sentenced to the slave galleys, to row.

In the trek across the dessert to the sea, Judah suffers and sweats, and the troop of prisoners and Roman soldiers stop for water. When about to get his drink, a soldier knocks the water from his hand, and says "No water for him". A mysterious stranger, (the music plays) offers him a drink, and Ben Hur has visibly changed from pitiful to proud.

Judah survives 3 years on slave galleys, then lucks out as a Roman counsel, Quintas Arrias, notices him as one "with spirit" . During a battle, he orders him released from his chains. When the ship is about to go down, Judah first releases all the other slaves from their chains, then rescues the commander himself. The commander scores a victory with the battle, and takes Judah Ben Hur back to Rome.

Ben Hur gathers reknown in Rome as a chariot racer, and is adopted as heir to Quintas Arrias. At this, the moment of his freedom, he decides to return to Jerusalem for his mother and sister, and for vengeance.

Ben Hur confronts Messala, promising him a run for his money in an upcoming chariot race. He inquires after his mother and sister. He meets the romantic interest again, (the daughter of his steward) who is living in his house.

His mother and sister have not been seen for awhile. While deep in the dungeon, they have contracted leprosy. Messala goes to get them, and discovering their disease, turns them out of the prison. He does not tell Judah. They join a leper colony, in some caves. They make contact with Esther, who brings them food. She promises not to taint their memory by telling Judah.

Ben Hur, now full of bile and ready to rumble, defeats Mesalla in the chariot race. Messala is fatally injured. Before he dies, he has one final barb to drive. He tells Judah about his mother and sister.

Judah Ben Hur is full of hate, and frustrated at being unable to do anything to help his mother and sister. Esther, a born again Christian, tries to draw him in, but he is too full of hate to listen. Esther has the idea to take the women to see the miracle man, who is able to heal, and claims to be the son of God.
Judah goes with her, and they bring the women out of the leper colony, to confront a stone-throwing mob. Judah leaves them to fetch the young rabbi, but is too late. They have already picked up Christ on a misdemeanor and he is on the way to the cross.

As a final act tying Judah and the living Christ together, Judah dips some water for him, and is kicked aside by the Roman Soldiers. Ben Hur watches in disbelief as this gentle man is crucified. In a remarkably short while, the heavens open, lightening flashes, and thunder roars. As the rains come, Miriam and Tirzah are healed of their leprosy, and Judah once again becomes a gentle man, hate being taken from him. It sets them up for the later Roman slaughter of the meek early Christians, who, let's not forget, were Jews before their conversion.

Not a bad Christian message, considering it was written by an agnostic, directed by a Jew, and made millions for Mayer and Goldwyn.

THE CAST

CHARLTON HESTON as Judah Ben Hur. Funny, he doesn't look Jewish. It was a worthy performance, in spite of my personal dislike of the actor. Especially interesting was his change in appearance as the movie developed. At first, as the wealthy Jewish prince, he is nearly gaunt in an effete sort of way. On the trek to the dessert, he is starved looking and nearly dead. By the third year in the galleys, he is muscular and powerful. Of course the skinny Italian extras placed around him in the galley enhanced this illusion. I personally think a little less method in his acting would have been appropriate, but that is unkind. He WAS Ben Hur. And he played it well.

STEPHEN BOYD as Messala. Actually I liked him better, and some classical training shows. He was athletic and versatile without a trace of brogue. He could drive the chariots. His character is clear, and he does an excellent job.

HAYA HARRARET as Esther the love interest. Lovely and local, this actress never again appeared in a motion picture (according to Heston). It was a very good part, and this young woman was mysterious, full of only good, and a role model for kids who would be wives...without knowing, of course that REALITY would rear it's ugly head. She is the ultimate Christian, whose belief ultimately is the message of the movie.

SAM JAFFE as Simonodes, the father of Esther and Steward to the house of Hur. It was the perfect role for a wonderful actor.

JACK HAWKINS as Quintas Arrias, the Roman who adopted Ben Hur as his heir. As Heston says "The Brits were better actors". I have to agree.

HUGH GRIFFITH as the Arab horse owner and gambler, who provides the team for Ben Hur in the big chariot race. This guy is absolutely delightful. One of my favorite scenes is the one in which he urges belching as a show of appreciation for a feast he has provided. His makeup was a bit extreme, making him look somewhat ridiculous, but all is forgiven. His part was not meant to be much, but Hugh Griffith created a memorable character.

MARTHA SCOTT as Miriam, Ben Hur's mother. She was Heston's mom in the TEN COMMANDMENTS. She was a prop here, not much more. She was as she was intended to be.

CATHY O'DONNELas Tirza, the sister. This lady was sister in law to the director. There is a little more to this character. She was sweet- natured, and frail-looking, vulnerable and innocent. Tirza was worthy of, and requiring protection. Well done.


FINAL RECOMMENDATION

This is still a great movie. I recommend watching it again, even with your 21st century sophistication. Give give yourself plenty of time. The musical interludes provide plenty of time to get to the bathroom and come back with popcorn. If you can, imagine the wide -eyed wonder that characterized the audiences of 1959! What do you think? Boxers or briefs?

NOTE: My apologies for the length of this review. This one is number 250, and I wanted it to be worth reading.


***THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY based on Irving Stone's novel, was about the life of Michelangelo. The life of the great artist was romanticized first by Stone, and the effect was magnified by Hollywood. If truth be known, Danny DeVito would have been a better choice for the lead, assuming he could get his weight under control.