BEN HUR (1959) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | MOVIE REACTION 

When people say "They don't make movies like this anymore...." it's absolutely true for movies like Ben Hur. The massive scale of the sets, the extras, having to physically recreate massive settings instead of relying on CGI. Not to mention just the epic length of something like this that not only did not turn off audiences, but brought them in droves and had people going back to sit for another 4 hours. It's simply amazing.

Never showing Jezus's face make those scenes even more epic in my opinion.

Yeah back in the day, going to the movies was an event, so there was a musical overture as the crowd gathered and socialized, took their seats. During the intermission you'd have time to get up, stretch your legs... Have a drink, discuss what you'd seen so far. Going to the pictures was something you dressed up for. I kinda miss those times.

Cassie, I was 19 when I first saw this movie and, now at nearly 83, I still consider it the finest film ever made. It was well written, well directed and very well acted. And the music was FABULOUS! I've been a huge fan of movie soundtrack music since I was about 14. Anyway, MGM would have been bankrupted if this movie had bombed. Sam Zimbalist, the producer, was so stressed out with all the many problems that came up during production that he never lived to see the final result, having died of a massive heart attack before the filming was even finished. Charlton Heston, on his way in to the academy awards ceremony, was talking to Jimmy Stewart who, himself was nominated for an Oscar. As they were going in together, Jimmy looked Heston in the eye and said, "Chuck, I hope YOU get this, you've earned it." About that surprising comment, Heston in a later interview stated that no actor ALIVE would EVER say that to a fellow nominee and MEAN it. But he DID say it, and he DID MEAN it! With all the massive sets built for that movie, I doubt a film of this magnitude could be done that way today. Now it's all CGI which in itself is expensive. Ben Hur will be a classic for decades to come. And, sadly, virtually all the cast and crew in that movie are now gone.

Judah: Almost at the moment He died, I heard Him say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Esther: Even then. Judah: Even then. And I felt His voice take the sword out of my hand" What a dialogues! Epic Master Piece

This movie holds the record for the most Oscars for a single film, in a three-way tie with Titanic and The Return of the King.

This movie is an epic in every sense of the word. It won 11 Oscars!! Only 'Titanic' and 'The Return of the King' have matched that! The film was shot in Italy, used 300 sets and nine sound stages. Most of the film was shot near Rome; the beach scenes were shot at Anzio. Two 175ft (53m) long replica Roman galleys were constructed for the film as well. The sets were so huge and visually exciting that tours were arranged and 5,000 people visited the sets. More than 1,000,000 feet of film was used. The acting, directing, photography, music are wonderful! You could call this the ultimate 1950s movie.

24:56 "He's not just an amazing chariot racer - he's got the drive of revenge!" They could honestly have put that on the movie posters, what an excellent line :D

I could kiss you for reacting to this film. I'm sick to death of most reactors doing the same shallow Marvel or Disney crap when there are so many fantastic films out there to enjoy. Sharing this experience with you helped me relive seeing Ben-Hur for the first time again. You're right about it being a true epic. It's always been one of my most favorite films, and deserved every one of its eleven record-breaking Oscars. Please keep dipping into the older films. There are a lot of real treasures out there.

The chariot race is still one of the most incredible sequences captured on film. My father loved this movie and I didn't appreciate it until I became an adult. Epic is an understatement.

You clipped it really well showing the important parts. It is wonderful that younger people can appreciate a great older film.

These movies are so much better than today’s junk food movies. I’m 24 and I’ve been watching TCM for years (a tv channel that shows movies like these) and I absolutely love them.

My kids are grown and living in a different state. I'm a widow at 53 and don't get to watch the movies I love with anyone anymore. Thank you for sharing your reactions. Your compassion, your genuine curiosity and your enthusiasm are such gifts to me. Thank you.

Never thought I'd see anyone watch Ben Hur on RU-vid. The epic Chariot race took nearly a year to set up and film, mainly because the had to learn how to actually ride the things.

I was born in 1954, five years before this movie was released. I have seen it countless number of times, most recently last month, and I have NEVER been able to watch it the whole way through without shedding many tears. It won 11 Academy awards which wasn't equaled until 1997's Titanic. Ben Hur is a classic for all time!!! It's a wonderful story of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Thank you sooooo much for reacting to this wonderful film!

So many emotions packed into this film. Love, hate, power, determination, forgiveness. One of the most intense, and compelling films of its' era, and beyond; plus not to mention Miklos Roza's superb music soundtrack, that alone could bring you to tears. The way Ben-Hur's storyline is wrapped around the Christ is just pure incredible.

I love the fact that everything you see in there is real and filmed on location. The chariot race was all practical, no miniatures or special effects (this is pre-CGI). The arena was a full scale set and filled with over 10,000 extras. At the time, it was the largest set ever built for a movie. Also, the leap over the crashed chariots was done practically, and the stunt double actually hurt his chin (you can see him smash his face against the front rail of the cart). The stuntmen were Yakima Canutt and his son, Joe Canutt. Amazingly, Joe's cut was the only injury of the movie.

I was surprised to see you reacting to this epic movie and really never expected to ever see it in this format. I've seen this movie probably 20 or more times in my life with many kinds of reactions to it and effects from it. I'm now in my 70s. Watching it with you was so much like seeing it for the first time all over again and I was swept up with you in the sweeping beauty and truth of this tale. I wept most of the second half of the movie for the first time in many decades as it touched my heart again. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

This and The Ten Commandments are probably the most epic movies depicting Biblical events. And they are amazing, classic, epic movies with scores to match. This is why Charton Heston has such legendary status.

Cassie, your channel is one of the sweetest things on RU-vid. Your genuineness and vulnerability are unsurprisingly blessing a lot of people. God bless you and your lovely sister for sharing this experience with us!

My favorite Christian movie of all time. The final scene when Heston is climbing the steps and sees his mother and sister after they have been healed is one of the best acting scenes I've ever seen. My God! It was so powerful, it had me crying like a baby. Thank you for sharing this beautiful movie with us. It's been years since I've seen it.

Heston is also known for “The Ten Commandments” (another long one) and “Planet of the Apes”. Both worth watching!

Whoever is suggesting all these perfect movies to her thank you.

My grandfather went on a business trip to the USA from the UK on the liner Queen Mary in the late 1950s and the crossing back was one of the roughest there had been. Everyone went below deck to their cabins except my grandfather and another man who stayed in the lounge talking and having a drink. This other man was Jack Hawkins and he said he was going to start work on a new movie soon, that being Ben Hur. He had the part of the admiral Quintus Arrius. I still have the menu for the return journey of the ship.

Little known fact. The color of the piece of cloth/cape he wore just before the chariot race had such a beautiful hue and that magnificent radiance which befitted the appealing character of Judah that it later became known as ‘Ben Hur blue’

I never realised how much I wanted to see people react to this movie than right now. Your emotions and connections to the story of both Jesus and Judah made this video Cass: truly a journey~

I’m a big movie buff and watch movies from all eras and Ben Hur is without question my favorite movie of all time hands-down. Thanks for the great review.

In the early 1970s, when I was a kid, it was a big deal when Ben-Hur was broadcast on nighttime TV. Watched this film with my family several times. And I tell you, certain scenes brought me to tears-and still does. When Jesus refreshes Judah with water…I can hardly see thru my tears. The crucifixion scene…my heart aches to the core. When Judah’s mother & sister are healed…I’m a sobbing mess. That film, for me, informed me thru childhood, adolescence & young adulthood as to what Jesus must’ve been like. And this brilliant, classic film is my all-time favorite! I’m so happy & thrilled that you got to experience it. And I got to thrill & cry along with you!!!

"Overture" is an instrumental introduction; it is commonly used in operas to create a mood before the story begins. Some of these old movies also had an overture and an intermezzo to call back on this operatic form. Modern audiences are more familiar with movies than with opera, but this used to be different in the early days of film.

The first film shot in Ultra Panavision - widest film format ever. 70mm film shot in Cinemascope for a crazy aspect ratio of 2.76:1. Shooting the chariot race in that format with enormous cameras and minimising camera shake was an amazing achievement. The lenses made for this film were most recently used on Tarantino's Hateful Eight and also on Rogue One!

I love how tender-hearted you are. Thank you

I am from Belarus. I was born into a religious family. I watched this movie very often in my childhood. Although I became an atheist, this movie had a very strong influence on my worldview and my good taste in movies. For this, thanks to my mom who instilled in me the right interests from childhood. I re-watch "Ben Gur" once a year closer to Christmas. Usually when you get older, movies from your childhood don't seem as vivid as they do as an adult. But this movie never gets old! It has virtually no mistakes, every dollar is seen on the screen! The golden age of Hollywood! The movie will appeal to even regular atheists as a good interesting story. Ben Gur deservedly won 11 oscars! Miklos Rozsa wrote strong music - personally for me he is better than John Williams. Not even the 2016 remake comes close to this masterpiece of world cinema. Considering how bent out of shape Hollywood is now in modern agenda and propaganda, movies like this won't be made for another hundred years - maybe never!

The golden age of Hollywood was an incredible time for film making. Imagine all that was done without CGI. Yes the "Overture" and "Intermission segments used to play as if you were at the Grande Opera, at a time when many movie theaters were palatial. This was filmed in Rome and though there are some location shots, the bulk of filming was done on Cinecittà Studios lots and sound stages. Reading about the preparation is an epic in itself. One fact stood out to me that "More than 400 pounds (180 kg) of hair were donated by women in the Piedmont region of Italy to make wigs and beards for the production". The special anamorphic Cinemascope camera lenses, used to produce the wide screen format, cost $100,000 each and were still being used fairly recently. The scene during the chariot race where the chariot bounces wildly with Ben Hur was an actual accident caught on film and incorporated into the final cut. Stephen Boyd who played Massala insisted on doing most of his own stunts, so in almost all of those wild chariot scenes it was really him being dragged and in danger of really being trampled. It took five weeks of actual filming , spread out over three months to complete the footage for the race. Even for non-religious people, this is a compelling spectacle to behold. I can't help getting emotionally caught up and carried away by it all

I had the pleasure of seeing Ben-Hur at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles when it had there was a re-release. When you see it at that size you understand a lot of the blocking and staging better. On a small screen some of the actors' poses look a little stagey but on that giant screen they look like these epic tableux. That screening used the original multi-track magnetic sound technology too - the roaring of the chariot race and the storm scene at the end made your ribs shake.

Ben Hur is an amazing movie, my favorite of all time. Messala is an underrated villain in movie history, and the character arc of Judah Ben Hur is so applicable to many people. Vengeance and hate begets more of the same, but forgiveness is eternally healing. I was so surprised to see you watch this movie! It was a joy for me to react with tears along side you.

Best online review I have ever seen. I am in my late 60s and have seen this movie no less than 10 times and it still moves me. You are real. God bless.

It’s funny how we adults joke about how kids have no attention span, but I remember watching this movie when I was 6 or 7 years old. I loved it and remanded invested for the full 4 hours.

One thing to consider.. this IS a great movie, it won 11 Oscars... and it was made before the advent of CGI, so the chariot race, the sea battle, and the other battle scenes had to be filmed with huge numbers of extras, live extras that is, on a scale we cant imagine today..all practical effects not CGI.......... in todays world of incredible scenes in movies thanks to modern technology, we tend to take big scenes for granted, this movie blew people's socks off when it was in cinemas back in 1959...........

These long films of this time period were appropriately called “epic films.” The sets and vast numbers of extras on the sets were unmatched. These films were epic in their sets, actors, and length. Most epics had a Christian storyline. Others that come to mind are The Robe, Spartacus, King of Kings, as well as The Ten Commandments that starred Heston as Moses, and The Greatest Story Ever Told that also starred Heston as John the Baptist. Great family friendly films. 😎

The man that wrote this book was Lew Wallace, a Confederate General. A tremendous story. The chariot race took 5 weeks to shoot and many months to set up. It was shot in Rome, on an 18 acre set..there were some cuts and minor injuries, during the shooting of the race and that was all. Still very exciting even after more than 60 years

A lot of people don’t know this but the movie Ben Hur was actually based on an epic historical adventure novel that was published in 1880 and written by a famous war hero named General Lew Wallace who fought for The Union during the American Civil War. It is not without it’s sense of irony that Ben Hur is known as “the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century” when you consider that Wallace was an agnostic at the time he wrote it. Writing the novel was such a powerfully moving experience for him that it was what eventually led him to come to faith, in fact by the time he finished writing it he decided that he wanted to become a Christian.

A former civil war cavalry man wrote this script in the late 1800's. It was adapted to a silent era movie and was redone as this 1950's epic. Thanks for your reaction, as I'm shocked as a young believer you've never seen it before. As others have said, you had this 60 year old man in tears watching it with you. You had a very heart felt reaction to the message and it showed.

I am almost 70 yrs old and have seen this movie probably a dozen times and never tire of it One of the best ever made. Thanks for letting me watch it again for the ‘first time’ with you. Thanks

one of my favourite films of all time. Cried so much and just so powerful. And Charlton Heston was sooo handsome.

He wasn’t torturing the rowers he was evaluating them. In battle His life depends on the capability of his crew.

The chariot race is one of those "Great Scenes in Cinema History".

I honestly envy you for seeing this "epic" for the very first time. I, myself, have watched this film at least 100 times. The chariot scene is one of the most incredible spectacles ever filmed; bar none. Truly, a masterpiece.

Glad to see you picked my all-time favorite movie and to show it still resonates with new viewers who have no prior knowledge of it. You understood what was going on and you emotionally connected to the story line. You really gave it a chance, too (four hours!). I enjoyed it very much. Thank-you, Cass.

An "Overture" is something that movies did back then to alert the audience that the movie would be starting soon and to signal that it was time to take your seat and prepare yourself to enter the world of the cinema. Much of the time there was also an intermission moment at the mid point in the movie where a similar screen titled "Intermission" would come up for 5 to 10 minutes to give the audience time to use the bathroom, stand up and stretch, and refill their popcorn. No it's not a wester...Ben-Hur is a 1959 American religious epic film, it was adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The sea battle was actually filmed in a huge tank on the studio lot. No they didn't have canons back then. This was before gun powder was invented. This movie was truly an epic undertaking for the time. It had the largest budget, 15 million, as well as the largest sets built, of any film produced at the time. Over 200 camels and 2,500 horses were used, with some 10,000 extras. One of the most notable moments in the race came from a near-fatal accident when stunt man Joe Canutt, was tossed into the air by accident. The long shot of Canutt's accident was cut together with a close-up of Heston climbing back aboard, resulting in one of the race's most memorable moments.

Miklos Rosza's score for this film is a masterpiece, back when there was music from beginning to end in these epic movies

One of the greatest epic films ever made

The most mistake was trying a remake! Nobody can! Masterpiece!

My friend Juliet's father did the music for this film. It won him an Oscar. Was great watching it with you. I shed a few.

"Chicken Messala" - I was laughing every time you said this!

Thankyou for not hesitating to witness to your faith ! Love you girl.

Brilliant film--my all-time favorite. What I especially love about it is the script, which is so literate and ennobling. How can one not be impressed with lines like, "The stone that fell from this roof so long ago is still falling." I found it oddly affecting watching it (well, parts of it) with someone who'd never seen it before. As a male I rarely shed tears, but your innocent enjoyment did bring one or two to my eyes.

As a Christian this movie was so impactful as it portrayed the telling of the gospel story from the perspective of a Jew living in Roman times. I really loved the fact that they never showed the face of Christ but that His life was interwoven within that of Ben Hur. Really enjoyed your reaction to this film classic❤️ Looking forward to your next event with Carly🥰

A little bit of trivia I remember reading somewhere: During the moment in the chariot race where Judah's horses leap over the broken carriage (27:14), the stunt man was supposed to stay in the chariot, but he was catapulted out and through sheer athletic skill managed to hang on and climb back into the chariot. That accidental stunt looked so great that they shot a closer matching shot of Charlton Heston climbing back into the chariot.

I truly love watching your reactions to movies. Your innocence makes watching a pleasure. Ben Hur to me was one of Charleston Heston’s greatest movies, right up there with the Ten Commandments. I’m glad you chose to watch this one.

Powerful in all parts,but the sound track perfectly placed to the scenes makes it even more impactful.Gripping to say the least.As a 10 year old watching on the big screen in 1959 to now on the small screen.It never disappoints.One of the 10 masterpieces in cinema history.

I had to dry my eyes thoroughly before I typed this comment! I consider this movie one of the Top Ten movies ever made - it will never get old. The dialogue, casting, acting, direction, cinematography and especially the sets just put it high above most other so-called 'epic' movies. I am thrilled that you have watched Ben Hur, because only the other day I was looking for a movie reaction to this film on RU-vid but was disappointed. Even though Jesus isn't featured much, the story tells you so much about Him. Thank you again, and I'm glad you have been able to experience this beautiful work of art at last. I know this won't be the last time you watch it.

Wow, you took on a HUGE film, and an important one to boot. This has been a favorite of mine for years (partly because I love any film that deals with the Roman Republic or Empire...one of those time periods that fascinates me!). 2:15 - Nothing was going wrong. Before 'Ben-Hur' was released, there was a concept the studios used of "roadshow" films...movies that would be events, like a roadshow of a Broadway musical. It was a strategy the studios came up with to counteract against audiences staying home to watch the new television sets that were becoming more and more popular. So, as these films would be extra long, they would give them an "Overture" of music from the film while the audience seated. An "Intermission" at the midway point of 10 to 15 minutes was for bathroom breaks and concession stand food purchases with an "Entr'acte" as the music to let everyone know the film was starting again for the second part. After all was said and done, there would be "Exit Music" or "Exeunt" to play as the audience left and the ushers cleaned up. In an effort to preserve the films as they were originally released for the home video market, the studios had all parts of the films retained as part of the videotape, DVD, laser disc, and streaming releases...so 'Gone With The Wind', 'Lawrence of Arabia', and 'Ben-Hur' are all films that have these parts in home videoreleases. 3:15 - This was actually a remake. The original was a silent film in the 1920s. The novel by Lew Wallace was published in 1880 and was so popular that you could compare it's success to that of 'Harry Potter'. There were even outlandish stage productions of the story before films were made. And it's popularity is still around...there was another remake of the story for the big screen in 2016, but I have never seen it. 5:33 - It seems romantic...well, according to one of the screenwriters, the novelist Gore Vidal, it was written as romantically as he could get away with. Vidal was a well-known gay man, who was lauded as a novelist as well as a screenwriter. He saw Messala as a gay man in love with Judah. However, the times being what they were (the late 1950s)...it was a no-go. Charleton Heston (Judah) never saw the story in this way, and Stephen Boyd (Messala) was told by Vidal that he should play it as if Judah and Messala had been lovers as young men before Messala left. Later, when Heston found out about this...he was pissed at Vidal. There was a bit of a feud between them for years over this until Heston passed in 2008. Vidal passed in 2012. 7:18 - Haya Harareet who plays Esther passed away in February 2021. She was the last credited cast member of the film to pass. This was one of the many "sword and sandal" epics of the 1950s that were extremely popular. This was mainly filmed in Italy (Rome specifically at the legendary Cinecitta Studios), and won a record 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Charleton Heston), Best Supporting Actor (Hugh Griffith as the Sheik)...a record that stood until 1997 when 'Titanic' tied the amount of Oscar wins...and tied again in 2003 with 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KIng' also winning 11 Oscars. Other movies you might like that are like 'Ben-Hur'... - 'Quo Vadis' (1951) with Deborah Kerr and Robert Taylor - 'Spartacus' (1960) with Kirk Douglas, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, and Laurence Olivier, directed by Stanley Kubrick - 'The Robe' (1953) with Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, and Victor Mature Thanks for a great reaction, Cassie!!! Have a good one!

I'm so glad you watched this!! You're so right in describing it as "epic". It truly is. It's such a powerful movie. I hope you will give the 10 Commandments a try too. Charleston Heston is good in that one as well.

It's on view almost every Easter in the UK and you always sit through an entire afternoon watching it and never feel cheated no matter how many times you have seen it 😀

The story of Lew Wallace, the author of Ben-Hur, is pretty interesting. Major General in the US Army, New Mexico Territorial Governor during the Lincoln County War (the range war that made Billy the Kid famous), and the US ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.

I've read here in a few comments that a stunt chariot driver was killed making the movie. It's an urban legend,NO one was killed. The guy (in green) who was run over was actually a prop dummy made to look realistic, which obviously had the desired effect on some viewers.

How lucky you are.This movie has some of the most beautiful music ever written for the screen,especially in the nativity scene at the beginning.What a way to discover this winner.

In my personal opinion, Ben Hur with its all star cast is probably the best movie ever made.

I knew going in that this was going to be a great reaction. But I'm ashamed to say that I had completely forgotten how good this movie is. And you're also right about the difference between growing up as a Christian and then seeing the stories you've heard all your life, it gives you a whole new perspective. For similar films from the same era, I would recommend "Quo Vadis?" that one's pretty good too.

'Chicken Messala' had me on the floor! That's our Cassie. I loved your little sighing episode with Judah and Esther's reunion kiss too. This was the first seriously adult movie I ever saw, at the drive-in way back in !963, and I persevered with Lew Wallace's sprawling epic within the year. It broke records for Oscars and the number of extras, though I didn't know it then. As others have said, the chariot race still holds up as one of cinema's greatest sequences. Great performances all round, including the director, William Wyler and last but not least our precious reactor. Nice way to spend a lonely Saturday night. Thank you, precious Cassie.

I cried so much when I watched that movie. Absolutly amazing epic movie. 11 oscars well deserved.

Hands down, the best movie ever made.

This was one of the first true epic movies. I wasn't around when it was made, but as a lover of movies it's always been held as a gold standard. The chariot scene was always so intense. I know CGI and special effects have come a long way, but this is truly the most realistic feeling sort of race there's been in cinema. I remember seeing 'Gladiator' and watching the chariots going around the Colosseum and while it was cool it didn't feel overly immersive. Ben-Hur's scene was a rush and such a great job. I hope you do more movies from that era. If you like this movie I feel you'd like the setting/cinematography of 'Lawrence of Arabia'.

Back before they had home videos, movies were essentially events; it was like going to a play or concert. Accordingly, a lot of movies had overtures and intermissions, just like modern plays still do.

One of the best movies ever made.

This was the favourite film of my youth, and still is in the top on my list now.

Ben-Hur is the closest any movie in history has come to being a perfect movie. It has everything. Love. Hate. Betrayal. Revenge. The main character put through a harrowing journey. Personal growth of the characters. And then redemption. It is an absolutely perfect movie.

Oh wow I never thought Ben Hur would be reacted to thanks soooo much

The amazing thing is that back in the day they did all these with real actors, costumes and props instead of CGI. That must have taken a lot of effort and dedication. Not to mention $$$.

This could be the greatest movie epic of all time. The book is even better!

Okay so to explain films of this era going to the movies was an event as a nearly all day thing. So with epics like this and musicals of the 50’s and 60’s they would have an overture which plays music themes which will be heard later on to get people ready as they come into the theater and an intermission to give people to stretch and go visit the candy counter or bathroom. Then the Entr’acte was to signal the beginning of the second half of the film and give people a chance to get back into their seats.

Perhaps I misinterpreted her remarks but in case people are unaware, contracting leprosy aka Hansen’s disease wasn’t just about wrecking one’s looks, it could also be very contagious depending on all kinds specific factors that are not worth going into and which were not understood until recently. Judah’s mother and sister were worried about infecting Judah and other people. Those who suffered from leprosy tended to be driven away from population centers and deliberately isolated to keep the disease from spreading, as you see in the movie. There is no shame in not knowing any of this, really - medical science has largely gotten rid of leprosy but it crops up occasionally here and there, and fortunately there are effective treatments. There was a leper colony on Molokai in Hawaii that served as a prison and eventually as a refuge for those with leprosy that you can visit, there’s a museum. I believe some people who were badly scarred by the disease still live there, unless they’ve all died by now. Molokai was chosen as the site of the leper colony because it’s one of the least easily accessible of the islands, with lots of steep cliffs and few handy beaches so it’s even now one of the least developed of the Hawaiian islands. The island is a protected area now, there are no hotels or modern conveniences to speak of but you can rough it if you get the proper permits. Apparently it’s an awe inspiringly beautiful and humbling place to visit. Google Father Damien of Molokai for more. There was a king of Jerusalem during the twelfth century who suffered from leprosy, called Baldwin IV. By all accounts he was an uncommonly competent and effective ruler in spite of the disease eating him up all his adult life. Most Crusaders were so wildly useless or psychotically insane that it doesn’t take much to look good in their company but Baldwin achieving anything at all while coping with leprosy seems notable, even if only as an example of the rich and powerful making their own rules. By the time he died, in his twenties, he was blind and could not use his hands or feet but he was still directing battles from a litter and doing what needed doing. The movie “Kingdom of Heaven” features Baldwin in a supporting role.

TCM showed Ben Hur again just a few days ago, I ALWAYS watch it, it is shown several times a year on TV, and ALWAYS around Christmas and Easter. Movies did have intermission if they were 4 hours long. I was 12 when BEN-HUR was released in 1959, I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES I have SEEN this movie since I was 12. I have also seen it any time the theatres brought it back to show it on the big screen, not to mention all the times it has been on TV. I LOVE this movie, it's one of my top 10 classic movies along with THE TEN COMMANDENTS which also stars Charleton Heston who is Ben-Hur here.

I highly recommend Lawrence of Arabia if you haven't seen it already. It stands alongside Ben-Hur as one of the great epic Hollywood masterpieces. It also has amazing acting, direction, writing, and music, like this film does.

The great epic!! The best scene is Christ staring down the roman soldier. God bless!

If you are looking for other classic Silver Age films, I highly recommend Kirk Douglas' "Spartacus"

This came out in 1959, I was 3, my mom was 23 and had a huge crush on Charleton Heston. I "inherited" that crush. ;) I Love this movie & watch it every time I see it on tv, usually around Easter. Definitely an epic film. They just don't make them like they used to. P.S. My mom got to meet Mr. Heston in her later years and that just made her life mostly complete. I read this book when I was in my 'teens and it was wonderful, very descriptive. A Classic

I cried right along with you. Thank you for sharing your experience watching this epic movie for your first time. Personally I have watched this movie at least 50 tined....and still counting.

This should be fun. I grew up with precisely one half of this amazing movie. Back in the 1970s and through the 80s, the local ABC affiliate would have the 3:30 movie in the afternoon. Sometimes I'd watch right after school. Whenever they showed Ben Hur, they split into two parts. I NEVER saw the first half until I was 19, and I was working on a ship which had the video set. One amazing to note about the film: it's one year after the Ten Commandments was done. While that film was hammy, epic and epically hammy, a product of Cecil B. DeMille and the golden age of Hollywood, Ben Hur seems a few decades ahead of itself.

I remember that Ben Hur was traditionally played on network television every Easter. They also played The Ten Commandments on Passover. Both were Charlton Heston epics. The chariot races were real and featured some of the best stunt work ever done.

You are a precious soul. Thank you for being who you are, a beacon of good in a world of darkness. Bless you.

The brilliance of Ben Hur was that it was a fictional story centred around the life of a Jewish nobleman who just happened to live around the time of Christ. It wasn't an overly sentimental religious film and the Director William Wyler takes a huge amount of credit for that. It was simply a brilliant story. Still one of the greatest films ever made. I've watched it dozens of times and still get an overwhelming emotional feeling at the end. I'm Christian but not overly religious.

Charlton Heston is one of the greatest legendary actor in history and my favorite actor who inspired me from playing Moses in "The Ten Commandments" and Judah Ben-Hur from this timeless EPIC movie. Charlton Heston performance is just so awesome that I'm happy he won the Oscar for Ben-Hur and I highly consider Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, along with the original Planet Of The Apes as my favorite Charlton Heston films, and I would put Ben-Hur with my other most favorite bible movie "The Prince Of Egypt".

Overtures were pretty common with epic movies back in the day, they were meant to set the mood for the film. Intermissions gave the audience a breather, and provided the theater management an opportunity to entice patrons to the snack bar. Even today, some longer films still sometimes have a break halfway through for the same purposes, but back then there was music from the films' soundtrack playing during that break. Also, "Chicken Messala" just about killed me! :D

When I was growing up here in the U.K. this was one of the films that was shown at Easter alternating every couple of years. Much more difficult to sit through when I was younger & wanted to be doing other things. But over the years, as I watched it more successfully, I came to appreciate this epic of the Golden years of Hollywood. Charlton Heston made many of their epic films, I hope you will watch more of his work in future. (R.I.P. Charlton, one of the greats of Hollywood.)

I was born in '66, and i saw this movie when i was 9 years old, and it impacted so much, to this day i am not able to watch it without sheddind a few tears... I also love how it resonated with the younglady, truly a movie for the ages!

You should see/react to "The Ten Commandments" with Heston too! One of my all-time favourite films!

I've seen this movie many times but never without crying buckets of tears by the end. It was often the case back in the day that a long movie would have an intermission. 2001 A Space Odyssey had one, for example.

PSSS: You have such a kind and sensitive heart! I loved your light heartedness at times during the movie, and yet, I still, as for so many times before could not last until the end of the movie without shedding a tear. Thank you so much for your reaction! Bless you!

I knew by your sensibilities that you would love this movie when you picked it in the livestream. One of the all time greatests. Elicits a myriad of emotions which is what it should do. Great story telling.