Monday, January 4, 2010

Ben-Hur (1925)



From the beginning, DeMille proved he was a master of the epic film. A visual feast containing everything state-of-the-art for 1925: tinting, beautifully rendered title cards, enormous sets, even two-strip Technicolor. Ramon Novarro is the perfect choice to play Judah – his natural sweetness and purity shine through. But my favorite is the scene-stealing, glorious side of beef that is Francis X Bushman’s Messala. It’s a bit overlong, but this is DeMille we’re talking about, so all is forgiven. Recommended.

I give this one:

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