Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

JLRVancouver Comparable in scope and grandeur to the famous 1959 version, 1925's "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ" is an epic imaging of Lew Wallace's story of the fall and rise of a Jewish prince during the days of Christ on Earth. While showing its age, the cinematography remains outstanding, with tranquil scenes that look like images from vintage Christmas cards juxtaposed with the magnificent sea battle, the dramatic entry into Jerusalem, the dramatic earthquake that accompanies Christ's crucifixion, and the iconic chariot race. Like most silents, there is a touch of histrionics to the acting but that doesn't detract from the film (although the scene where a servant is being throttled does looks a bit like Homer strangling Bart). There is no need to repeat the history of the film here, but the stories of its production are almost as interesting as the film itself. All-in-all, another outstanding work from the early days of movie making – well-worth watching both in its own right and from the perspective of its place in cinematic history.

cricket crockett . . . the world's greatest war hero, and the world's richest person, as well. Sort of like Michael Jordan, Colin Powell, and Oprah all rolled into one. A prince of Israel and the adopted son of a top Roman military leader, Judah was the only individual in a position to save Jesus from Crucifixion. Judah had a thousand Galilean fishermen and another thousand desert tribesmen armed to the teeth in top fighting form, strategically positioned between downtown Jerusalem and Golgotha. Jesus almost missed Judah in the crowd, as He lumbered beneath the Cross and Resurrected dead babies on His way out of town. But Judah finally got His attention, and tried to draw up a plan of attack which would not only spare Jesus, but spite the Romans for giving Judah's mom and sister--Princess Hur and Tirzah--bad cases of leprosy. Quickly sizing up the situation, Jesus waved His hand and healed the Hur women, giving Judah the peace of mind to marry his youthful crush and slave girl Esther, living happily ever after (since the earthquake caused by Jesus' Death killed only bad people). This is the MGM version of the Holy Bible.

blanche-2 Before my generation's "Ben Hur" there was my grandmother's "Ben Hur: a Tale of the Christ," a 1925 silent film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Ramon Novarro as Judah, Ben Hur, Francis X. Bushman (a favorite of my grandmother's) as Messala, and May McAvoy as Esther. The extras became more famous than many of the leads: Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Douglas Fairbanks, Marion Davies, Clarence Brown, Sidney Franklin, and others."Ben Hur" is famous for being the "Cleopatra" of its day - an expensive mess that MGM finally got control of by bringing everyone home from Italy and filming in Hollywood.Putting aside the expense and the loss of both human and animal life, it's a spectacular film, all the more sensational for having been done in 1925. The emphasis here is on the spectacle and not the characters, making the 1959 version more superior in that regard. There is no in-depth look at the friendship between Messala and Ben-Hur in the earlier film; it's hard to believe, from Bushman's portrayal, that the two were ever friends (also the actors were 16 years apart in age). What the earlier film has that the 1959 lacks is the religious aspect - Mary and Joseph seeking shelter, the birth of the Christ, and the three Wise Men. The religious scenes were filmed in two-strip Technicolor. Most of the film is black and white, with a few sections sepia-toned.Ramon Novarro, who would come to such a sad end, was 26 years old at the time of the film. He makes a passionate Ben-Hur, with Bushman (who worked until the day he died in 1966) a one-dimensional Messala. Of course, some of the acting seems amateurish by today's standards, and the heavy makeup on Novarro later in the film and on Bushman throughout is off-putting, but these things don't detract from the film. As lepers, Ben-Hur's mother and sister looked like their skin glowed in the dark, a very interesting effect. Jesus is shown only as a lit hand in many scenes, and his face is revealed.The chariot race is mind-boggling, as is the destruction near the end of the movie. Yet the best parts of the film for me were the simple, poignant scenes of Ben-Hur's mother and sister, all done beautifully.In these days of CGI and so much available to film technicians, "Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ" is a must-see for how much the early filmmakers were able to accomplish. Truly one of the great epics.

wes-connors Ramon Novarro (as Judah Ben-Hur) grows up in Judea, around the same time as Jesus Christ. A wealthy Jew, Mr. Novarro maintains his princely lifestyle, despite the Roman occupation of his land. After a number of years, Novarro encounters old friend Frances X. Bushman (as Messala), a Roman. Novarro soon discovers that politics does not, in this case, make strange bedfellows; as Mr. Bushman is the steadfast leader of the occupying Roman forces. Soon, political and religious upheavals threaten Novarro's earthly existence… Epic "state-of-the-art" perfection, from Fred Niblo and the new MGM company. Despite production setbacks (the film commenced in 1923), and several personnel changes, the silent "Ben-Hur" emerged, at last, triumphant. It's a worthy treatment of Lew Wallace's highly successful novel; and, importantly, it treats Christianity with a respectful reverence not present in other Biblical epics, which attempt to dramatize faith-based religious events.Novarro's characterization is extraordinary; at this point in his career, it's difficult to say where the line between instinctive subtly and wise direction is drawn. However he learned, Novarro's range is clearly evident, and career sustaining. And, happily, he looks like a young "Judah". The close-ups during his initial scenes with Bushman, and the color filmed re-emergence from slavery are outstanding. The film's use of black-and-white, tinted, and color film is perfect; it helps to set moods, without ever jarring.The character "Messala", played by veteran Bushman, is the story's villain. The drama is centered on the dissolution of a past friendship between Novarro's "Jew" and Bushman's "Roman". Bushman's relative age, and ghostly looking eyes, help make him look menacingly evil. Novarro's relative youth invites some questions about his past friendship with the older Bushman; Novarro's naivety suggest the characters may not have shared the same point of view, after all, regarding their relationship.The "leading ladies" are neither as good, nor as appropriately cast as, Haya Harareet in the 1959 re-make. This version does boast a swell parade of bare-breasted women (and bare male buttocks). Also standing out, among the fine supporting players, are Claire McDowell's "Mother Hur" and Mitchell Lewis' "Sheik Ilderim". The spectacular "sea battle" was not bested by the 1959 re-make, but the "chariot race" was either matched, or surpassed. The entire cast and crew had every reason to be proud of the completed "Ben-Hur." Both the 1925 and 1959 versions of "Ben-Hur" are essential viewing.Novarro and Bushman deservedly won special "Golden Globe" awards during the 1959 film season; almost certainly, these awards acknowledged their lead and supporting roles in the original version of that year's big award winner. ********** Ben-Hur (12/30/25) Fred Niblo ~ Ramon Novarro, Frances X. Bushman, May McAvoy, Claire McDowell