Ben-Hur (1959)

Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith
Director: William Wyler
MGM
Rated G

It isn’t hard to find Christian themes in this Hollywood classic. It’s a fictional story penned by a Civil War General who became a believer while doing research for his book. This film also held the record for most Oscars® won until Titanic (1997) tied it at eleven. It’s interesting to note that both films follow fictional characters inhabiting historical events.

One of the great things this story does is bring context and perspective to the world of Jesus. The story follows Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish man who was born the same time and place as Jesus. While Jesus is only a peripheral character, Ben-Hur’s brief encounters with him throughout his life have a profound effect on him. When a childhood friend, Messala, returns to Jerusalem as a Roman official, Ben-Hur finds himself caught between friendship and loyalty to his people. A series of events sees him convicted of a crime, enslaved, freed and eventually elevated to royalty. Sounds like another Biblical character, doesn’t it? Like Jesus and Moses, Ben-Hur wears two rings – that of a slave and that of a prince.

Returning home, he discovers the fate of his family and slaves, including the girl he loves and becomes consumed with revenge toward his former friend. The grand centerpiece of this movie is the chariot race in which Ben-Hur races against Messala for honor and revenge. It’s a marvelous sequence even by today’s movie-making standards.

Water imagery appears throughout the story. As a slave being led through Nazareth, Ben-Hur is denied water by the guards but is given some by Jesus. A naval battle finds Ben-Hur rowing with the slaves but providence intervenes and he survives and rescues a grateful General. Back in Jerusalem, Ben-Hur recognizes Jesus who is carrying the cross on the way to Calvary. When Jesus stumbles, Ben-Hur offers Him a drink of water. Following Jesus and the crowd, Ben-Hur soon finds himself before the crucified Christ. It is only then that he understands the power of forgiveness. It begins to rain and his anger, among other things, is washed away.

There have been many movies since that owe a lot to Ben-Hur. Gladiator (2000) comes to mind. But, if the message of Gladiator is “Don’t get mad, get even,” then the message of Ben-Hur is “Don’t get mad, forgive.”