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Title: Ben-Hur (1959)
Review: One of MGM's finest widescreen spectacles, involving thousands of extras, over 300 sets (including a life-size replica of a Roman hippodrome) and a cadre of stunt coordinators, this massive production nearly bankrupted the studio when first produced. But the payoff was equally grand: Heston's Oscar-winning performance and a hefty box-office gross validated the costs of operating on such a vast canvas. It is also epic filmmaking at its best, featuring a mesmerizing escape at sea and the most thrilling, heart-poundingly authentic chariot race ever seen on film--at 20 minutes, no less! Majestic in scale, yet sensitive in its portrayal of a vengeful man touched by his encounters with Christ, "Ben-Hur" is a monumental entertainment directed with unwavering commitment and faultless taste by old pro William Wyler.
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