I hate to be a jerk, but this isn’t quite as good as you remember. The stuff with the galleys is great, and, yes, the chariot race is fantastic. And anything with this much Jesus kitsch or leprosy will always have a place in my heart. But the last 50 minutes or so just lumber on aimlessly. Compare this movie to something like Spartacus, which you can actually take seriously, not just giggle at, and this movie stinks.
But it doesn’t stink. It’s Ben-Hur and it rules! It just isn’t quite the flawless masterpiece some say.
