'BEN HUR'

Evening Star, Issue 19773, 25 January 1928, Page 5

'BEN HUR'

AH OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION When a motion picture runs for nine weeks in one New Zealand town and survives the test with Hying colors, it is certain that it is something out of the ordinary, as when it first Hashed across the screen. Lew Wallace, when he wrote ‘ Ben Hnr,’ succeeded admirably in his ambitious task, the task of weaving a fiery and passionate romance about a story which' happened at the time when the greatest theme of all originated, the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ.

Its picturing of the life of the time is intensely interesting, intensely true, and superbly colorful. There arc scenes in the picture which have been a matter of literary and romantic history since the book was first written. First and foremost the chariot race. When reading of the race in the original, one thought that one had found the greatest piece of excitement that had ever happened, but the screen version, so much more difficult to deal with convincingly, is oven more intense. The passion and intensity of the rivalry between the two principals, the wonderful spectacle of the race, with the perfectly matched and superb teams straining every muscle, withal answering to the touch of the driver as if he had been part of themselves, exercises a grip that knows no failing till Ben Hur drives past the judges a victor, and the arrogant Messala is trampled, bruised, and broken in the dust. That is the groat example, closely followed by the desperate battle between the Roman galleys and the pirates hordes. The story of the picture, with all its excitement, pathos, power, and passion, is as perfect on the screen as in the hook, though slightly modified. From the point of view of the production, the piece may well ho styled perfect. The acting is all that as well. The role of Ben Hur is most admirably carried out by Ramon Novarro, and opposite him May M'Avoy is delightful in the part of Esther. Messala is a part well taken by Francis N. Bushman, and Nigel Do Brulier takes the part of Simonides.

‘ Ben Hur ’ opens at the Empire and Octagon Theatres on February 3.