Ben-Hur A Tale of the Christ

Despite the numerous disasters encountered during its production in Italy and Hollywood, MGM's spectacular about a Jew's conflicts with the authority of the Roman Empire remains one of the most impressive silent epics, largely thanks to the sheer scale of its conception and to the execution of its several set pieces (most notably the famed chariot race). The print under review, refurbished by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill for the 'Thames Silents' series with a new score by Carl Davis, has the added delight of a careful restoration of the several Technicolor sequences.