"BEN HUR."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19137, 21 October 1927, Page 18

"BEN HUR."

AND THE GLORY THAT WAS NOT ROME. "Ben Hur," the Mctro-Goldwyn-Maycr production is tho most astounding film, tho most exquisite 6tory, the most moving drama of the universal faith that any producer ean ever achieve; it is General Lew Wallace's story of the Christ, a sensitive, emotional version told with a reserved touch that is Bheer genius, but it is also tho story of the Prince Hur's sufferings at the hands of Rome, his bitter feud with the Messala, his odyssey in search of his mother and sister, his peaceful romance with Esther, the daughter of Simonides, his human capitulation to the wiles of the Egyptian Iras —a vision of Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome in all their pagan glories. "Ben Hur" opens its Christchurch season at the Grand Theatre on Monday (Labour Day), and with the local season commences the Dominion premiere, a great honour accorded to this city. The picture, in certain aspects, beggars description. Never before in the history of the motion picture has a film attracted such distinguished audiences throughout the world as has "Ben Hur"; never before has the criticisms of Press and public been so unanimous and enthusiastic; never before have the churches of the world boon so whole-heavted in support of a production. Tor its drama is so allembracing, Us emotionalism so fine, its spiritual significance so sincere and effective that adverse criticism is disarmed at tho first sight of a drooping figure on an ass, going to the City of David to be counted; scepticism is silent before the shaking spectacle of the Man of Sorrows carrying the Cross through the ribald crowd of the Holy City; the blase indifference of your confirmed theatregoer is disturbed into something deeper at the sea fight between (ha triremes of Rome and the pirates of Golthar the Terrible, before tho gorgeous reproductions of the Circus Maximus of Antioch, and the immense and wonderfully thrilling chariot race therein—every scone, every incident of the picture carries cither a strange, reverent import, or a virile, human note. The story is so well known that it needs but the scantiest outline here. It is developed from two angles, along two major lines —the revenge of Ben Hur on hia one-time friend but now deadliest enemy, the Roman Messala, and his long search for his mother and sister, unknown to him confined in an infected cell in the Tower of Antoni.i, outcasts of society. nis romance with Esther, bis brief liaison with the Egyptian, his passionate devotion to tho cause of tho Messiah, are issues o£ interest and importance, though the sight of the* sneering Messala means more to an audience than a glirripso of Esther. It is a wonderful story, unique in the annals of tho world's literature, for not even in the Gospels is this exquisite story told with such a wealth of detail, human significance, or emotional force. It is a cameo of delicate shades, now a canvas of vivid colour and burning action, a generous theatre of movement and effect. The picture "Ben Hur" is unique in this respect. For certain scenes in which the Divine Presence is required (the actual face of the Christ never appears in the picture, a shadow, a hand, a glimpse from afar off), the masterpieces of the world have been sought for film reproduction, so that there is Da Vinci's famous Last Supper, for the scene in the Cave . f Bethlehem, there is Raphael's Sistine Madonna for the opening scene, there is William Bl 3 ke's The Star of Bethlehem. Rubcns's magnificent painting The Holy Family, Dore's "Dante's Inferno" for the scene in the Roman galleys, Tissot's Pool of Siloam, and perhaps the" most colourful and moving tableau in the whole drama is Munkacsy's "Christ Before Pilate," a scene of great significance. The acting is matchless. Betty Bronson's portrait of the Madonna, though only for 3 few brief seconds, is one of poetic feeling and fragrant beauty, a prayerful strong, passionate, rebellious; Mr Winter Hall, whom all Christchurch people like to see on the screen, plays Joßeph the Carpenter with dignity and gravity; Nigel de Brulier as Simonides gives a fine piece of character acting, while the Messala of Francis X. Bushman is the outstanding performance of the piece—insolent, haughty, vigorous, he typifies in arrogant manner the glory that was not Rome. The Grand Orchestra will be augmented for the season, and patrons are specially requested'to book their seats at The Bristol Piano Company, where seats may be reserved.