by Chris Marshall:
The first time I watched Ben-Hur,
it was over a full week in Coach Phil Webb’s 10th grade world
history class. I have some doubts about the veracity of many of the events
depicted, but it seemed like a good way to spend class time back then. When I
watched it this time, I only took three days, a marked improvement.
It’s not because I didn’t like it, but why oh why did it
have to be so long? Gone with the Wind
is officially the longest Best Picture winner, but it also had a musical
prologue, entr’acte, and epilogue, in addition to the intermission. Take all
those out, and I’m willing to bet it’s no longer than Ben-Hur, which clocked in at 3 hours, 31 minutes.
I know I complain about movie length too much. I just wonder
why the Academy has never realized that just because a movie is the longest
doesn’t mean it’s the best. I admittedly haven’t seen either (yet), but I’m
willing to bet that North by Northwest
and Some Like It Hot, both of which
came out in 1959, would both give Ben-Hur
a run for its money.
