AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 98


Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films.

No. 98: Ben-Hur (1959)
Original List Ranking: 72
Starring: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, and Haya Harareet
Director: William Wyler
About: This is the first of Wyler's entries on the list. It made the original list and just barely made it on the second list, landing in the No. 100 spot. Given that, I don't feel too bad about having it down on my list. It's a big epic from a time when people made big, overly long epics that have become audience classics. It's also one adapted from a Biblical narrative. In fact, the title calls it a story of Jesus, and opens with the birth of the Savior. However, most of our story is focused on another Jewish man, Judah Ben-Hur (Heston). This is a second big, Biblical epic starring Heston. This one is more popular with some, and is popular among Christian viewers, but I've always preferred The Ten Commandments. Still, you have to appreciate the epic scope of the story and production. It runs a little long for me, and it's a little messy, but ultimately it has a solid message.

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