BEN-HUR

Stephen Boyd and Charlton Heston

BEN-HUR (1959). Director: William Wyler.

In 26 A.D. the Romans have taken over Jerusalem. Jewish Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is reunited with his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd), but earns his enmity when he refuses to help him in the Roman cause. When some tumbling masonry accidentally falls onto a Roman dignitary from a spot where Ben-Hur and his family are watching, Messala has all of them arrested, with Ben-Hur becoming a galley slave, and his mother (Martha Scott) and sister (Cathy O'Donnell) put in a dungeon and contracting leprosy. After an epic sea battle, Heston becomes adopted by the Roman consul Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins) and becomes known as an expert charioteer. Now Ben-Hur is ready to face his most hated enemy in the arena, leading to the chariot race to end them all. 

Ben-Hur could have been trimmed of an hour without losing any of its entertainment value, and while it has a strong story it survives on the strength of its set-pieces: the galley slave sequence; the sea battle; the crucifixion; and especially the outstanding chariot race which the whole movie leads up to. Heston [Bad for Each Other] is not bad as Ben-Hur, although it could be argued that he doesn't so much become the character as turn Ben-Hur into Charlton Heston. On the other hand, Stephen Boyd [Fantastic Voyage] gives the performance of a lifetime in his ferocious portrait of Messala. (Some, including the late Gore Vidal, have insisted that Messala's anger towards his old friend is caused by a frustrated homosexual attraction as, according to them, there seems no other good reason for his hatred -- as if his Roman pride and ambition, barely-suppressed anti-Semitism, and his unpleasant character couldn't be enough?) Haya Harareet [The Secret Partner] plays Esther, who loves Ben-Hur; she is capable but had few other credits. Ben-Hur is unnecessarily bloated, but it does boast attractive (if sometimes too prettified) settings, excellent matte paintings, generally skillful direction from Wyler, and fine photography by Robert Surtees and others. A scene with some beautiful trained Arabian stallions doesn't advance the story but one can see why it wasn't cut. Yakima Canutt, who co-directed several cliffhanger serials, worked on the chariot sequence (although it may be inaccurate to say that he "directed" it). Oddly enough, Wyler's The Big Country, also starring Charlton Heston, is more entertaining.

Verdict: Misses being a masterpiece, but has many fine moments. ***.

FEDERAL OPERATOR 99

FEDERAL OPERATOR 99 (12 chapter Republic serial/1945). Directors: Spencer Bennett; Yakima Canutt.

Jerry Blake (Marten Lamont) -- AKA Operator 99 -- and assistant Joyce Kingston (Helen Talbot) vs. crime lord Jim Belmont (George J. Lewis) and his moll Rita Parker (Lorna Gray). At least Belmont appreciates some of the finer things in life, such as classical music. He plays the Moonlight Sonata as a henchman begins to torture a countess (Elaine Lange) with fire. Hal Taliaferro is distinctive as the gunsel Matt. Among other plots, Belmont tries to get his hands on some jewels and a prized Stradivarius. Joyce is almost cremated in chapter three, and strung up to face a giant propeller in chapter four. [There are a couple of recycled cliffhangers as well.] Federal Operator 99 has an interesting cast and characters, including Jay Novello as a diamond cutter and Tom Steele as several thugs and others. Lorna Gray was in many other serials, including Daughter of Don Q and The Perils of Nyoka.

Verdict: Fast-paced and with great fight choreography. ***.

G-MEN NEVER FORGET

G-MEN NEVER FORGET (12 chapter Republic serial/1948). Directors: Fred C. Brannon; Yakima Canutt.

Federal agent Ted O'Hara (Clayton Moore) pretends to be a hood and Sgt. Frances Blake (Ramsay Ames) a gun moll so they can infiltrate the gang of Vic Murkland, although both are unaware that after having plastic surgery Burkland has now replaced the police commissioner and is trying to trap them at every turn! Cliffhangers include water rushing after O'Hara on a motorcycle after a tunnel collapses [recycled from an earlier serial], and a deadly crane collapse in chapter 4. Tom Steele and Ken Terrell also get in on the action. This is an acceptable, entertaining Republic serial done in its usual slick and fast-paced style. Moore was also in Black Dragons with Bela Lugosi as well as such serials as The Perils of Nyoka, in which he was a good guy, and The Crimson Ghost and Radar Men from the Moon, in which he was a villain. Ramsay Ames was also in The Vigilante and Barcroft appeared in a number of serials including Manhunt of Mystery Island. 

Verdict: Not quite unforgettable but okay. **1/2.

DANGERS OF THE CANADIAN MOUNTED

DANGERS OF THE CANADIAN MOUNTED  (12 chapter Republic serial/1948), Directors: Fred C. Brannon; Yakima Canutt.

Crooks headed by a mysterious figure known as "The Chief" are after the 700-year-old treasure of Genghis Khan, hidden in Alcana. Homesteaders want to build a road in the area, which the bad guys try to stop as it will interfere with their searching. Deciphering the markings on certain coins may help find the treasure.There are several well-staged and inventive fight scenes, and a climax in "the Cave of 1000 Tunnels." Jim Bannon stars as Sgt. Royal, and stuntman Tom Steele plays several roles. Dorothy Granger and Virginia Belmont are the gals involved in the action. Highlights include the forest fire in chapter two, a fight on a plane and subsequent crash in chapter four, and a derailed train in chapter nine. Bannon was also in The Missing Juror and Unknown World.

Verdict: Snappy fun. ***