My esteem for this film grows as I get older. The more I learn about the brutality of Rome’s empire, the more apparent it is that Ben-Hur is an excellent demonstration of their might and the bitter heel they ground their constituents under. The action sequences are all spectacular, but it’s the small moments of humanity under the thumb of empire that really stand out to me.
I also think that Ben-Hur does an excellent job depicting the crucifixion of the Christ. It’s not that the details are all correct, or as we think they would have been historically. It’s that they capture the confusion of many Jewish people at the time — why this man? What crime has he committed? The realization I had is that the film was teasing a Roman show of force against the Jews for its three hour run time, and they (and the religious leaders) chose the crucifixion of Jesus as that eventual show of force. “This is what happens when you threaten our empire. We keep you alive to serve this ship. So row well and live.”
There is no room in an empire for negotiation. At no point can Ben-Hur barter peace for his people. He cannot befriend Rome without becoming a Roman. And if he does not choose to be a part of the empire, to embrace a new identity, he is branded a threat.
Ultimately, while I watched this because it’s Easter, I was reminded of the terrible might of dictators, and how there is no true freedom in their imperial worlds. Only oppression exists, even for those who live and die in its heart: “it goes on, Judah. The race is not over.”