Richards’ Analysis of Ben-Hur

Richards's analysis is well thought out and full of detail, and I agree with most of it. He notes that 1926 Ben-Hur best shows the relationship between the theater in the 19th century and film in the 20th century which I can see in relation to the acting and use of advanced color techniques for the time. He goes on to write that the movie is "structured around the conflict of values between Christianity and Imperial Rome", I agree with this to some extent but I felt like the movie also focused on the lives of Ben-Hur and Jesus Christ, and how to stories connect and support one another. Richards also notes that he believes that the 1926 version is better overall compared to the 1959 film. I personally can't take a strong opinion on this as I haven't seen the 1959 version in full, but I do believe that after watching the earlier film, that the addition of color and sound could benefit and enhance the story.