Movies

When I think of movies, my memory instantly opens up a cupboard inside which are all kinds of DVDs lined from rack to rack. All I got to say is, “Search.” The DVDs on the rack stand up and spin in a slow circle giving me an opportunity to have a cursory glance at the DVD covers - a peek enough to decipher the title and understand whether the movie is a tragedy or a comedy or an action-filled or a classic. Although numerous movies are stocked up, when it comes to classics, only two movies spin in my memory. Movies which hadn’t had any competition during the time they were playing in the theatres or for that matter even now - Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments.

Both these movies are worth watching. Not only for their fantastic storylines but also for the way these movies were shot. The directors seem to have put their heart and soul into creating them. I read somewhere that when somebody ridiculed Cecil B. DeMille, the director, that he was taking a hell of a time to complete the movie “The Ten Commandments”. I heard, he retorted, “Do you want me to complete the movie quickly and release it as, “The Five Commandments?” A perfectionist he was. It didn’t matter even if he took his time but he undoubtedly delivered a masterpiece!

Now, what made me think about movies? Well, it was something I read about a couple of days ago. I was leafing through a book titled, “The Logic of Faith” by Dale Rhoton when I stumbled upon an interesting truth. A truth that could have stayed buried in the book had I not read it. The truth, I knew had fanned a negligible spark to such fiery flames that it warmed many a heart in the form of the movie - Ben-Hur.

In fact, Ben-Hur always intrigued my mind; I used to ponder: The storyline is amazing, who could have scripted such a wonderful classic? Only recently did I come to know about the man and the circumstances that compelled him to write such a fascinating book – Ben-hur, which later was converted into a movie. I could clearly make out that the inspiration was not from any man. Had it been from a man, it would have petered out easily. The fact that it still touches many a heart, amazes everyone! Here is a gist of the story of the man behind the scripting of the book – Ben-Hur. I quote from the book “The Logic of Faith”

“General Lew Wallace, was an outstanding example of a complete reversal of belief. While traveling on a train he met another well-known atheist, Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll. The two became deeply immersed in conversation about the foolishness of Christianity. Suddenly Colonel Ingersoll looked straight at General Wallace and challenged him, “You are intelligent and highly educated. Why don’t you write a book that Christianity is absurd and Jesus Christ never even lived? Such a book would be a master piece!”

Filled with the idea of obtaining fame, General Wallace spent several years collecting material for the great book. Then he began to write. Only four chapters were completed when General Wallace began to realize that Jesus Christ was even more than just an historical person. As a man of fifty years of age, General Wallace knelt to pray for the first time in his life and asked Jesus Christ to become his Saviour.

The vast amount of research which General Wallace had done was not wasted. He re-wrote the first four chapters and went on to complete the narrative which has thrilled thousands of people throughout the world – Ben-Hur."

This is the story of General Lee Wallace. This is also the story how Ben-Hur came into existence. If I am not mistaken, Ben-Hur was shot way back in 1959. But it still stands unruffled by time. With many remarkable writers and much technological advancement the movie industry has witnessed, I don’t think it is easy to shoot another Ben-Hur equivalent. I think that is largely because Ben-Hur is a story that is not told from the mind, but from the heart.

Cheers to General Lee Wallace!