Movie Ministry Series: Charlton Heston

The 50’s and 60’s were certainly a time where openly Christian and Christian-themed movies were revered and praised. Thus when director Cecil B. DeMille sought to recreate his original silent film The Ten Commandments, he used an up and coming actor who had an uncanny resemblance to Michelangelo’s depiction of Moses. Charlton Heston had only been in the movie business for five short years by the time he started working on the seventh highest-grossing film of all time. Heston’s performance as both a young and princely Moses and a grown leader of the Israelites nominated him for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Drama. While Heston’s acting was excellent, it was actually his knowledge of ancient Egypt and Episcopalian faith background that matched him with the role of Moses.

After the tremendous success of The Ten Commandments behind him, Heston picked up another astounding epic starring in Ben Hur. The story of the enslaved Jewish prince once again captivated audiences with a biblical-based story and won Heston the Academy Award for Best Actor. The success of both these movies also branded Heston as a “spiritual man” who “respected religious traditions” and “enjoyed the historical aspects of the Christian faith.”

His portrayal of these characters interacting in the stories of the Bible introduced the entire world to the idea that Biblical characters are not too different from us. The dramatization of their lives showcases their real joys and sufferings. Their obedience and faith despite hardship in the characters of Moses and Ben-Hur moved Heston to further belief in the Bible, and the world to more respect of the Christian faith. His works are still revered as some of the greatest films of all time, and today’s audiences still sit in awe of the stories they depict.