He seized a hissing poisonous snake that had been set as a trap to strike at anyone who came close.From an underground pit, the looney but comical and resourceful Gyrocopter pilot, Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence) emerged and threatened him with a crossbow.Ben-Hur demands that Miriam and Tirzah be freed, accusing Messala of being evil.Messala claims he is not evil, while explaining how he must put his duty as Roman tribune ahead of friendship:I wanted your help." He softens he noise of his dancing by appointing himself "official sand man" and sprinkling sand from the hallway cuspidor on the hotel suite""s floor.The success of the balletic themes that combined dance with design and music in Powell and Pressburger""s British film inspired director Vincente Minnelli to follow suit in his own masterpieceAn American in Paris (1951)- he had experimented with shorter ballet sequences in his earlier filmsYolanda and the Thief (1945)andZiegfeld Follies (1946).4 million (worldwide).In 2011, it was the 7th highest-grossing animated film of all time.Shrek (2001)was thethirdhighest-grossing film in the four-filmShrekseries.It was he third highest-grossing film of 2001, falling behindHarry Potter and the Sorcerer""s Stone (2001)andThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).