Ben (1972 film)

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Ben

Directed by	Phil Karlson
Produced by	Mort Briskin
Written by	Gilbert Ralston
Starring	Lee Montgomery Joseph Campanella Arthur O'Connell
Distributed by	Cinerama Releasing
Release date(s)	23 June 1972 (USA)
Running time	94 min.
Country	USA
Language	English
Preceded by	Willard
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Ben is a 1972 film about a young boy (played by Lee H. Montgomery) and his pet rat, Ben. This film is a sequel to the 1971 film Willard.

[edit] Synopsis

A lonely boy befriends the rat that leads the swarm of trained/telepathic rats found in Willard. This rat, whom the boy names Ben, becomes the boy's best friend and keeps his spirits up in the face of bullying. However, the balance of power between the human and rat begins to shift, with Ben beginning to control the boy and the swarm becoming increasingly irrational and violent. Eventually, the police destroy the rat colony, but Ben survives.

[edit] Theme song

The film's title theme song, Ben, performed by Michael Jackson, became a #1 pop hit single. Later included on Jackson's album of the same name, "Ben" won a Golden Globe for Best Song and was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.