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Ben-Hur (1959)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
16 December 1959 (UK)
See more »
Tagline:
A Tale of the Christ See more »
Plot:
When a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Awards:
Won 11 Oscars.
Another 19 wins
&
5 nominations
See more »
NewsDesk:
(98 articles)
Warner Bros. Announce Digital Script Download Service – ‘Inside the Script’
(From HeyUGuys. 30 April 2012, 2:56 AM, PDT)
‘Inside the Script’ Lets Fans Dig Deeper Into Favorite Movies
(From Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal. 29 April 2012, 10:30 PM, PDT)
Scenes We Love: Nothing Says Easter Like The Chariot Race from ‘Ben-Hur’
(From FilmSchoolRejects. 8 April 2012, 7:00 AM, PDT)
(From HeyUGuys. 30 April 2012, 2:56 AM, PDT)
‘Inside the Script’ Lets Fans Dig Deeper Into Favorite Movies
(From Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal. 29 April 2012, 10:30 PM, PDT)
Scenes We Love: Nothing Says Easter Like The Chariot Race from ‘Ben-Hur’
(From FilmSchoolRejects. 8 April 2012, 7:00 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
The best of the "Intimate Epics"
See more (310 total) »
Cast
(in credits order) (verified as complete) | Charlton Heston | ... | Judah Ben-Hur |
 | Jack Hawkins | ... | Quintus Arrius |
| Haya Harareet | ... | Esther |
 | Stephen Boyd | ... | Messala |
 | Hugh Griffith | ... | Sheik Ilderim |
| Martha Scott | ... | Miriam |
| Cathy O'Donnell | ... | Tirzah |
| Sam Jaffe | ... | Simonides |
| Finlay Currie | ... | Balthasar / Narrator |
| Frank Thring | ... | Pontius Pilate |
| Terence Longdon | ... | Drusus |
| George Relph | ... | Tiberius Caesar |
| André Morell | ... | Sextus |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Les Ballets Africains | ... | Dancers at Roman Banquet (uncredited) |
| Ady Berber | ... | Malluch (uncredited) |
| Marina Berti | ... | Flavia (uncredited) |
| Hugh Billingsley | ... | Mario (uncredited) |
| Jerry Brown | ... | The Corinthian (uncredited) |
| Robert Brown | ... | Chief of Rowers (uncredited) |
| Lando Buzzanca | ... | Jewish Slave in the Desert (uncredited) |
| Joe Canutt | ... | Sportsman (uncredited) |
| Otello Capanna | ... | The Byzantine (uncredited) |
| Emile Carrer | ... | Rower No. 28 (uncredited) |
| Richard Coleman | ... | Metellus (uncredited) |
| Antonio Corevi | ... | Senator (uncredited) |
| Michael Cosmo | ... | Raimondo (uncredited) |
| Alfredo Danesi | ... | The Armenian (uncredited) |
| David Davies | ... | Quaestor (uncredited) |
| Princess Carmen de Hohenlohe | ... | Guest at Banquet (uncredited) |
| Victor De La Fosse | ... | Galley Officer (uncredited) |
| Liana Del Balzo | ... | Guest at Banquet (uncredited) |
| Mino Doro | ... | Gratus (uncredited) |
| Michael Dugan | ... | Seaman (uncredited) |
| Franco Fantasia | ... | Roman Soldier Who Brings Crown to Gratus (uncredited) |
| Dino Fazio | ... | Marcello (uncredited) |
| Enzo Fiermonte | ... | Galley Officer (uncredited) |
| Giuliano Gemma | ... | Roman Officer with Messala (uncredited) |
| John Glenn | ... | Rower No. 42 (uncredited) |
| José Greci | ... | Mary (uncredited) |
 | Richard Hale | ... | Gaspar (uncredited) |
| Claude Heater | ... | Jesus - The Christ (uncredited) |
| John Horsley | ... | Spintho (uncredited) |
| Eddie Juaregui | ... | The Athenian (uncredited) |
| Bill Kuehl | ... | Soldier (uncredited) |
| Duncan Lamont | ... | Marius (uncredited) |
| Howard Lang | ... | Hortator (uncredited) |
| Stevenson Lang | ... | Blind Man (uncredited) |
| Lord Layton | ... | Good Thief on Cross (uncredited) |
| John Le Mesurier | ... | Doctor (uncredited) |
| Tutte Lemkow | ... | Leper (uncredited) |
| Cliff Lyons | ... | The Lubian (uncredited) |
| Luigi Marra | ... | The Syrian (uncredited) |
| Ferdy Mayne | ... | Captain of Rescue Ship (uncredited) |
| May McAvoy | ... | Woman in crowd (uncredited) |
| Nona Medici | ... | Guest at Banquet (uncredited) |
| Tiberio Mitri | ... | Roman at Bath (uncredited) |
| Aldo Mozele | ... | Barca (uncredited) |
| Thomas O'Leary | ... | Starter at Race (uncredited) |
| Remington Olmsted | ... | Decurian (uncredited) |
| Laurence Payne | ... | Joseph (uncredited) |
| Aldo Pial | ... | Cavalry Officer (uncredited) |
| Aldo Pini | ... | Bad Thief on Cross (uncredited) |
| Diego Pozzetto | ... | Villager (uncredited) |
| Edwin Richfield | ... | Supplier to Leper Colony (uncredited) |
| Hector Ross | ... | Officer (uncredited) |
| Maxwell Shaw | ... | Rower No. 43 (uncredited) |
| Noel Sheldon | ... | Centurion (uncredited) |
| Aldo Silvani | ... | Man in Nazareth (uncredited) |
| Reginald Lal Singh | ... | Melchior (uncredited) |
| Gianni Solaro | ... | Galley Officer (uncredited) |
| Pietro Tordi | ... | Pilate's Servant (uncredited) |
| Giuseppe Tosi | ... | Chariot Driver (uncredited) |
| Ralph Truman | ... | Aide to Tiberius (uncredited) |
| Raimondo Van Riel | ... | Old Man (uncredited) |
| Stella Vitelleschi | ... | Amrah (uncredited) |
| Dervis Ward | ... | Jailer (uncredited) |
| Irina Wassilchikoff | ... | Guest at Banquet (uncredited) |
| Joe Yrigoyen | ... | The Egyptian - Chariot Racer (uncredited) |
| Nazzareno Zamperla | ... | Roman Soldier with a Bow on Galley (uncredited) |
Directed by | |||
| William Wyler | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Lew Wallace | (novel) (as General Lew Wallace) | |
| Karl Tunberg | (screenplay) | |
Produced by | |||
| Sam Zimbalist | .... | producer | |
| J.J. Cohn | .... | producer (uncredited) | |
| Sol C. Siegel | .... | executive producer (uncredited) | |
| Joseph Vogel | .... | executive producer (uncredited) | |
| William Wyler | .... | producer (uncredited) | |
Original Music by | |||
| Miklós Rózsa | (as Miklos Rozsa) | ||
Cinematography by | |||
| Robert Surtees | (director of photography) (as Robert L. Surtees) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| John D. Dunning | |||
| Ralph E. Winters | |||
| Margaret Booth | (uncredited) | ||
Casting by | |||
| Irene Howard | (uncredited) | ||
Production Design by | |||
| Vittorio Valentini | (uncredited) | ||
Art Direction by | |||
| Edward C. Carfagno | (as Edward Carfagno) | ||
| William A. Horning | |||
Set Decoration by | |||
| Hugh Hunt | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Elizabeth Haffenden | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Gabriella Borzelli | .... | hair styles | |
| Charles E. Parker | .... | makeup (as Charles Parker) | |
Production Management | |||
| Edward Woehler | .... | unit production manager | |
| J.J. Cohn | .... | production manager (uncredited) | |
| Dave Friedman | .... | production manager (uncredited) | |
| Henry Henigson | .... | production manager (uncredited) | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Gus Agosti | .... | assistant director | |
| Yakima Canutt | .... | second unit director | |
| Alberto Cardone | .... | assistant director | |
| Andrew Marton | .... | second unit director | |
| Sergio Leone | .... | second unit director (uncredited) | |
| Mario Soldati | .... | second unit director (uncredited) | |
| Richard Thorpe | .... | third unit director (uncredited) | |
Art Department | |||
| Ken Adam | .... | assistant art director (uncredited) | |
| Mentor Huebner | .... | primary conceptual artist and production illustrator (uncredited) | |
| Harold Michelson | .... | storyboard artist (uncredited) | |
| Italo Tomassi | .... | head scenic painter (uncredited) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Sash Fisher | .... | sound recordist | |
| Franklin Milton | .... | recording supervisor | |
| William Steinkamp | .... | sound recordist | |
| Van Allen James | .... | co-supervising sound editor (uncredited) | |
| Milo B. Lory | .... | special sound effects (uncredited) | |
| Mauro Zambuto | .... | sound engineer (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Umberto Dessena | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
| Doug Hubbard | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| A. Arnold Gillespie | .... | special photographic effects | |
| Robert R. Hoag | .... | special photographic effects | |
| Lee LeBlanc | .... | special photographic effects | |
| Robert MacDonald | .... | visual effects (uncredited) | |
| Cliff Shirpser | .... | special photographic effects (uncredited) | |
| Matthew Yuricich | .... | matte artist (uncredited) | |
Stunts | |||
| Bill Babcock | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Jerry Brown | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Joe Canutt | .... | stunt double: Charlton Heston (uncredited) | |
| Joe Canutt | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Tap Canutt | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Michael Dugan | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Mickey Gilbert | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Eddie Juaregui | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Cliff Lyons | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Nosher Powell | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Glenn Randall Jr. | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Boyd Stockman | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Joe Yrigoyen | .... | stunt double: Stephen Boyd (uncredited) | |
| Ian Yule | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Nazzareno Zamperla | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Meredith M. Nicholson | .... | camera operator: second unit | |
| Piero Portalupi | .... | additional photography (as Pietro Portalupi) | |
| Harold E. Wellman | .... | additional photography | |
| Eric Carpenter | .... | still photographer (uncredited) | |
| Nino DiGiovanni | .... | still photographer (uncredited) | |
| Edward Phillips | .... | assistant camera (uncredited) | |
| Piero Portalupi | .... | camera operator: second unit (uncredited) | |
| John Schmitz | .... | camera operator (uncredited) | |
| Edward Wahrman | .... | assistant camera (uncredited) | |
| Harold E. Wellman | .... | camera operator: third unit (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Joan Joseff | .... | costume jeweller (uncredited) | |
| Jack Martell | .... | wardrobe (uncredited) | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Joan Bridge | .... | color consultant: costumes | |
| Charles K. Hagedon | .... | color consultant: settings | |
| Fredric Steinkamp | .... | associate editor (uncredited) | |
Music Department | |||
| Miklós Rózsa | .... | conductor (uncredited) | |
| Miklós Rózsa | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
| Eugene Zador | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
Other crew | |||
| Oscar Doob | .... | publicist (uncredited) | |
| Morgan Hudgins | .... | unit publicist (uncredited) | |
| Ralph McCutcheon | .... | horse trainer (uncredited) | |
| Enzo Musumeci Greco | .... | master of arms (uncredited) | |
| Glenn H. Randall Sr. | .... | horse trainer (uncredited) | |
| Howard Strickling | .... | publicity director: MGM (uncredited) | |
| Dan S. Terrell | .... | publicist (uncredited) | |
| Mauro Zambuto | .... | set engineer (uncredited) | |
Production Companies
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated) (presented by)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (UK) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (France) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1961) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1971) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (Finland) (theatrical) (re-release)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
- Warner Home Video (1992) (Finland) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
- Warner Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1997) (Finland) (TV)
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
- Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2002) (UK) (TV) (BBC2)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
- Warner Bros. (2001) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
- Warner Home Video (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
- Warner Home Vídeo (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
- V8 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)
- Veronica (2004) (Netherlands) (TV)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2004) (Finland) (TV)
- Net5 (2005) (Netherlands) (TV)
- Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD) (special edition)
- Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
- Warner Home Video (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (4-disc collector's edition)
- Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)
- Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm & 70mm prints)
- Neue Visionen Filmverleih (19??) (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Varus Video (19??) (Russia) (VHS)
- Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment camera cranes and dollies
- Danesi Brothers of Rome chariot makers (uncredited)
- Steinheil lenses manufactured by (uncredited)
- Turner Entertainment current copyright proprietor
Additional Details
Also Known As:
"Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ" - USA (alternative title)
"William Wyler's Ben-Hur" - USA (complete title)
"Ben-Hur" - Argentina, Mexico (imdb display title), Peru, Spain
"Ben Hur" - Serbia (imdb display title), Yugoslavia (Serbian title)
"аЕМ цСП" - Soviet Union (Russian title)
"Ben Hur" - West Germany
"Ben Hur" - Greece
"Ben Hur" - Hungary
"Ben Hur" - Poland
"Ben-Hur" - Brazil
"Ben-Hur" - Finland
"Ben-Hur" - France
"Ben-Hur" - Turkey (Turkish title)
See more »
"William Wyler's Ben-Hur" - USA (complete title)
"Ben-Hur" - Argentina, Mexico (imdb display title), Peru, Spain
"Ben Hur" - Serbia (imdb display title), Yugoslavia (Serbian title)
"аЕМ цСП" - Soviet Union (Russian title)
"Ben Hur" - West Germany
"Ben Hur" - Greece
"Ben Hur" - Hungary
"Ben Hur" - Poland
"Ben-Hur" - Brazil
"Ben-Hur" - Finland
"Ben-Hur" - France
"Ben-Hur" - Turkey (Turkish title)
See more »
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
212 min | Sweden:219 min (1970) | Sweden:224 min (1962) | UK:222 min (1993 re-release) | 214 min (DVD edition) | 222 min (2005 DVD)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.76 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Dolby (1993 re-release)
Certification:
Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | China:(Banned) | South Korea:All | Brazil:12 | USA:Approved (certificate #19158) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | New Zealand:PG | Japan:G (2010) | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1970) | USA:TV-PG | Germany:16 (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1959) | Peru:PT | Spain:T | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | USA:G (re-rating) (1969) | West Germany:FSK:12 | Iceland:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
During filming, director William Wyler noticed that one of the extras was missing a hand. He had the man's stump covered in blood with a false bone protruding from it for the scene where the galley was rammed by another ship. Wyler made similar use of an extra who was missing a foot.See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Just before the Roman galley is rammed, the condemned men behind Ben-Hur are clearly dummies.See more »
Quotes:
[Judah, Esther, Miriam and Tirzah enter the city to find it deserted except for a blind beggar]
Judah Ben-Hur:[to Blind Man] Why are the streets deserted?
Blind Man:They have gone to the trial. Alms for the blind?
Judah Ben-Hur:Trial? Whose trial?
Blind Man:The young rabbi from Nazareth. They are wanting his death.
Esther:It cannot be true!
Blind Man:[holding out his cup] Alms?
Judah Ben-Hur:What has he done?
Blind Man:Nothing I know of. For the blind? For the blind? Help for the blind?
[Judah drops a coin in his cup]
See more »
Judah Ben-Hur:[to Blind Man] Why are the streets deserted?
Blind Man:They have gone to the trial. Alms for the blind?
Judah Ben-Hur:Trial? Whose trial?
Blind Man:The young rabbi from Nazareth. They are wanting his death.
Esther:It cannot be true!
Blind Man:[holding out his cup] Alms?
Judah Ben-Hur:What has he done?
Blind Man:Nothing I know of. For the blind? For the blind? Help for the blind?
[Judah drops a coin in his cup]
See more »
Movie Connections:
Featured in Wyatt Earp: Walk with a Legend (1994) (TV)See more »
FAQ
What are some differences between the different versions of the story?See more »
See more (310 total) »
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ben-Hur (1959) See more »Recommendations
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The same quality that made epics like "Gone with the Wind," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Doctor Zhivago," and, ultimately, "Titanic" the memorable stories they were is present in spades in "Ben-Hur." These are stories, though told on canvases far vaster than the CinemaScope- or Panavision-sized movie screens they were meant for, succeed because, in their best moments, they focus on the interaction between and history of as few as two characters.
What begins as a childhood friendship between a Roman boy and a Jewish boy in Roman-occupied Palestine, becomes, briefly, a politically-charged rivalry, and ultimately, a search for revenge by one upon the other.
Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd deliver the performances of their careers, and get to chew up scenery and sets of such grandeur that Hollywood could never afford their like again.
This film, the greatest epic film ever made, deserves every accolade heaped upon it. The modern viewer may have to apply some patience, but at the end of the nearly four hour running time will find themselves to be vastly rewarded for it. You will find your life changed by both the scale of the film and the intimate message of friendship, betrayal, revenge--and the power of forgiveness.