Ben-Hur (1959)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Lew Wallace (novel)
Karl Tunberg (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

10 December 1959 (Argentina)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Tale of the Christ

Plot:

When a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Roman | Revenge | Galley | Jerusalem

Awards:

Won 11 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

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)
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)
Dino Fazio	...	Marcello (uncredited)
Enzo Fiermonte	...	Galley Officer (uncredited)
Giuliano Gemma	...	Roman in the Baths (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)
Nona Medici	...	Guest at Banquet (uncredited)
Tiberio Mitri	...	Roman at Bath (uncredited)
Aldo Mozele	...	Barca (uncredited)
Thomas O'Leary	...	Starter at Race (uncredited)
Remington Olmstead	...	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)
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)

Directed by
William Wyler

Writing credits
Lew Wallace		(novel) (as General Lew Wallace)
Karl Tunberg		(screenplay)
Maxwell Anderson		contributing writer (uncredited)
S.N. Behrman		contributing writer (uncredited)
Christopher Fry		contributing writer (uncredited)
Gore Vidal		uncredited

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	....	make-up (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
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)

Camera and Electrical Department
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
Jack Martell	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joan Bridge	....	color consultant: costumes
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant: settings
Fredric Steinkamp	....	associate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Oscar Doob	....	publicist (uncredited)
Morgan Hudgins	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Ralph McCutcheon	....	horse trainer (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) (presented by)
• Loew's (as Loew's Incorporated) (copyright owners)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (UK) (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)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2002) (UK) (TV) (BBC2)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• 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)
• 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)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Danesi Brothers of Rome  chariot makers (uncredited)
• Steinheil  lenses manufactured by (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (USA) (alternative title)
Ben-Hur (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
аЕМ цСП (Soviet Union: Russian title) [ru]
Ben Hur (Yugoslavia: Serbian title) [sr]
Ben Hur (Greece) [el]
Ben Hur (West Germany) [de]
Ben Hur (Poland) [pl]
Ben-Hur (France) [fr]
Ben-Hur (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ben-Hur (Brazil) [pt]
Ben-Hur (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

212 min | Sweden:219 min (1970) | Sweden:224 min (1962) | UK:222 min (1993 re-release) | 214 min (DVD edition) | 223 min (2005 DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.76 : 1

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 | 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 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | USA:G (re-rating) (1969) | West Germany:16 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Anzio, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Charlton Heston himself wrote some additional scenes between Ben-Hur and Messala. They were never used as William Wyler deemed them to be "the phoniest thing" he'd ever had to deal with from an actor.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Esther and Tirzah and Miriam seek shelter, the storm is violent enough to cause earth to fall in front of the cave, and the sound of the wind is deafening. Yet trees visible in the background (from the mouth of the cave) do not so much as sway in the breeze.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Balthasar: [narrating] In the Year of our Lord, Judea - for nearly a century - had lain under the mastery of Rome. In the seventh year of the reign of Augustus Caesar, an imperial decree ordered every Judean each to return to his place of birth to be counted and taxed. The converging ways of many of them led to the gates of their capital city...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jack Benny Program: Jack Directs Film (#14.6)" (1963)

Breath-taking; possible THE perfect movie.

I think I can safely say that in my opinion, this is the best movie ever made. Its dramatic value is fantastic, and I've never seen a better storyline. The costumes were also incredible. The actors portrayed the best purest form of both ancient Roman and old Judean culture. This film also had quite an emotional effect. The way that Christ's face is never visible nor his voice audible to the audience creates a feeling of reverence to the actual person of Jesus. Lew Wallace also did an amazing job portraying the innocence, kindness, and mercy of Jesus, and his effect on the main character, Judah Ben Hur. Hur's ending quote, "I felt him take the sword out of my hand" was a wonderful picture of his changing. I admit, I am a Christian, but even for those who are not this is still a great film. The message boards confirm that. I recognize that there are some people that require constant action to keep their attention. If this is your case, than this movie is not for you, as it has a lot of dialogue. But I recommend this movie 100%.