Ben-Hur poster
7.9/10 1959 3h 32m Released

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In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.

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Top Cast

Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Judah Ben-Hur
Stephen Boyd
Stephen Boyd
Messala
Hugh Griffith
Hugh Griffith
Scheich Ildirim
Jack Hawkins
Jack Hawkins
Quintus Arrius
Haya Harareet
Haya Harareet
Esther
Martha Scott
Martha Scott
Miriam
Cathy O'Donnell
Cathy O'Donnell
Tirzah
Sam Jaffe
Sam Jaffe
Simonides
Finlay Currie
Finlay Currie
Balthasar
Frank Thring
Frank Thring
Pontius Pilatus
George Relph
George Relph
Tiberius Caesar
André Morell
André Morell
Sextus
Terence Longdon
Terence Longdon
Drusus
Ady Berber
Ady Berber
Malluch
Lando Buzzanca
Lando Buzzanca
Jewish Slave in the Desert (uncredited)
Giuliano Gemma
Giuliano Gemma
Roman Officer with Messala (uncredited)

Reviews

John Chard 10/10

Majestic in scope and story telling. The truth is, is that Ben-Hur deserved every award that was showered upon it. It's a titanic film both in structure and scope. It doesn't need me to go over old ground about how much the film cost to make, the number of extras, the number of sets and etc, it's now folklore that this film could have bankrupted MGM such was the investment, but they needn't have worried since the…

sykobanana 10/10

What can be said about this film that hasnt already been said? I could (justly) use every superlative known and it still does not cover just how amazing this film is. It is the essence of EPIC (and not just historical epic). It is easy to see why it was not matched in the number of Oscars given for 50 years (and those 'equals' did not include any acting oscars and had more categories to choose from). I…

CinemaSerf 7/10

It will probably be remembered for it's chariot race long after all of the rest of it has faded away, but this is more than just that. It is a story about friendship, religion, power and opportunity - it is also about sheer bloody-mindedness and cruelty. It resonates all the more because these are all human traits that abound in all of us to some extent. The film looks truly amazing and Miklós Rósza is on top form…

JPV852 9/10

This is one I had never seen before but finally say down for the 3.5 hour running time and found it thoroughly engaging, though after the chariot race scene, felt it slowed down quite a bit. Still, great performances all around and the scale, not just for its time but even today, was amazing. **4.5/5**

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FAQ about Ben-Hur

What is Ben-Hur about?
In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.
When was Ben-Hur released?
Ben-Hur was released in 1959.
What genres does Ben-Hur belong to?
Ben-Hur is categorised as History, Drama, Adventure.
Who stars in Ben-Hur?
The cast of Ben-Hur includes Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet.