Ben-Hur (1959)
Adventure/Drama · 3h 32m · 11/18/1959
Description
The numbers speak volumes: 100,000 costumes, 8,000 extras, 300 sets and a staggering budget in its day the largest in movie history. Ben-Hur's creators made it the best, the greatest Biblical-era epic ever. Charlton Heston brings a muscular physical and moral presence to the role of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman in Palestine whose heroic odyssey includes enslavement by the Romans, a bold escape from an embattled slave galley, vengeance against his tormentors during a furious arena chariot race and fateful encounters with Jesus Christ. Heston's charismatic performance brought him the Best Actor Oscar®; the winner as 1959's Best Picture with the legendary William Wyler earning his third Best Director trophy, the film won a total 11 Academy Awards® - a tally unequaled until 1997's Titanic set sail.
Status
ReleasedLanguage
EnglishCountry
United StatesProduction Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)Budget
$15200000Revenue
$74427638Where to Watch
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
Fortunato Arena
Soldier (uncredited)Bruno Ariè
Roman Officer (uncredited)Les Ballets Africains
Dancers at Roman Banquet (uncredited)Emma Baron
Jewish Woman (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)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)Bob Folkerson
Chariot Racer (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)Prince Hohenlohe
Guest at Banquet (uncredited)
John Horsley
Spintho (uncredited)Eddie Juaregui
The Athenian (uncredited)William Kiehl
Soldier (uncredited)
Duncan Lamont
Marius (uncredited)
Howard Lang
Hortator (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)
Furio Meniconi
Soldier (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)Vladimiro Picciafuochi
Soldier (uncredited)
Aldo Pini
Bad Thief on Cross (uncredited)
Ferdinando Poggi
Soldier (uncredited)Diego Pozzetto
Villager (uncredited)Prince Raimondo
Guest at Banquet (uncredited)Stella Rho
Amrah (uncredited)
Edwin Richfield
Supplier to Leper Colony (uncredited)Mario Rivoltella
Undetermined Role (uncredited)Hector Ross
Officer (uncredited)Emanuele Ruspoli
Guest at Banquet (uncredited)Amerigo Santarelli
Rower (uncredited)
Maxwell Shaw
Rower No. 43 (uncredited)Noel Sheldon
Centurion (uncredited)
Aldo Silvani
Man in Nazareth (uncredited)Umberto Silvestri
Guard on ship (uncredited)Reginald Lal Singh
Melchior (uncredited)
Gianni Solaro
Galley Officer (uncredited)John Stevenson Lang
Blind Man (uncredited)Alfred Thomas
Oarsman (uncredited)
Pietro Tordi
Pilate's Servant (uncredited)Giuseppe Tosi
Chariot Driver (uncredited)
Ralph Truman
Aide to Tiberius (uncredited)Raimondo Van Riel
Old Man (uncredited)
Venantino Venantini
Palefrenier de la course de chars (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)
William Wyler
Director
Karl Tunberg
WriterJohn D. Dunning
Editor
Ralph E. Winters
Editor
Miklós Rózsa
MusicSam Zimbalist
Producer
Robert Surtees
Cinematograpy
