Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)

A Jewish prince seeks to find his family and revenge himself upon his childhood friend who had him wrongly imprisoned.

Director:

Fred Niblo

Writers:

Lew Wallace (by), June Mathis (adaptation),

Stars:

Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman, May McAvoy

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ramon Novarro	...	Judah Ben-Hur
Francis X. Bushman	...	Messala
May McAvoy	...	Esther
Betty Bronson	...	Mary
Claire McDowell	...	Princess of Hur
Kathleen Key	...	Tirzah
Carmel Myers	...	Iras
Nigel De Brulier	...	Simonides (as Nigel de Brulier)
Mitchell Lewis	...	Sheik Ilderim
Leo White	...	Sanballat
Frank Currier	...	Arrius
Charles Belcher	...	Balthazar
Dale Fuller	...	Amrah
Winter Hall	...	Joseph

Storyline

Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave, his property confiscated and his mother and sister imprisoned. Years later, as a result of his determination to stay alive and his willingness to aid his Roman master, Judah returns to his homeland an exalted and wealthy Roman athlete. Unable to find his mother and sister, and believing them dead, he can think of nothing else than revenge against Messala.

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | jew | chariot race | jewish | judaism | 

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Taglines:

The inspired love of the Prince of Hur for the gentle lovely Esther!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 1927 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ben-Hur

Filming Locations:

Anzio, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$3,900,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$9,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min 151 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Color (2-strip Technicolor) (some sequences) Black and White (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The budget skyrocketed due to all sorts of accidents, recastings and a change of director halfway through production.

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Goofs

The position of the body of the charioteer killed in the training session at Sheik Ilderim's camp.

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Connections

Referenced in So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM (2004)

User Reviews

A Blockbuster Even After 75 Years

The 2 1/2 hour running time just zips by in a flash, and the viewer actually forgets that they are watching a silent film. It's that good. The naval battle and the chariot race are so realistic you marvel at what filmmakers could do 75 years ago with a big budget in the hands of craftsmen. The acting is very good although the "silent" style seems a little over-acted today. I can't recommend this enough as a rental. Let's not forget our wonderful silent classics.