Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersIndependent Spirit AwardsWomen's History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Ben-Hur

  • 19591959
  • GG
  • 3h 32m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
243K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
631
1,117
Ben-Hur (1959)
Official Trailer
Play trailer3:00
6 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureDrama
After a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.After a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.After a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
243K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
631
1,117
  • Director
    • William Wyler
  • Writers
    • Lew Wallace(A Tale of Christ)
    • Karl Tunberg(screen play by)
    • Gore Vidal(contributing writer)
  • Stars
    • Charlton Heston
    • Jack Hawkins
    • Stephen Boyd
  • Director
    • William Wyler
  • Writers
    • Lew Wallace(A Tale of Christ)
    • Karl Tunberg(screen play by)
    • Gore Vidal(contributing writer)
  • Stars
    • Charlton Heston
    • Jack Hawkins
    • Stephen Boyd
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 500User reviews
    • 86Critic reviews
    • 90Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #183
    • Won 11 Oscars
      • 30 wins & 16 nominations total

    Videos6

    Ben-Hur: 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collectors Edition [Blu-Ray]
    Trailer 3:00
    Watch Ben-Hur: 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collectors Edition [Blu-Ray]
    Ben-Hur: 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition [Blu-Ray]
    Trailer 1:53
    Watch Ben-Hur: 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition [Blu-Ray]
    Ben-Hur
    Trailer 4:03
    Watch Ben-Hur
    Streaming Passport: The Roman Empire
    Clip 4:38
    Watch Streaming Passport: The Roman Empire
    Ben-Hur | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:19
    Watch Ben-Hur | Anniversary Mashup
    Ben Hur: Clip 1
    Clip 1:01
    Watch Ben Hur: Clip 1

    Photos317

    Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments (1956)
    Charlton Heston and William Wyler in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Joe Canutt in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, and Sam Jaffe in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, and Ferdy Mayne in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston, Haya Harareet, Sam Jaffe, Cathy O'Donnell, and Martha Scott in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston and Haya Harareet in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston and John Glenn in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd in Ben-Hur (1959)
    Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Charlton Heston
    Charlton Heston
    • Judah Ben-Hur
    Jack Hawkins
    Jack Hawkins
    • Quintus Arrius
    Stephen Boyd
    Stephen Boyd
    • Messala
    Haya Harareet
    Haya Harareet
    • Esther
    Hugh Griffith
    Hugh Griffith
    • Sheik Ilderim
    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 Pilate
    Terence Longdon
    Terence Longdon
    • Drusus
    George Relph
    • Tiberius Caesar
    André Morell
    André Morell
    • Sextus
    Nello Appodia
    • Oarsman
    • (uncredited)
    Fortunato Arena
    • Soldier
    • (uncredited)
    Bruno Ariè
    • Roman Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Les Ballets Africains
    • Dancers at Roman Banquet
    • (uncredited)
    Emma Baron
    Emma Baron
    • Jewish Woman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William Wyler
    • Writers
      • Lew Wallace(A Tale of Christ)
      • Karl Tunberg(screen play by)
      • Gore Vidal(contributing writer) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Bridge on the River Kwai
    8.2
    The Bridge on the River Kwai
    Lawrence of Arabia
    8.3
    Lawrence of Arabia
    Gone with the Wind
    8.2
    Gone with the Wind
    Gandhi
    8.0
    Gandhi
    Dances with Wolves
    8.0
    Dances with Wolves
    The Deer Hunter
    8.1
    The Deer Hunter
    Ben-Hur
    5.7
    Ben-Hur
    On the Waterfront
    8.1
    On the Waterfront
    Platoon
    8.1
    Platoon
    Amadeus
    8.4
    Amadeus
    The Sting
    8.3
    The Sting
    Unforgiven
    8.2
    Unforgiven

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The chariot race required 15,000 extras on a set constructed on 18 acres of backlot at Cinecitta Studios outside Rome. Tour buses visited the set every hour. Eighteen chariots were built, with half being used for practice. The race took five weeks to film.
    • Goofs
      During the chariot race just before Ben-Hur's chariot jumps the wrecked chariot, stunt driver Joe Canutt can be seen dropping the reins and grabbing hold of the side of the his chariot (his father, stunt coordinator-2nd unit director Yakima Canutt, had instructed him to grip the underside of the chariot's railing. Joe ignored him, or forgot, and grasped the railing from the top, and was vaulted over the top of the chariot, which could have been fatal had his quick reflexes and strength not allowed him to haul himself back over the vehicle's yoke before he fell between the horses and chariot).
    • Quotes

      Quintus Arrius: Your eyes are full of hate, forty-one. That's good. Hate keeps a man alive. It gives him strength.

    • Crazy credits
      The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lion is shown in a still-frame to appear looking peaceful at the beginning rather than roaring.
    • Alternate versions
      The first DVD release had an "Intermission" title card printed in a different font from the one used in the theatrical film and on the second, 4-disc DVD release.
    • Connections
      Edited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Overture
      Composed and Conducted by Miklós Rózsa

    User reviews500

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    pretty much sets the bar for epic entertainment
    We are by nature a cynical and critical group.

    With the attention span of a bumblebee, moreso the current generation than the earlier ones, because of exposure to mobile devices and other modern disposable non-repairable tech.

    It is probably for that reason that epics like this one have become forgotten over time. Even the late CH has become more a societal joke and less of an icon over time. Michael Moore made Heston's participation in the NRA a joke. (If Heston's concerns over where society is headed prove to be true, the final joke may be on Moore.) Back to the film. It is almost perfect. Then, as now. The script continually builds. Modern writers could learn from that. No matter what is presently on screen as you watch, the inevitability of the final climax beckons.

    The acting is perfect.

    The mixture of myth and drama is perfect.

    True the Roman dialog did not benefit from the verbal tricks that Stephen McKnight used in Spartacus (bending the script to match the flow of actual Roman) but it is more than enough to entertain and entrance.

    From the "accident" early in the film which starts the flow of events, to the chariot race WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN EQUALLED IN THE HISTORY OF FILM, to the reunion with lost family at the end, this is one of the most powerful and entertaining films of all time
    helpful•63
    20
    • A_Different_Drummer
    • Mar 10, 2015

    FAQ2

    • What are some differences between the different versions of the story?
    • Why does Sheik Ilderim believe Judah does not like the meal he was served? Why does Balthasar seem to want him to burp?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 18, 1959 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
    • Filming locations
      • Corner of Via di Salone and Via delle Case Rosse, Salone Caves, Rome, Lazio, Italy(Valley of the Lepers)
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $74,432,704
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $241,792
      • Apr 14, 2019
    • Gross worldwide
      • $74,437,720
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.75 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Ben-Hur (1959)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of Ben-Hur (1959) in Spain?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.