A 1959 American epic about a Jewish prince in Roman-occupied Judea who is sold into slavery and returns years later to confront the friend who betrayed him.
Production
William Wyler directed the MGM production in Italy and at Cinecittà Studios on a budget around $15 million, then the largest in Hollywood history. Charlton Heston starred as Judah Ben-Hur, with the chariot race assembled by second-unit director Andrew Marton.
Reception
The film earned around $90 million on initial release and won 11 Academy Awards, a record tied only by Titanic and The Return of the King. It is widely credited with saving MGM from bankruptcy.
Legacy
The chariot race remains a textbook example of practical stunt staging, filmed without process shots across nearly nine minutes of screen time. The film cemented Heston’s career as Hollywood’s leading historical-epic star.
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