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Ben-Hur

Play trailer Poster for Ben-Hur G 1959 3h 23m History Drama Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
87% Tomatometer 54 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
An enslaved Judean prince (Charlton Heston) meets his Roman betrayer (Stephen Boyd), a former friend, in a chariot race.
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Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur

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Critics Consensus

Uneven, but in terms of epic scope and grand spectacle, Ben-Hur still ranks among Hollywood's finest examples of pure entertainment.

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Critics Reviews

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Jack Harrison The Hollywood Reporter 11/19/2018
William Wyler never lets spectacle and size interfere with the elemental passions and conflicts of his human story. The spectacular aspects emerge naturally from the story -- the time and place and the customs of the society in which the characters live. Go to Full Review
Martin Chilton Daily Telegraph (UK) 01/01/2015
5/5
Although it is a spectacle film, the story of how a man takes on the tyranny of the Romans, with all sorts of horrible consequences to himself and his family, is powerful and gripping. Go to Full Review
TIME Staff TIME Magazine 08/22/2008
The biggest and the best of Hollywood's super-spectacles. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Feb 18
3.5/4
One of the best of the 50s glut of Biblical epics. Go to Full Review
Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm 04/18/2024
3/4
The Passion of the Heston. Go to Full Review
Mark Johnson Awards Daily 06/08/2023
Ben-Hur remains one of the greatest stories ever told. The antagonizing journey of the main protagonist, incredible cast of thousands, elaborate set designs, and one of the greatest sequences in film history, Ben-Hur is one of the most influential films. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Ben Him 04/08/2021 Music is grand! Sets were non-cgi. Story was great. Acting was superb. See more Andrei P @agpeleias Dec 8 William Wyler's Ben-Hur (1959) is the absolute peak of analog filmmaking, a feat of artistry impossible to replicate in the CGI era. It stands as the greatest film ever made by mastering the balance between massive spectacle and intimate drama. The Chariot Race remains history's greatest action sequence (real danger, no effects) forming the DNA of modern cinema. Structurally, the film perfectly fuses a Revenge Thriller with a Spiritual Drama, tracing a complete "Hero's Journey." Its narrative genius lies in the "invisible protagonist"; by never showing Christ’s face, His presence becomes universal, anchored by Miklós Rózsa’s monumental score: a "sonic narrative" that gives a voice to the divine against the crushing brass of Roman imperialism. Elevated by Heston’s Shakespearean gravity and Boyd’s tragic villainy, Ben-Hur is the ultimate synthesis: the depth of scripture, the thrill of sport, and the scale of an empire. It remains the standard by which all cinema is measured. See more Jose I Oct 6 Wow! This movie is nothing short from... "WOW". Still after 66 years, this picture has the record, tied with Titanic and The Return of the King, for the most amount of oscars, and saying it doesn't deserve it is a crime. The visuals look amazing and better than most films released before and after. The story carries a ton of emotion between Ben-Hur and his rival and childhood friend, Messala, climaxing in one of the most heart pounding moments in cinematic history. The ending is bittersweet, and this isn't offensive to any Christians, but quite the opposite. The acting given to us, especially by Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd, is flawless. Not amazing, but there's nothing wrong to say about it. The only problem I would say this movie has is its length. It could've been much shorter and still have the same amount of story and context shown, as there are some unncessary shots which drag on for way too long and it doesn't add any artistic flair nor importance to the story, and it can get boring at times. From the four or five versions of the movie, this is definately the best, as it provides color and sound (unlike the original 1925 picture) but it is not completely souless and unnecessary like later installments while still providing all the positives. I watch it every year in Easter. See more Tom F Jun 13 I go into these “classics” with great skepticism, and my 2025 rewatch found everything stilted and way too long. Still, there is no denying it is a remarkable epic, beautifully told. See more Richard B @RBessette Jun 5 The best film ever made! See more Hiroyuki K Apr 6 Not old at all. I can learn life of a man is unreasonable and could be cruel. Visuals of the movie moved me. I can’t write down here anymore because this movie is perfect. See more Read all reviews
Ben-Hur

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Movie Info

Synopsis An enslaved Judean prince (Charlton Heston) meets his Roman betrayer (Stephen Boyd), a former friend, in a chariot race.
Director
William Wyler
Producer
Sam Zimbalist
Screenwriter
Lew Wallace, Karl Tunberg
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Warner Bros., Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating
G
Genre
History, Drama, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 18, 1959, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Sep 1, 1969
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 30, 2013
Runtime
3h 23m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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