Ben-Hur (1959 film)

Ben-Hur, released in 1959, is an American religious epic directed by William Wyler and produced by Sam Zimbalist, with Charlton Heston playing the lead role. It is a remake of the 1925 silent film of the same name and draws from Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel *Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ*. While Karl Tunberg is credited with the screenplay, contributions came from Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Gore Vidal, and Christopher Fry. The supporting cast includes Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O’Donnell, and Sam Jaffe.

At the time of its production, the film carried the largest budget—$15.175 million—and featured the largest sets ever built for a movie. Costume designer Elizabeth Haffenden managed a staff of 100 wardrobe workers to create the costumes, while a workshop of 200 artists and laborers produced hundreds of friezes and statues. Principal photography began on May 18, 1958, and ended on January 7, 1959, with shooting days lasting 12 to 14 hours, six days a week. Pre-production started in Italy at Cinecittà around October 1957, and post-production took six months. Cinematographer Robert L. Surtees worked under Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s decision to shoot in widescreen. Over 200 camels and 2,500 horses were used, along with roughly 10,000 extras. The sea battle was filmed with miniatures in a large tank on the MGM back lot in Culver City, California. The nine-minute chariot race remains one of cinema’s most famous action sequences. The score, composed and conducted by Miklós Rózsa, was the longest ever written for a film at that time and influenced cinema music for more than 15 years.

After a $14.7 million marketing campaign, *Ben-Hur* premiered at Loew’s State Theatre in New York City on November 18, 1959. It became the fastest-grossing and highest-grossing film of 1959, and at that point was the second highest-grossing film in history, behind *Gone with the Wind*. The film won a record eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Wyler), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Heston), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Griffith), and Best Cinematography – Color (Surtees). It also took home Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (Boyd). In 1998, the American Film Institute ranked it the 72nd best American film and the second best American ep