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Ben-Hur

Play trailer Poster for Ben-Hur G In Theaters Mar 29 3h 23m History Drama Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 56 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

What to Know

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 Allison Rose FlickDirect Feb 19
4.5/5
An epic three-and-a-half-hour saga that exceeded expectations and became one of the most celebrated films in Academy Awards history. Go to Full Review Jeff Beck The Blu Spot Feb 17
5/5
Even after nearly 70 years, William Wyler's Ben-Hur remains one of the most astonishing accomplishments in the history of cinema. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 02/18/2025
3.5/4
One of the best of the 50s glut of Biblical epics. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

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 Mickey B. @Mickerdoo Mar 7 A good story with an absolutely unreal chariot scene. Not convinced it needed to be 3.5 hours. Liked Ten Commandments more as an epic. See more Rob B. @filmlovingRob Feb 27 I give it 4 1/2 stars. It’s wonderful and tastefully done, like most (all?) of William Wyler’s films. Was he the most consistent of the Golden Age directors? It does drag a little towards the end, but that may have been unavoidable in order to wrap up the story. I believe the chariot race is the most exciting and perfect action sequence ever filmed, with or without CGI. It’s amazing what they pulled off without special effects. Many people swear that some actors, at least one, had to have died filming it. See more Daniel G. @d_grady Feb 22 One of the greatest cinema villain performances of all time takes this film into the stratosphere. See more Christian K @ckacar Jan 31 While the production is grand and captivating, I was left wanting more from the resolution of the story. While its clear throughout the movie that it's headed towards bigger things beyond the story of Judah Ben-Hur, I found it all to be tacked on to what was already a deserving, epic story. See more Peter V @RT78913669 Jan 27 An impressively mounted and effective epic. Technically, the chariot race scene is a display of expertly choreographed action, practical effects, and dynamic camera work. But the technical brilliance is throughout. The use of widescreen cinematography by Robert L. Surtees captures much and Miklós Rózsa’s musical score is stirring. William Wyler’s direction balances the grandeur of the film’s scale with story. Though the film is challenging as it is very long and perhaps weighed down by its own ambitions, the film works, the technique is outstanding, direction and performances are exemplary and it challenges viewers to reflect on their own values in the light of Ben-Hur’s. The scope and spiral of the film make it a true epic. See more Read all reviews
Ben-Hur

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Ben-Hur

Shown here is the chariot race in the film "Ben-Hur." Hugh Griffith portrays Sheik Ilderim in the film "Ben-Hur." Charlton Heston (left) Stephen Boyd (center), who played Messala, talk with director William Wyler (right) while taking a break from filming the chariot race. Charlton Heston (left) pictured here on the film's set in Rome with Haya Harareet (right), who played Esther. Charlton Heston (left) on the film's set in Rome with his three-year old son Fraser (center). Co-star Jack Hawkins (right) is shown chatting with Heston and his son during a break from filming. Ben-Hur (1959) View more photos

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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)
Mar 29, 2026
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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