Ben-Hur
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Synopsis
In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-06-21
Top Cast
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Charlton Heston
Judah Ben-Hur
Stephen Boyd
Messala
Hugh Griffith
Scheich Ildirim
Jack Hawkins
Quintus Arrius
Haya Harareet
Esther
Martha Scott
Miriam
Cathy O'Donnell
Tirzah
Sam Jaffe
Simonides
Finlay Currie
Balthasar
Frank Thring
Pontius Pilatus
George Relph
Tiberius Caesar
André Morell
Sextus
Terence Longdon
Drusus
Ady Berber
Malluch
Lando Buzzanca
Jewish Slave in the Desert (uncredited)
Giuliano Gemma
Roman Officer with Messala (uncredited)
Marina Berti
Flavia (uncredited)
Robert Brown
Chief of Rowers (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Sydney
Festival / Special Debut
March 26, 1969
Wide Cinema Exhibition
October 3, 2005
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$15M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$164M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
10.93x
+$149M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- William Wyler
- Screenplay & Story
- Karl Tunberg
- Original Score
- Miklós Rózsa
- Original Title
- Ben-Hur
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 3h 32m
- Production Budget
- $15M
- Worldwide Gross
- $164M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
William Wyler
Karl Tunberg, Lew Wallace
Miklós Rózsa
Robert Surtees, Harold E. Wellman, Piero Portalupi
Ralph E. Winters, John D. Dunning
Sam Zimbalist
Department Leadership Roster
Robert Surtees
Director of Photography
Ralph E. Winters
Editor
Elizabeth Haffenden
Costume Design
John D. Dunning
Editor
Miklós Rózsa
Original Music Composer
William Wyler
Director
Sam Zimbalist
Producer
Karl Tunberg
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
G: General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.
International Certification Matrix
General — Suitable for all audiences.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Ben-Hur.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Ben-Hur.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ben-Hur
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Ben-Hur about?
In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.
Who directed Ben-Hur?
Ben-Hur was directed by William Wyler.
Who stars in Ben-Hur?
The principal cast of Ben-Hur includes Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet.
When was Ben-Hur released and how long is it?
Ben-Hur was released in 1959 with a total runtime of 3h 32m.
What was the box office and production budget of Ben-Hur?
Ben-Hur had a reported production budget of $15M and grossed $164M at the worldwide box office (10.93 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Ben-Hur?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Ben-Hur was composed by Miklós Rózsa.
Is Ben-Hur based on a book or true story?
Ben-Hur is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Lew Wallace".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Ben-Hur?
Ben-Hur holds official age classifications: AU: G (General — Suitable for all audiences.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: G (General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.).