Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur, box-office hit motion picture following the struggles of the Jewish prince Ben-Hur (played by Charlton Heston) during Roman occupation, based on a novel by General Lew Wallace. Released in 1959, the film won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture, actor, director, cinematography, and special effects. It was a remake of a 1926 film of the same title, one of the most lavish silent motion pictures ever produced. When Ben-Hur refuses to divulge the names of some opponents of the Roman Empire to his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd), their friendship ends. Messala arranges to have Ben-Hur and his family imprisoned. Ben-Hur works as a slave rowing on a Roman ship, until one day he saves the ship captain’s life. Some years later, when the captain allows Ben-Hur to go search for his family and he hears that they are dead, Ben-Hur flies into a rage against Messala. Messala dies after the film’s remarkable 15-minute chariot race. Ben-Hur discovers his family is alive but afflicted with leprosy, and he gets Jesus (Claude Heater) to heal them.

Director

William Wyler

Cast

Charlton Heston (Judah Ben-Hur)

Jack Hawkins (Quintus Arrius)

Stephen Boyd (Messala)

Haya Harareet (Esther)

Hugh Griffith (Sheik Ilderim)

Martha Scott (Miriam)

Sam Jaffe (Simonides)

Cathy O'Donnell (Tirzah)

Finlay Currie (Balthasar)

Frank Thring (Pontius Pilate)

Terence Longdon (Drusus)

Andre Morell (Sextus)

Marina Berti (Flavia)

George Relph (Tiberius)

Adi Berber (Malluch)

Stella Vitelleschi (Amrah)

Jose Greci (Mary)

Laurence Payne (Joseph)

John Horsley (Spintho)

Richard Coleman (Metellus)

Duncan Lamont (Marius)

Ralph Truman (Aide to Tiberius)

Richard Hale (Gaspar)

Reginald Lal Singh (Melchior)

David Davies (Quaestor)

Dervis Ward (Jailer)

Claude Heater (Jesus)

Mino Doro (Gratus)

Robert Brown (Chief of rowers)

John Glenn (Rower No. 42)

Maxwell Shaw (Rower No. 43)

Emilio Carrer (Rower No. 28)

Tutte Lemkow (Leper)

Howard Lang (Hortator)

Ferdy Mayne (Captain of rescue ship)

John Le Mesurier (Doctor)

Stevenson Lang (Blind man)

Aldo Mozele (Barca)

Thomas O'Leary (Starter at race)

Noel Sheldon (Centurion)

Hector Ross (Officer)

Bill Kuehl (Soldier)

Aldo Silvani (Man in Nazareth)

Diego Pozzetto (Villager)

Dino Fazio (Marcello)

Michael Cosmo (Raimondo)

Aldo Pial (Cavalry officer)

Remington Olmstead (Decurian)

Victor De La Fosse (Galley officer)

Enzo Fiermonte (Galley officer)

Hugh Billingsley (Mario)

Tiberio Mitri (Roman at bath)

Pietro Tordi (Pilate's servant)

Jerry Brown (The Corinthian)

Otello Capanna (The Byzantine)

Luigi Marra (Syrian)

Cliff Lyons (Lubian)

Edward J. Auregul (Athenian)

Joe Yrigoyen (Egyptian)

Alfredo Danesi (Armenian)

Raimondo Van Riel (Old man)

Michael Dugan (Seaman)

Joe Canutt (Sportsman)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Picture (1959)

Academy Award for Best Actor (1959): Charlton Heston

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (1959): Hugh Griffith

Academy Award for Best Director (1959): William Wyler

Academy Award for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration—Color (1959): William A. Horning, Edward C. Carfagno, Hugh Hunt

Academy Award for Best Cinematography—Color (1959): Robert L. Surtees

Academy Award for Best Costume Design—Color (1959): Elizabeth Haffenden

Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1959): Ralph E. Winters, John D. Dunning

Academy Award for Best Music—Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (1959): Miklos Rozsa

Academy Award for Best Sound (1959): Franklin E. Milton

Academy Award for Best Special Effects (1959): A. Arnold Gillespie, Robert MacDonald, Milo Lory

Golden Globe Award for Best Picture—Drama (1960)

Golden Globe Award for Best Director (1960): William Wyler

Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor (1960): Stephen Boyd

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