Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925 · Movie · NR · 143 min · ★ 7.3 · 91% critics
In Roman-ruled Judea, a wealthy local noble is betrayed by a once-close friend now serving the empire, and a public accident triggers a brutal punishment that tears his family apart. Years later, after surviving slavery and rising to prominence, he returns home driven by grief and a single-minded desire for revenge amid growing spiritual unrest.
Based on Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
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Details
- Years
- 1925
- Release date
- 1925-12-25
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 143 min
- Critic score
- 91/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (113 votes)
- Budget
- $3,950,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a grand, silent-era epic with huge crowd scenes, harrowing hardship, and faith themes, especially if you like The Big Parade; Not for you if you dislike long runtimes or silent storytelling.
Pros: massive spectacle set pieces; intense, raw atmosphere; memorable chariot race | Cons: slow opening stretch; melodramatic silent-era acting; animal harm concerns
Themes
- chariot race
- leprosy
- revenge
- silent film
- seductress
- sea battle
- galley slave
- enslavement
- temptress
- nativity
- 1st century
Cast & crew
Ramon Novarro
as Judah Ben-Hur
Francis X. Bushman
as Messala
May McAvoy
as Esther
Betty Bronson
as Mary
Claire McDowell
as Princess of Hur
Kathleen Key
as Tirzah
Carmel Myers
as Iras
Nigel De Brulier
as Simonides
Mitchell Lewis
as Sheik Ilderim
Leo White
as Sanballat
Directed by Fred Niblo