50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector
Ben-Hur(1959)
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1959 · FILM
Ben-Hur
A proud Jewish prince must confront his former friend-turned-Roman tribune to protect his faith, family, and freedom in a city on the brink of rebellion.
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AdventureDrama
Synopsis
In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat who opposes the Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, who has become a Roman commander, setting in motion a saga that explores themes of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.
Credits
Actors
Production Designer
Director of Photography
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 253+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by John D DunningShot by Robert SurteesScored by Miklos RozsaDesigned by Vittorio ValentiniSound by Van Allen James
Box Office
1959 · Box office
💰 Box-office hit — grossed 11× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$164.0M
Budget$15.0M
Worldwide gross$164.0M
break-even (2.5×)
Re-release box office
- 2019649 theaters
- $664K($860K today)
Domestic gross earned in theatrical re-release, by year · adjusted for inflation
Full synopsis
Versions & cuts
- 2005 DVD· 222 min · 2005
- 2001 DVD· 214 min · 2001
- 1993 re-release· 222 min · 1993
- 1962· 224 min · 1962
- 1970· 219 min · 1970
Also known as
- Ben Hurde
- (Bulgarian)Бен-Хур
Release dates around the world4 countries · showhide
- CanadaNov 18, 1959
- United StatesNov 18, 1959
- United KingdomDec 16, 1959
- BrazilJan 29, 1960
Companies
ProductionMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Community tags
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Cast & Crew
253 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Charlton Heston
as Judah Ben-Hur
Jack Hawkins
as Quintus Arrius
Stephen Boyd
as Messala
Haya Harareet
as Esther
Hugh Griffith
as Sheik Ilderim
Martha Scott
as Miriam
Cathy O Donnell
as Tirzah
Sam Jaffe
as Simonides
Finlay Currie
as Balthasar, Narrator
Frank Thring
as Pontius Pilate
Terence Longdon
as Drusus
George Relph
as Tiberius Caesar
Supporting cast
124Andre Morell
as Sextus
Umberto Alivernini
as Officer Spectator at the Chariot Race
Carlo Alvieri
as Soldier
Armando Annuale
as Witness at the Birth of Jesus
Artemio Antonini
as Galley Guard
Nello Appodia
as Oarsman
Fortunato Arena
as Soldier
Bruno Arie
as Roman Officer
Les Ballets Africains
as Dancers at Roman Banquet
Emma Baron
as Jewish Woman
Ady Berber
as Malluch
Marina Berti
as Flavia
Michael Billingsley
as Mario
Jerry Brown
as The Corinthian
Robert Brown
as Chief of Rowers
Lando Buzzanca
as Jewish Slave in the Desert
Alfio Caltabiano
as Pirate
Joe Canutt
as Sportsman
Otello Capanna
as The Byzantine
Emile Carrer
as Rower No. 28
Angelo Casadei
as Crucifixion March Spectator
Sergio Casadei
as The Athenian
Francesco Casaretti
as Judah's Stableman
Aristide Catoni
as Man Watching the Procession
Pietro Ceccarelli
as Roman Officer with Messala
Aldo Cecconi
as Galley Guard
Franz Colangeli
as Celebration Guest, Senator
Richard Coleman
as Metellus
Livia Cordaro
as Crucifixion March Spectator
Antonio Corevi
as Senator
Michael Cosmo
as Raimondo
Alfredo Danesi
as The Armenian
David Davies
as Quaestor
Carmen De Hohenlohe
as Guest at Banquet
Victor De La Fosse
as Galley Officer
Vincenzo De Palo
as Arab at the Chariot Race
Antonio Decembrino
as Oarsman
Liana Del Balzo
as Guest at Banquet
Consalvo Dell Arti
as Celebration Guest
Gianni Di Segni
as Galley Guard on Ship
Mino Doro
as Gratus
Michael Dugan
as Seaman
Franco Fantasia
as Roman Soldier Who Brings Crown to Gratus
Dino Fazio
as Marcello
Umberto Felici
as Crucifixion Spectator
Tom Felleghy
as Officer on rescue ship
Enzo Fiermonte
as Galley Officer
Bob Folkerson
as Chariot Racer
Armando Fracassi
as Arab at the Chariot Race
Giuliano Gemma
as Roman Officer with Messala
Oscar Giustini
as Rower
John Glenn
as Rower No. 42
Jose Greci
as Mary
Richard Hale
as Gaspar
Claude Heater
as Jesus - The Christ
Prince Hohenlohe
as Guest at Banquet
John Horsley
as Spintho
Eddie Juaregui
as The Athenian
William Kiehl
as Soldier
Duncan Lamont
as Marius
Howard Lang
as Hortator
John Le Mesurier
as Doctor
Tutte Lemkow
as Leper
Cliff Lyons
as The Lubian
Raimondo Magni
as Soldier in the Bath House
Ugo Mari
as Noble Spectator at the Chariot Race
Attilio Marra
as The Syrian
Luigi Marra
as The Syrian
Ferdy Mayne
as Captain of Rescue Ship
May Mcavoy
as Woman in Crowd
Nona Medici
as Guest at Banquet
Furio Meniconi
as Soldier
Mario Meniconi
as Crucifixion March Guard
Romano Milani
as Nobleman at Quintus' Return to Rome
Tiberio Mitri
as Roman at Bath
Terzo Monachesi
as Noble Spectator at the Chariot Race
Sandro Mondini
as Nobleman at Quintus' Return to Rome
Aldo Mozele
as Barca
Spartaco Nale
as Rower
Thomas O Leary
as Starter at Race
Remington Olmsted
as Decurion
Laurence Payne
as Joseph
Osiride Pevarello
as Jesus' Listener
Renzo Pevarello
as Pirate
Aldo Pial
as Cavalry Officer
Vladimiro Picciafuochi
as Soldier
Aldo Pini
as Bad Thief on Cross
Ferdinando Poggi
as Soldier
Diego Pozzetto
as Villager
Prince Raimondo
as Guest at Banquet
Isarco Ravaioli
as Soldier at the Bath House
Stella Rho
as Amrah
Edwin Richfield
as Supplier to Leper Colony
Michele Righi
as Nobleman at the Chariot Race
Mario Rivoltella
as Undetermined Role
Hector Ross
as Officer
Emanuele Ruspoli
as Guest at Banquet
Amerigo Santarelli
as Rower
Gino Scotti
as Spectator at the Birth of Jesus
Pupita Lea Scuderoni
as Spectator at the Crucifixion March
Attilio Severini
as Horse Wrangler
Maxwell Shaw
as Rower No. 43
Noel Sheldon
as Centurion
Aldo Silvani
as Man in Nazareth
Umberto Silvestri
as Guard on ship
Reginald Lal Singh
as Melchior
Luigi Smith
as Servant in Judah's Household
Gianni Solaro
as Galley Officer
Roberto Spiombi
as Senator
John Stevenson Lang
as Blind Man
Renato Terra
as Jesus' Listener
Alfred Thomas
as Oarsman
Pietro Tordi
as Pilate's Servant
Giuseppe Tosi
as Chariot Driver
Ralph Truman
as Aide to Tiberius
Giorgio Ubaldi
as Rower
Raimondo Van Riel
as Old Man
Alfredo Varelli
as Physician's Assistant
Venantino Venantini
as Palefrenier de la course de chars
Dervis Ward
as Jailer
Irina Wassilchikoff
as Guest at Banquet
Joe Yrigoyen
as The Egyptian - Chariot Racer
Nazzareno Zamperla
as Roman Soldier with a Bow on Galley
Rinaldo Zamperla
as Pirate
Directors
1Writers
7Producers
4Other crew
118Lew Wallace
A Tale of Christ (as General Lew Wallace)
Piero Portalupi
additional photography (as Pietro Portalupi) / camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Harold E Wellman
additional photography / camera operator: third unit (uncredited)
Fess Reynolds
animal trainer (uncredited)
William Horning
Art Directors
Edward C Carfagno
as Edward Carfagno
Ken Adam
assistant art director (uncredited)
Owen Marsh
assistant camera (uncredited)
Alberto Cardone
assistant director
Donald C Klune
assistant director (uncredited)
Ferdinando Baldi
assistant director, historical advisor (uncredited)
Gus Agosti
assistant director
Parents Guide
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Ratings & reviews
Official ratings
BBFC·PGGBRe-ratedFSK·FSK 16DERe-ratedACB·PGAURe-ratedCBFC·UINRe-ratedEirin·GJPRe-ratedClassInd·14BRRe-ratedKAVI·K-12FIRe-ratedCNC·Tous publicsFRRe-ratedICAA·16ESRe-ratedItaly·TITRe-ratedKijkwijzer·12NLRe-ratedRTC·7MXRe-ratedKMRB·12KRRe-ratedTURKEY·13+Re-ratedTAIWAN·12+Re-ratedSWEDEN·11Re-ratedSINGAPORE·GRe-ratedSAUDI ARABIA·PGRe-ratedRUSSIA·0+Re-ratedROMANIA·A.G.Re-ratedPORTUGAL·M/12Re-ratedPOLAND·16Re-ratedPHILIPPINES·PG-13Re-ratedPERU·AptRe-ratedNORWAY·12Re-ratedNIGERIA·PGRe-ratedNEW ZEALAND·PGRe-ratedMALAYSIA·URe-ratedLEBANON·GRe-ratedKUWAIT·PGRe-ratedICELAND·12Re-ratedEGYPT·GRe-ratedDENMARK·11Re-ratedCOLOMBIA·TRe-ratedCHINA·17Re-ratedCANADA·PGRe-ratedAUSTRIA·6Re-ratedARGENTINA·AtpRe-rated
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50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector
Ben-Hur(1959)
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