Ben-Hur 1959
In the year 1959, “Ben-Hur” won 11 Oscars, with Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, and Jack Hawkins in leading roles. Directed by William Wyler, the film is an adaptation of Lew Wallace’s novel of the same name. With a runtime of 3.5 hours, “Ben-Hur” has maintained an IMDb rating of 8.1 since 1959, based on 133,932 votes. Made with a budget of $15 million, the film grossed nearly $150 million worldwide.
Set in 26 BC, “Ben-Hur” follows a wealthy prince and merchant who reunites with his childhood friend Messala after years apart. Messala, now a powerful commander in the Roman army, tasks Ben-Hur with identifying and betraying Jews who oppose Rome. Refusing to betray his people, Ben-Hur’s and Messala’s paths diverge dramatically, leading to a fateful confrontation.
