Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, Sam Jaffe, Finlay Currie, Frank Thring, Terence Longdon, George Relph, André Morell
Movie links
Videoclips
Synopsis
Judah Ben-Hur (played by Charlton Heston), a rich Jewish prince and merchant, lives in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. He meets with his childhood friend Messala (played by Stephen Boyd) who is now a Roman general. The reunion pleases them both but different political views seperates them.
During the welcome parade a brick falls down from Judah's house and barely misses the governor. Although Messala knows that they are not guilty he sends Judah to the galleys and throws his mother and sister into prison. But Judah swears to come back and take revenge.
Gay interest
Gore Vidal was an uncredited script collaborator. Despite deletions of any direct homosexual refferences the intense relationship between the two virile men says otherwise.
In an interview Gore Vidal said that he proposed to director William Wyler "that the two had been adolecent lovers, now Messala has returned to Rome wanting to revive the love affair but Ben-Hur has not."
After Wyler agreed to disconvert motievational ploy Vidal informed Stephen Boyd (and pointantly not Heston because as Wyler said: "Chuck could never handle it"), resulting in Boyd playing off the role of the spurned lover, especially when he cries "Is there anything so sad as unrequidet love".
Wyler once said "The biggest mistake we made was the love story. If we had out that girl (Haya Harareet) altogether and concentrated on the two guys, everything would have gone better."
Personal review
This is the first movie I ever saw. And what an entrance to the world of movies! This bombastic and heroic epic made a lasting impression and was the beginning of my love for movies. The chariot race remains in your mind for decades.
Quotes
Messala: "Is there anything so sad as unrequidet love"
Messala: Be wise, Judah. It's a Roman world. If you want to live in it, you must become part of it...I tell you, Judah, it's no accident that one small village on the Tiber was chose
Trivia & video's
Pictures
Click on the thumbnails to get a larger picture
Buy this movie on DVD
For more information about the different systems click here.
