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Features: DVD, Widescreen, Commentary, Behind the Scenes Footage, Documentary
A jewish nobleman in palestine is drawn into a heroic odysseythat includes enslavement by the romans, a bold escape from anembattled slave gallery, vengeance against his tormentorsduring a furious arena chariot and fateful encounters withjesus christ.
"A rich and glowing drama that tanscends the bounds of spectacle." Bosley Crowther, The New York Times
"A biblical epic on a scale even the Caesars could appreciate..." Find-A-Video
Editor's Note
Anno Domini: the seventh year of Augustus Caesar's reign. In the Roman province of Judea, Jews return to the city of their birth for the census. A bright star in the night over Bethlehem marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Years later, Roman commander Messala (Stephen Boyd), who was brought up in Judea, takes command of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. His Jewish boyhood friend Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) greets him. Messala is delighted. But when Judah refuses to name Jewish patriots, Messala sentences him to the slave galleys and imprisons his mother, Miriam (Martha Scott), and sister, Tirzah (Cathy O'Donnell). Judah vows revenge.In BEN-HUR, William Wyler's much-lauded epic, the story of Judah's search for his mother and sister and his quest for revenge intersects with crucial biblical events such as the Sermon on the Mount and the crucifixion. Wyler gets fine performances from Heston, Boyd, Jack Hawkins (as a Roman admiral who befriends Judah), and Hugh Griffith (as an Arab sheik who dreams of racing his beautiful white horses against Messala). Among BEN-HUR's vivid dramatic sequences are a violent sea battle and the famous chariot race that pits Judah against Messala in one of cinema's great action sequences.
Plot Summary
William Wyler's biblical epic is a production of unheard-of scale, exhibiting the work of literally tens of thousands of people. The film tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur, a Judean prince who as a galley slave saves the life of a Roman nobleman, changing his life forever. The 1880 novel by Lew Wallace had previously been filmed to great acclaim in 1927 with Ramon Navarro.
| Features | Documentary "Ben-Hur: The Making Of An Epic" | | English Subtitles | | Enhanced For 16X9 TVs | | French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround | | French Subtitles | | Interactive Menus | | Newly-Discovered Screen Tests Of Actors Finally Cast--And Not Cast | | Portuguese Subtitles | | Scene Access | | Spanish Subtitles | | Widescreen Version | | Newly Discovered Screen Tests of Actors Finally Cast - and Not Cast | | Documentary: Ben-Hur: Making of An Epic | | Original Theatrical Trailer | | Stills Gallery | | New Digital Master | | Soundtrack Remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 | | Audio Commentary by Charlton Heston |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Warner |
| Release Date: 1/16/2007 |
| Running Time: 222 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1959 | | Catalog ID: 65506 | | UPC: 00012569550629 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.76:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1960) |  | Charlton Heston, Winner, Best Actor | | Robert Surtees, Winner, Best Cinematogrphy, Color | | Elizabeth Haffenden, Winner, Best Costume Design | | William Wyler, Winner, Best Director | | Miklos Rozsa, Winner, Best Music, Original Score | | Sam Zimbalist, Winner, Best Picture | | Hugh Griffith, Winner, Best Supporting Actor |
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| | Professional Reviews | Variety
"...William Wyler's 1959 Roman drama still has a self-confidence and sheer scope that's jaw-dropping..." 03/05/2001 p.42Premiere
"[H]istorically significant and fascinating." 10/01/2005 p.126 Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide 9 of 10
Heston and Boyd are well matched as the proud Jew Ben-Hur and his boyhood friend Messala... the galley-slave sequence, and climactic chariot race (directed by Andrew Marton and staged by the legendary stunt expert Yakima Canutt) are still great... - Leonard Maltin
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