Principal cast
Charlton Heston as Judah Ben-Hur, Stephen Boyd as Messala, Hugh Griffith as Scheich Ildirim, Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius, and Haya Harareet as Esther
Film 72 of 244 on the Screen Path
Ben-Hur
The entertainment experience of a lifetime!
About the film
Ben-Hur at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1959 film at stop 72 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.
Key craft credits
Robert Surtees (director of photography), John D. Dunning (editor), Ralph E. Winters (editor), Miklós Rózsa (original music composer), and Karl Tunberg (screenplay)
- Director
- William Wyler
- Release
- 1959-11-18
- Runtime
- 212 minutes
- Genres
- History, Drama, and Adventure
- Country
- United States
- Quiz
- 25 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 25 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
25 questions in this journeyWant to try a complete journey on the web? The Citizen Kane page includes the spoiler-free guide, after-film analysis, and a sample quiz.
Try Citizen Kane →Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.