Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur, in full Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, American silent film, released in 1925, about ancient Rome and Jerusalem at the time of Jesus that set new standards for action scenes. Judah Ben-Hur (played by Ramon Navarro) is a young Jewish man from a family of privilege who is betrayed by his Roman boyhood friend Messala (Francis X. Bushman) and sold into slavery. Through grit, determination, and religious fate, he overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles to save his family.

With a budget of nearly $4 million, Ben-Hur was the most expensive silent film ever made. This adaptation was the second screen version of American soldier Lew Wallace’s massive novel (1880) of the same name. In 1907 the story had been condensed into a one-reel short. The highlight of the 1925 version is the famed chariot race.

In 1997, Ben-Hur was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Detailed information:

Directed by: Fred Niblo, Charles Brabin, J.J. Cohn

Starring: Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman, May McAvoy, Betty Bronson, Claire McDowell

Release date: Dec 25, 1925

Budget: $3.9 Million

Box office: $10.7 Million