---
title: "Ben-Hur"
year: 1959
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/ben-hur"
fi1m_id: "ben-hur"
imdb_id: "tt0052618"
tmdb_id: 665
wikidata_id: "Q180098"
fi1m_score: 76
critics_score: 71
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:34.574239+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ben-Hur (1959)

Directed by William Wyler · 3h 32m · MPA G · History, Drama, Adventure

## Identity

Ben-Hur

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/ben-hur
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** ben-hur
- **IMDb ID:** tt0052618
- **TMDB ID:** 665
- **Wikidata ID:** Q180098
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052618/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/665, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q180098

**Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 71 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* The chariots make a persuasive case for fewer speeches

> William Wyler’s *Ben-Hur* earns its long evening through the chariot race and the tension between Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. The solemn instruction needs more patience than the action ever does.

## Synopsis

Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) reunites with Messala (Stephen Boyd) in a historical adventure that moves from personal encounters to battles and public spectacle. A Roman fleet faces an attack by Macedonian pirates, while a chariot race supplies another arena for the action. The characters around Judah include Esther (Haya Harareet), Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins) and Scheich Ildirim (Hugh Griffith). Martha Scott plays Miriam and Cathy O’Donnell plays Tirzah. William Wyler directs this adaptation of Lew Wallace’s novel, with a screenplay by Karl Tunberg.

## Review

William Wyler’s *Ben-Hur* is a good historical adventure that would be better with fewer solemn speeches. Its biblical story repeatedly pauses to make sure we are taking it seriously. The people still matter, particularly when Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd share the screen. At 212 minutes, they need to.

Heston plays Judah Ben-Hur with a formality that can look stiff, especially when the dialogue requires him to announce a feeling. Boyd gives Messala enough emotional pressure to make that reserve interesting. Their reunion has the discomfort of two people for whom meeting again matters more than either would care to admit. The attraction in their attention to one another is plain enough without the film spelling it out. These scenes give Heston something more demanding to do than look resolute.

Robert Surtees’s cinematography keeps the large-scale action readable across the wide frame. The space around the actors makes their relative positions clear, so we can take in the surroundings without losing track of the people. The grand sets occasionally threaten to dwarf the actors, yet the reunion shows how much interest two figures can carry. There is pleasure in being allowed to look across a scene instead of being hurried past its surroundings.

The editing by Ralph E. Winters and John D. Dunning is most convincing in the chariot race, where the sustained contest earns the attention the quieter passages sometimes demand. We were gripped by it: the horses and chariots remain clear enough for us to follow the racing, and that makes the danger register. The attack on the Roman fleet has considerable force too, with the action carrying more urgency than the speeches. Neither sequence needs a running explanation of why it matters.

Miklós Rózsa’s score understands the film’s taste for grandeur and often makes that grandeur stirring. Its weight suits the scale of the images, although the solemn mood becomes wearing when a scene is already pressing hard for reverence. That is a problem shared with Karl Tunberg’s screenplay, adapted from Lew Wallace’s novel. Too often, the words insist on the moral importance of something the drama could have left us to judge.

The difficulty is not simply the running time. The pace slackens whenever the film repeats a moral lesson, and the serious delivery makes those repetitions harder to forgive. Wyler is more engaging when the characters’ feelings complicate their grand declarations, as Heston and Boyd demonstrate together. A historical adventure can accommodate faith, melodrama and a generous amount of ceremony, but here the ceremony sometimes leaves the actors waiting for the next useful exchange.

Give it an evening when the length will not become a negotiation over bedtime. This is worth seeing for anyone with an appetite for historical adventure and some tolerance for being instructed. A break is permitted; the film’s solemnity need not extend to the sofa.

*Fi1m score 76, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics rate Ben-Hur highly, and nearly all of them, admirers and doubters alike, agree on one thing: the chariot race. It is named in almost every review as the film’s peak, praised for its scale, its practical staging and the thousands of extras. The sea battle draws similar admiration. Beyond the set-pieces, the positive reviews credit William Wyler for keeping the human drama in view amid the spectacle, and several praise Charlton Heston’s central performance, with Stephen Boyd also noted.

The split is wide: seven reviews positive, four negative, none in between. The dissenters find the film long, preachy and slow between its action sequences. The New Yorker thinks it better suited to children and finds Heston stiff. Time Out likens it to a Sunday school lesson and points out that the chariot race was not directed by Wyler. The Guardian and Eye for Film both argue it has not aged as well as its reputation suggests.

## Straight answers

**Is Ben-Hur worth watching?**

*Ben-Hur* is worth watching for anyone with an appetite for historical adventure and some tolerance for being lectured, and we scored it 76. The chariot race and the scenes between Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd earn the 212 minutes; the solemn speeches about moral importance do not. Plan for a break.

**How long is Ben-Hur, and what is it rated?**

*Ben-Hur* runs 3h 32m and is rated G by the MPA in the US. It is a history and drama film.

**Where can I watch Ben-Hur in the US?**

*Ben-Hur* is streaming on Tubi in the US. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Ben-Hur compare to Seven Samurai?**

*Ben-Hur* and [*Seven Samurai*](https://film.one/film/seven-samurai) are both long historical adventures built around large set pieces, and the Kurosawa film is the better of the two. *Seven Samurai* makes its quiet stretches as absorbing as its fighting, while *Ben-Hur* keeps pausing for instruction. Choose Wyler for spectacle on a wide frame; choose Kurosawa for people you will remember.

**Is Ben-Hur based on a true story or a book?**

*Ben-Hur* is based on Lew Wallace's novel, adapted for the screen by Karl Tunberg, not on a true story. The film keeps the book's biblical setting and its taste for moral lessons, which is where we found it heaviest. You need not know the novel to follow it; the chariot race explains itself.

**What should I watch after Ben-Hur?**

After *Ben-Hur*, try [*Seven Samurai*](https://film.one/film/seven-samurai) (1954, Fi1m 95): For patient character work that makes the large action scenes matter. Then [*The Passion of Joan of Arc*](https://film.one/film/the-passion-of-joan-of-arc) (1928, Fi1m 94): For religious conviction made immediate through faces rather than grand scenery; and [*Gladiator*](https://film.one/film/gladiator) (2000, Fi1m 84): For Roman spectacle with a more direct route through the revenge.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Radio Times**, Peter Freedman (5/5): Wyler's epic is hailed as a costly, Oscar-sweeping masterpiece with Charlton Heston at his heroic best; the chariot race stands out as one of cinema's most iconic sequences, built on an unprecedented scale. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-1xbiji/benhur/)
- **Empire**, William Thomas (90/100, inferred): Praises the film's unmatched grandeur and epic scale as a widescreen spectacle that still influences modern cinema. Singles out the impressive practical set-pieces like the chariot race alongside the strong central human drama anchored by Charlton Heston's performance. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ben-hur-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Jack Harrison (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it an extraordinary motion picture, greater than any similar film of its time and the greatest of all spectacles, while also being a highly rewarding dramatic experience rich in human values. They single out the chariot race and sea battle for their pictorial and dramatic excitement, along with William Wyler's direction that balances spectacle with character-driven storytelling. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/ben-hur-1959-movie-review-920885/)
- **The New York Times**, Bosley Crowther (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film the most stirring and respectable of Bible-fiction pictures, praising William Wyler's direction for turning spectacle into intelligent human drama and highlighting the strong performances by Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd along with the brilliant chariot race. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1959/11/19/archives/the-screen-benhur-a-blockbuster-mgm-spectacle-opens-at-the-loews.html)
- **The Telegraph** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the 1959 film one of cinema's greatest blockbusters, praising its grand biblical storytelling, intelligent direction, and especially the memorable chariot race sequence with thousands of extras. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/11308309/Ben-Hur-review-spectacular.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Philip K. Scheuer (85/100, inferred): The critic declares the film magnificent, inspiring, awesome and enthralling overall. The chariot race stands out as an unmatched peak in cinematic action. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/story/2022-09-01/from-the-archives-magnificent-ben-hur-inspiring-in-premiere)
- **The New Yorker**, John McCarten (40/100, inferred): The review finds the epic better suited to children than to adults, noting its grandiose sets, melodrama, and lengthy chariot race while criticizing Charlton Heston's stiff performance and overall appeal to tired viewers. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1959/12/05/the-childrens-hours)
- **The Guardian** (30/100, inferred): The film won 11 Oscars and was a huge hit on release but has not endured as well as other 1959 classics. The chariot race remains spectacular, but much of the rest feels drab and lumbering. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/nov/18/ben-hur-film-charlton-heston-60th-anniversary)
- **Time Out**, SM (30/100, inferred): The film is viewed as overly long and preachy like a Sunday school lesson, but redeemed by its standout chariot race sequence (not directed by Wyler). It also notes the sexually charged dynamics between the male leads. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ben-hur)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (90/100, inferred): The critic hails Wyler's 1959 epic as the best Easter movie and a benchmark for the genre, praising its intellectual approach to faith and human story over cloying piety. The chariot race and Wyler's skeptical, distant treatment of Jesus are singled out for particular praise. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/ben-hur-still-the-best-easter-movie-charlton-heston-william-wyler/)
- **Eye for Film**, Donald Munro (40/100, inferred): The film is not as good as its reputation suggests and drags due to overstatement, repetition, and excessive length, though the large-scale action sequences stand out. The naval battle and chariot race are highlighted for their impressive scale, seamless integration of effects, and excitement in the wide aspect ratio. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/ben-hur-1959-film-review-by-donald-munro)

## Details

- **Director:** William Wyler
- **Director:** William Wyler
- **Screenplay:** Karl Tunberg
- **Novel:** Lew Wallace
- **Cinematography:** Robert L. Surtees
- **Editor:** Ralph E. Winters, John Dunning
- **Music:** Miklós Rózsa
- **Costume design:** Elizabeth Haffenden
- **Producer:** Sam Zimbalist
- **Cast:** Charlton Heston as Judah Ben-Hur; Stephen Boyd as Messala; Hugh Griffith as Scheich Ildirim; Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius; Haya Harareet as Esther; Martha Scott as Miriam; Cathy O'Donnell as Tirzah; Sam Jaffe as Simonides
- **Runtime:** 3h 32m
- **Certificate (MPA):** G
- **Release (the US):** 24 November 1959
- **Genres:** History, Drama, Adventure
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Winner, 1959); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Winner, 1959); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Winner, 1959)
- **Budget:** $15 million
- **Box office:** $164 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2y1gDeZ230

## Where to watch in the US

- Tubi: free, hd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AU, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1960: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated); Best Actor (won); Best Art Direction, Color (won); Best Cinematography, Color (won); Best Costume Design, Color (won); Best Director (won); Best Film Editing (won); Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (won); Best Picture (won); Best Sound (won); Best Special Effects (won); Best Supporting Actor (won)

## If you liked this

- *Spartacus* (1960): For another large historical drama whose human loyalties justify the spectacle.
- *Seven Samurai* (1954), Fi1m 95: For patient character work that makes the large action scenes matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/seven-samurai.md)
- *The Passion of Joan of Arc* (1928), Fi1m 94: For religious conviction made immediate through faces rather than grand scenery. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-passion-of-joan-of-arc.md)
- *The Train* (1964): For physical action whose clarity gives its moral choices more force.
- *Gladiator* (2000), Fi1m 84: For Roman spectacle with a more direct route through the revenge. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/gladiator.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/ben-hur