Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925 ‧ Indie film/Epic film ‧ 2h 23m
In this silent classic, Judah ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro) discovers that he has been betrayed by his childhood friend Messala (Francis X. Bushman), leading to separation from his family. Punished for an accident, Ben-Hur is unjustly forced to serve on a Roman ship, where he becomes a friend to the vessel’s admiral, Quintus Arrius (Frank Currier). Eventually, Ben-Hur has the chance to compete against Messala in a chariot race, providing him with a shot at vengeance.
Initial release: December 25, 1925
Directors: Fred Niblo, Charles Brabin, Rex Ingram, Christy Cabanne, J.J. Cohn
Budget: 4 million USD
Box office: 10.7 million USD
Music composed by: William Axt, David Mendoza