Ben-Hur
A Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, but it's not long before he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.
Directed by William Wyler · Adventure · Drama · 212 min · 1959
Trailer
Director
William Wyler
Studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release
18 Nov 1959
Runtime
212 min
Genres
Adventure, Drama
Full Plot
Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. Together with the new governor his old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. At first they are happy to meet after a long time but their different politic views separate them. During the welcome parade a roof tile falls down from Judah's house and injures the governor. Although Messala knows they are not guilty, he sends Judah to the galleys and throws his mother and sister into prison. But Judah swears to come back and take revenge.
Cast & Characters
Judah Ben-Hur
Charlton Heston
Quintus Arrius
Jack Hawkins
Messala
Stephen Boyd
Esther
Haya Harareet
Sheik Ilderim
Hugh Griffith
Miriam
Martha Scott
Tirzah
Cathy O'Donnell
Simonides
Sam Jaffe
Balthasar
Finlay Currie
Pontius Pilate
Frank Thring
Drusus
Terence Longdon
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $15.0M, Ben-Hur has grossed $164.0M worldwide — about 10.9x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) originally announced a remake of the 1925 silent film Ben-Hur in December 1952, ostensibly as a way to spend its Italian assets.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
During its initial release, the film earned $33.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Ben-Hur holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (269,891 votes), 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (269,891 votes), 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ben-Hur's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Ben-Hur holds a 88% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Ben-Hur's IMDb rating?+
Ben-Hur has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 269,891 votes.
What is Ben-Hur's Metacritic score?+
Ben-Hur has a Metascore of 90/100 on Metacritic.
Is Ben-Hur good? What are critics saying?+
Ben-Hur holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (269,891 votes), 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Ben-Hur?+
Ben-Hur has a runtime of 212 min.
Who directed Ben-Hur?+
Ben-Hur was directed by William Wyler.
Where can I watch Ben-Hur?+
Ben-Hur is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "Ben-Hur" is largely positive, with reviewers praising its epic scope, storytelling, and performances. Many have noted that the film deserves numerous awards, including Oscars it won. Critics also appreciate its historical significance, themes of friendship, power, opportunity, and cruelty, as well as Charlton Heston's great acting.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Majestic in scope and story telling. The truth is, is that Ben-Hur deserved every award that was showered upon it. It's a titanic film both in structure and scope. It doesn't need me to go over old ground about how much the film cost to make, the number of extras, the number of s…
John Chard · 10/10What can be said about this film that hasnt already been said? I could (justly) use every superlative known and it still does not cover just how amazing this film is. It is the essence of EPIC (and not just historical epic). It is easy to see why it was not matched in the number…
sykobanana · 10/10It will probably be remembered for it's chariot race long after all of the rest of it has faded away, but this is more than just that. It is a story about friendship, religion, power and opportunity - it is also about sheer bloody-mindedness and cruelty. It resonates all the more…
CinemaSerf · 7/10This is one I had never seen before but finally say down for the 3.5 hour running time and found it thoroughly engaging, though after the chariot race scene, felt it slowed down quite a bit. Still, great performances all around and the scale, not just for its time but even today,…
JPV852 · 9/10
From the trailer's comments
There is only one. You hear that, remake? THERE IS ONLY ONE.
@canaanclb · 433 likesOne of the best movies I've ever seen; thoroughly deserved all the Oscars it won!
@pinglim3298 · 309 likes"Ben-Hur" has always been my most favorite movie of Legendary Charlton Heston movie.
@TheImaginator972 · 70 likesFun fact: the novel Ben Hur was written by an atheist (who found God halfway through writing it), and who was also the man who put the price on Billy the Kid
@paradisecityX0 · 353 likes11 Oscars for 1959 Ben-Hur....11 Razzies for 2016 Ben-Hur
@mikelolguy · 147 likesgreatest movie ever and not a one curse or nude scene only great acting, great story, great emotion...... great Hollywood
@larryserafin126 · 419 likesOne of the best story ever written.
@davedrolett6890 · 55 likesThe may have been two before, there may be one after, but there is ONLY ONE MASTERPIECE!
@ragejoona431 · 51 likes
