Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ( 1925)

TV-MAAdventureDramaRomance

73%

User
Score

Amazing! Thrilling! Colossal! Mighty!

Overview

Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave, his property confiscated and his mother and sister imprisoned. Years later, as a result of his determination to stay alive and his willingness to aid his Roman master, Judah returns to his homeland an exalted and wealthy Roman athlete. Unable to find his mother and sister, and believing them dead, he can think of nothing else than revenge against Messala.

Top Billed Cast

Ramon Novarro
Judah Ben-Hur
Francis X. Bushman
Messala
May McAvoy
Esther
Betty Bronson
Mary
Claire McDowell
Princess of Hur
Kathleen Key
Tirzah
Carmel Myers
Iras
Nigel De Brulier
Simonides
Mitchell Lewis
Sheik Ilderim
Leo White
Sanballat
Frank Currier
Quintus Arrius
Charles Belcher
Balthazar
Dale Fuller
Amrah
Winter Hall
Joseph
Reginald Barker
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
John Barrymore
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Lionel Barrymore
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Clarence Brown
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Manuel Caballero
Roman Guard (uncredited)
Gilbert Clayton
(uncredited)
Joan Crawford
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Jacob Dance
Wealthy Man (uncredited)
Marion Davies
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
William Donovan
Charioteer of Corinthian Bay Team (uncredited)
Bill Elliott
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Ray Erlenborn
(uncredited)
Douglas Fairbanks
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
George Fitzmaurice
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Sidney Franklin
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Rosita Garcia
Slave Girl (uncredited)
Janet Gaynor
Slave Girl (uncredited)
John Gilbert
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Dorothy Gish
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Lillian Gish
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Samuel Goldwyn
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Harry Gordon
Centurion (uncredited)
Sid Grauman
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
William Green
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Noble Johnson
Crowd Member (uncredited)
Rupert Julian
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Henry King
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Harold Lloyd
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Carole Lombard
Slave Girl (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons
Charioteer (uncredited)
Mickey Millerick
(uncredited)
Carlotta Monti
Slave Girl (uncredited)
Colleen Moore
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Claude Payton
Jesus Christ (uncredited)
Mary Pickford
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Satini Pualoa
Extra (uncredited)
Leonora Summers
(uncredited)
Tom Tyler
Charioteer (uncredited)
Christiane Yves
Hedonist (uncredited)
Gary Cooper
Roman Guard (uncredited)
Clark Gable
Roman Guard (uncredited)
Myrna Loy
Slave Girl (uncredited)

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A review by sykobanana

Written by sykobanana on Sat Apr 24 2021

What an epic. Watching this, you can see why Wyler wanted to remake it in the 50s. In this, you can see the emotions of the characters that are much more fleshed out compared to the first (unauthorised) screen version. Set design and costumes are grand, though the hairstyling is reminiscent of the 1920s (but maybe Romans were into that). The score is typical silent movie fare. Colourising the "Biblical scenes" is a neat touch (reminiscent of "red letters" in a lot of Bibles), it focuses the viewers attention to where Wallace wanted the attention drawn. This is very faithful to the book...