Ben Hur

At the time it was released (1959), it was the most expensive movie ever made, and one of the longest. It won 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor (Charlton Heston), and Best Score (Miklos Rozsa). Heston is magnificent as Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman in Palestine whose odyssey includes slavery under the Romans, a famous chariot race (which took 3 months to shoot and featured 8,000 extras), and fateful encounters with Jesus Christ. Original recording, remastered and restored. 3 hrs, 2 DVDs.

"Magnificent…majesty is in almost every frame of this film"—TV Guide

 

"What matters most and comes off best in the pictures is the great scenes of spectacle, particularly the chariot race, a superbly handled crescendo of violence that ranks as one of the finest action sequences ever shot. All by itself it would be worth the price of admission. "—Time Magazine

 

“Magnificent…majesty is in almost every frame of this film” – TV Guide

 

“What matters most and comes off best in the pictures is the great scenes of spectacle, particularly the chariot race, a superbly handled crescendo of violence that ranks as one of the finest action sequences ever shot. All by itself it would be worth the price of admission. “ – TimeMagazine

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Charlton Heston, 1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hugh Griffith, 1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Cinematography, Color (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Costume Design, Color (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Director (William Wyler, 1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Effects, Special Effects (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Film Editing (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Mikl?s R?zsa, 1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Picture (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Winner for Best Sound (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy Award Nomination for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (1960)<br><br>

 

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, Saturn Award Nomination for Best Classic Film DVD Release (2006)<br><br>

 

BAFTA Film Award Winner for Best Film from any Source (William Wyler, 1960)<br><br>

 

David di Donatello Awards, David Award Winner for Best Foreign Actor (Migliore Attore Straniero) (Charlton Heston, 1961)<br><br>

 

David di Donatello Awards, David Award Winner for Best Foreign Production (Migliore Produzione Straniera) (1961)<br><br>

 

Directors Guild of America Award Winner for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (1960)<br><br>

 

Fotogramas de Plata Award Winner for Best Foreign Performer (Mejor intérprete de cine extranjero) (Charlton Heston, 1960)<br><br>

 

Golden Globe Award Winner for Best Motion Picture – Drama (1960)<br><br>

 

Golden Globe Award Winner for Best Motion Picture Director (William Wyler, 1960)<br><br>

 

Golden Globe Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Stephen Boyd, 1960)<br><br>

 

Golden Globes, Special Award Recipient (Andrew Marton) for directing the chariot race (1960)<br><br>

 

Golden Globe Award Nomination for Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama (Charlton Heston, 1960)<br><br>

 

Grammy Award Nomination for Best Soundtrack Album or Recording of Music Score from Motion Picture or Television (Mikl?s R?zsa)<br><br>

 

Laurel Awards, Golden Laurel Award Winner, Special Award (1960)<br><br>

 

Laurel Awards, Golden Laurel 2nd Place Award for Top Male Dramatic Performance (Charlton Heston, 1960)<br><br>

 

Laurel Awards, Golden Laurel 3rd Place Award for Top Male Dramatic Performance (Stephen Boyd, 1960)<br><br>

 

Laurel Awards, Golden Laurel 3rd Place Award for Top Male Supporting Performance (Hugh Griffith, 1960)<br><br>

 

Motion Picture Sound Editors, Golden Reel Award Winner for Best Sound Editing – Feature Film (1960)<br><br>

 

National Board of Review Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Hugh Griffith, 1959)<br><br>

 

National Board of Review, Special Citation Award (Andrew Marton & Yakima Canutt) for directing the chariot race (1959)<br><br>

 

National Film Preservation Board, National Film Registry (2004)<br><br>

 

New York Film Critics Circle Award Winner for Best Film (1959)<br><br>

 

Writers Guild of America, Screen Award Nomination for Best Written American Drama (1960)