After his boyhood friend Messala's fanatic loyalty to Rome makes him a powerful enemy, Judah Ben-Hur is found guilty of an attempted murder he did not commit. His family is banished and he is enslaved on a warship. Through his ferocity in a raging sea battle, he is able to escape and become a horse trainer.

To exact his revenge, Ben-Hur decides to compete against Messala in the Roman chariot races. They race, locked in a battle to the death. Barely surviving, Ben-Hur forsakes the sword for Christ and finally finds redemption.

Directed by
William Wyler

Cast
Charlton Heston - Judah Ben-Hur
Jack Hawkins - Quintus Arrius
Stephen Boyd - Messala
Haya Harareet - Esther
Hugh Griffith - Sheik Ilderim
Martha Scott - Miriam
Sam Jaffe - Simonides
Cathy O'Donnell - Tirzah
Finlay Currie - Balthasar
Frank Thring - Pontius Pilate
Terence Longdon - Drusus
Andre Morell - Sextus

Produced by
Sam Zimbalist

Studio
MGM Studios

Writer
Karl Tunberg
Lew Wallace

Music
Miklos Rozsa