Whatever you do, avoid the disastrous and thoroughly unnecessary 2016 remake of the same name. Heater entirely dominates the third act during the depiction of the Passion. Only seen from a distance or behind and speaking no dialogue throughout is the uncredited Claude Heater as Christ. In one of the movie’s most touching sub-plots, Haya Harareet (as Esther) and Martha Scott (as Miriam) co-star as Ben-Hur’s sister and mother who become afflicted with leprosy.

He is made to fight for his freedom against his childhood friend (and sadistic Roman soldier) Messala (Stephen Boyd), which concludes with the iconic chariot race sequence. Oscar-winner Charlton Heston plays Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman accused of a high crime and then made a slave.

Director William Wyler’s sprawling epic won 11 Academy Awards (a record it now shares with “Titanic” and “The Lord of The Rings: Return of the King”), including Best Picture. The second adaptation (after the 1925 silent film) of the 1880 Lew Wallace novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” is easily the highest-profile, most-familiar title on this list. Unlike most Christmas movies which are much greater in number and desired commercial appeal (and always lower in actual rewarding spiritual content), these select films put the emphasis on faith, message, redemption, and hope.Īll titles are available on assorted streaming services for options, visit ‘Ben-Hur’ (1959) With the holiest of all Christian holidays arriving this weekend, it might be a good time to put the spotlight on some of the higher-quality Easter-themed features.

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