Mgm's Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ

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Director William Wyler's film was a retelling of the spectacular silent film of the same name (director Fred Niblo's and MGM's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)). Both films were adapted from the novel (first published in 1880) by former Civil War General Lew Wallace. Wyler had been an 'extras' director on the set of DeMille's original film in the silent era. MGM's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), featuring a cast of 125,000, cost about $4 million to make after shooting began on location in Italy, in 1923, and starred silent screen idols Ramon Novarro and Francis X. Bushman. This figure is equivalent to $33 million today - it was the most expensive silent film ever made.

This remake of the novel was inspired by the fact that three …show more content…

One is a Roman, one is a Jew. Messala realizes it will be a difficult province to govern and asks for Ben-Hur's help and advice. Ben-Hur is opposed to Roman domination and suggests: "Withdraw your legions. Give us our freedom." But Messala cannot - he is second in command to the new governor who will arrive in a few days with two more legions. Ben-Hur is more and more hateful of Roman anti-Semitism and argues against his childhood friend. Messala warns: "There is rebellion in the wind. It will be …show more content…

But Ben-Hur finds it difficult to join in a pact against Jewish rebels. Messala realizes the difficulty of what he asks, as he pours wine for a toast: "It's an insane world, but in it there's one sanity, the loyalty of old friends. Judah, we must believe in one another." They cross arms and drink to that pledge.

The next day, Judah's mother Miriam (Martha Scott) and his sister Tirzah (Cathy O'Donnell) also receive Messala warmly in their home, almost as one of their family. Messala presents a Libyan brooch to Tirzah. Likewise, Ben-Hur gives Messala a valuable white Arabian horse as a token of their friendship (foreshadowing the chariot race to come), and Messala thanks him: "It's going to be like old times, I know

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