The 1959 film "Ben-Hur" stands as a testament to ambitious filmmaking, pushing the boundaries of cinematic production for its era. Directed by William Wyler and produced by Sam Zimbalist, this religious epic starring Charlton Heston was not merely an adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel; it was a colossal undertaking that set new standards for budget, scale, and logistical complexity. The film's production was a gamble for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM),
a studio facing financial distress in the late 1950s, but it ultimately paid off, becoming one of the most iconic movies in history.
Pre-production for "Ben-Hur" began in Italy at Cinecittà around October 1957. The sheer scale of the project was evident from the outset, with the MGM Art Department producing over 15,000 sketches and drawings for costumes, sets, and props. More than a million props were ultimately manufactured, showcasing the meticulous attention to detail required. Costume designer Elizabeth Haffenden oversaw a staff of 100 wardrobe fabricators, while a workshop employing 200 artists and workmen created hundreds of friezes and statues. This extensive preparation laid the groundwork for what would become the most expensive film produced up to that time.
Record-Breaking Budget and Extensive Filming
Initially budgeted at $7 million, the cost of "Ben-Hur" quickly escalated, reaching $10 million by February 1958 and ultimately $15.175 million by the time shooting began. This made it the costliest film ever produced at that point. Filming commenced on May 18, 1958, and wrapped on January 7, 1959, spanning nine months, with shooting days often lasting 12 to 14 hours, six days a week. The pace was so grueling that a doctor was present on set to administer vitamin B complex injections to the crew and cast.
The production utilized over 200 camels and 2,500 horses, with some 10,000 extras participating in various scenes. The famous nine-minute chariot race alone took three months to film, becoming one of cinema's most celebrated action sequences. The sea battle was ingeniously filmed using miniatures in a massive tank on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios backlot in Culver City, California. Cinematographer Robert L. Surtees oversaw the decision to produce the film in a widescreen format, further enhancing its epic scope.
Script Challenges and Creative Contributions
The screenplay for "Ben-Hur" was a collaborative effort, with Karl Tunberg credited, but also including contributions from Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Gore Vidal, and Christopher Fry. Director William Wyler found early drafts too much of a morality play with modern dialogue, leading to multiple writers being brought in. Gore Vidal, who worked on the script for three months, claimed to have rewritten nearly all the dialogue for the first half of the script, up to the chariot race. He also made a significant structural change, splitting Ben-Hur and Messala's reunion and falling out into two separate scenes.
Christopher Fry was the final writer on the film, arriving in Rome in May 1958 and working six days a week on set, writing and rewriting dialogue and entire scenes until the film was finished. Fry aimed to give the dialogue a more formal and archaic tone without making it sound stiff. The final script ran to 230 pages. The film's screenplay differed more from the original novel than the 1925 silent film, expanding Esther's role and incorporating a more pluralistic view of society, while still retaining a strong religious portrayal of Early Christianity. The meticulous planning, massive investment, and dedicated efforts of a vast team ultimately brought the grand vision of "Ben-Hur" to life on the big screen.
