BEN-HUR

APRIL 6

Epic drama about an aristocratic Jew (Heston) living in Judaea who incurs the wrath of a childhood friend, now a Roman tribune (Boyd). Although forced into slavery on a galley and compelled to witness the cruel persecution of his family, he survives, harbouring dreams of vengeance. A battle at sea and a chariot race (still considered one of the most thrilling scenes in motion picture history) are among the memorable sequences. The film used 300 sets at Rome's Cinecitta Studios and won a record 11 Oscars.