"To be a Roman is to rule the world! To be a Jew is to crawl in the dirt!"
In first century Jerusalem, a Jewish prince is condemned by his childhood friend for a crime he did not commit. His mother and sister are imprisoned and Judah Ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro) is cast into slavery. Three years later, a Roman tribune adopts him when he saves his life in battle. With his wealth and freedom restored, Judah seeks revenge on Messala (Francis X. Bushman) as his journey parallels the footsteps of Jesus.
Inherited by the fledgling Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation, the creation of Ben-Hur A Tale of the Christ (1925) was as epic as the nineteenth-century best seller on which it was based. Plagued with production problems and a budget nearing four million dollars, Ben-Hur was the costliest feature of the silent era, but the enormous popularity and prestige of the film helped establish MGM as a major studio. Highlights include several breathtaking two-color Technicolor segments and the jaw-dropping climactic chariot race.
STG Presents!
Seattle Theatre Group, the Paramount Theater and Trader Joe's present Silent Movie Mondays with Ramon Novarro in MGM's spectacular production of Ben-Hur A Tale of the Christ, featuring live musical accompaniment performed at the Paramount's original 1928 Publix One 4/20 Wurlitzer by Jim Riggs.
No Technicolor sequences in the print shown at the Paramount
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