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"The greatest film in the history of cinema", proudly proclaims this French poster for Ben-Hur. Lasting 3.5 hours and directed by Hollywood veteran William Wyler (whose father was Swiss), the film tells the fictional story of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a Jewish patrician who rebels against Roman authority in ancient Jerusalem, amid the emergence of Christianity.
Released in 1960, this ambitious peplum was the most expensive film of its time, with a budget of 15 million dollars (around 160 million in 2024 dollars). The producers spared no expense: the famous chariot race, a 9-minute sequence, required five months of preparation, including the construction of an 18 acres set near Cinecittà studios in Rome, 78 days of shooting and 15,000 extras!
The film was a box-office success as colossal as its production: it grossed 150 million dollars (1.6 billion in today's money). Above all, it won 11 Oscars, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor, a record for the time.
Proof of its success, Ben-Hur was re-released many times over the decades, as evidenced by this monumental French poster from the 1980s.
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