The winner of 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Directorand Best Actor, Ben-Hur stands as one of the greatest Hollywood epicsever filmed.A member of the Jewish nobility living in Jerusalem, JudahBen-Hur (Charlton Heston) lives a religious life and peacefully opposesthe tyrannical occupation of Judea by Rome. When a boyhood friend ,Messala (Stephen Boyd), returns to the region as a Roman official, heand Judah become estranged due to Messala's fanatical loyalty to Romeand ruthless indifference to the fate of Judea. Casting friendshipaside, Messala fabricates a charge of treason against Ben-Hur, hissister and mother, all of whom are arrested by Roman soldiers.