34 Years Before ‘Ben-Hur,’ This Underrated Classic Told the Exact Same Story in a Way That’s Just As Epic

Ever since Charlton Heston tackled the iconic role of Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 classic Ben-Hur, it has become one of Hollywood’s greatest achievements. A historical religious drama of epic proportions, the film is quite the masterwork, and remains beloved by many today. But decades before Heston took on the role, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer brought the story — itself based on the Lew Wallace novel of the same name — to life as a silent picture that first premiered back in December 1925 with Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Even 100 years later, this on-screen adventure remains a powerful depiction of the extra-biblical story, featuring Ramon Novarro in the leading part.

‘Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ’ Ushered the Famed Masterwork Into the Public Eye

Image via MGM

While Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was not the first adaptation of Wallace’s best-selling novel (which was only dethroned in sales by Margaret Mitchell‘s Gone With the Wind after about 50 years), it was the first feature-length attempt that honored the truly epic nature of the story. The tale had previously been adapted as a stage play, but in the mid-1920s, MGM opted to transition from the stage to the screen to make Ben-Hur more widely accessible. More than that, the preexisting popularity of the novel made it a surefire hit. The promise of a significant return must’ve been enough of a motivator for the studio to press on, however, despite the various difficulties in production. According to a 1924 issue of Photoplay Magazine, the Rome-based production not only lost its director (Charles Brabin, who would be replaced by Fred Niblo), but its leading star, as Novarro took over from George Walsh after four months of shooting.

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Nevertheless, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ persisted, and the nearly two-and-a-half hour silent feature had plenty to show for all the struggles in bringing Wallace’s novel to life in its entirety. Previously, the unauthorized 1907 short film only ran about 15 minutes, covering only a small part of the Ben-Hur story. By comparison, A Tale of the Christ expanded on what made the book so compelling, with breathtaking cinematography, grand theatrical scale, distinct and brilliant performances from Novarro and co-star Francis X. Bushman (who played Ben-Hur’s childhood friend-turned-rival Massala), and a chariot sequence that still remains the template for many other Hollywood productions. The suspense, the drama, the battles; all contributed masterfully to this long-forgotten silent epic, which set not only the longtime standard for the Hollywood epic, but proved filmmaking to be an exceptional art form unparalleled, even on the screen or the pages of books.

While Charlton Heston and the beautifully colored 1959 feature remain the gold standard these days, back in the 1920s, there was nothing like Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ to compare it to. June Mathis‘ screenplay and the elaborate visuals of the various cinematographers employed by the studio conjured something truly remarkable. Even when comparing the 1925 film with its 1959 counterpart, we can see that the former had a genuine influence on the latter. No matter which you prefer, one cannot deny the artistry on display in both, especially when compared to the duller (though not exactly terrible) 2016 remake. Still, many today consider the 1925 film — which really hit theaters in 1926, though it premiered in the eleventh hour on December 30, 1925 — to be a stronger adaptation of the novel than the later Cecil B. DeMille remake.

This Silent-Era ‘Ben-Hur’ Remains Influential Even 100 Years Later

Image via MGM

Of course, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was quite notable in its day for being the most expensive silent film in Hollywood’s catalog. But more than that, it became a rousing reminder of just how far filmmaking can go. It’s no wonder, then, that this often forgotten silent picture — which now exists in the public domain, and can be found for free on platforms like YouTube — has continued to influence movies today, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Indeed, it was the chariot race sequence that stunned audiences most, and was later copied over shot-for-shot into the 1959 remake as well. According to film historian Kevin Brownlow in his silent-era book, The Parade’s Gone By…, it was only the opening bits of the 1925 film’s famed action sequence that were imitated by the 1959 version, which included “many more spectacular crashes, but dispensed with some of the more striking angles of the race, such as the dramatic pit shot.”

Due to the popularity of the DeMille/Heston remake, the chariot race would live on beyond the tale of Ben-Hur itself. Many have pointed out over the years that The Prince of Egypt and even Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace pull directly from this race in the 1959 film with their own respective racing sequences, with many of the shots correlating directly with Ben-Hur. In a strange way, they almost serve as grandchildren to the silent-era epic’s most notable sequence, allowing the influence of MGM’s first big-screen Lew Wallace adaptation to still make waves even to this day. Despite its clear influence on the future of cinema, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a silent epic worthy of a viewing today.

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is in the public domain and available for streaming for free on JustWatch.