Continuing the tradition of epic grandeur established by the novel, two record-breaking movies, and a Broadway play, "Judah Ben-Hur" sets to music the sweeping story of the world's favorite "Prince of Jerusalem".

The Book: Written by Lew Wallace in the closing years of the 19th century, "Ben-Hur" immediately captured the hearts and imaginations of readers across America and Europe. It became the second most read book of its time.

The Play: Nineteen years after publication the book was adapted for theatre and began its unprecedented run on Broadway. The show ran across the United States for an amazing twenty-one years. The highlight of the play was the chariot race in which horses were trained to run on a treadmill while a thirty-foot high background scrim was run in the opposite direction behind them.

The Silent Film: In 1926 "Ben-Hur, A Tale Of The Christ" was released by MGM. Starring silent screen idols Ramon Navarro and Francis X. Bushman, the film was the most ambitious undertaking of its day and was met with overwhelming acceptance by moviegoers around the world.

The Academy Award Winning Classic: In the middle 1950's, faced with growing competition from the television industry, America's movie moguls sought ways to entice the public to return to the theatre. In an effort to turn their struggling studio around, MGM reached for the tried and true tale that had served them so well on the silent screen. In 1959 the world was treated to the movie that to this day has set the standard for others to follow. This cinema spectacular, starring Charlton Heston as Ben-Hur and Steven Boyd as Mesalla, his arch-enemy, established itself as the most honored and award-winning film of all time. It was nominated for 12 academy awards and actually received an unparalleled eleven Oscars including the coveted Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director awards.

The DVD: As proof of the film's timeless appeal, movie aficionados worldwide rushed to video outlets to purchase the classic when it was released on DVD in the spring of 2001.