The 1959 epic historical film starring Charlton Heston and featuring the famous chariot race is Ben-Hur. Heston plays Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince in Roman-ruled Judea whose life changes after a conflict with his former friend Messala, now a Roman officer.
Directed by William Wyler, the film adapts Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and was made as a lavish MGM production. Its story combines political oppression, personal revenge, Roman spectacle, and Christian themes, with Jesus appearing as a significant figure without being shown speaking.
The chariot race, in which Judah competes against Messala, lasts about nine minutes and became one of cinema’s most celebrated action sequences. The film was also a major awards success, winning a then-record 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
A common mix-up is confusing this film with the 1925 silent Ben-Hur or the 2016 remake. Quo Vadis and Spartacus are also Roman-era epics, but neither is the Charlton Heston film built around this chariot-race storyline.