Apple TVBen-Hur (1959)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Traditional
Viewer Rating
Rating: 8.4
Overview
In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Apple TV
Google PlayBias Dimensions
Political: Leans Right
Diversity: Low
LGBTQ: Neutral
Christianity: Positive
Judaism: Positive
Overview
In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Apple TVGoogle PlayDetailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Traditional
Primary
The film's central narrative champions individual spiritual transformation, forgiveness, and faith in traditional Christian values as the ultimate solution to personal suffering and injustice, rather than advocating for systemic political change.
The film features a predominantly white cast, consistent with traditional Hollywood casting practices of its time, without any explicit race or gender swaps of roles. Its narrative focuses on historical and personal drama, and does not include critical portrayals of traditional identities or explicit DEI themes.
Secondary
The film contains a widely discussed, though ambiguous and unconfirmed, homosexual subtext between Ben-Hur and Messala, largely attributed to screenwriter Gore Vidal. This potential queer identity is incidental to the main narrative, neither explicitly affirmed nor denigrated, resulting in a neutral portrayal.
The film portrays Jesus Christ as a divine, compassionate figure whose teachings and sacrifice lead to spiritual redemption and healing. It affirms the virtues of forgiveness and love through Ben-Hur's transformation and the miraculous healing of his family.
The film depicts Judah Ben-Hur and his family as devout Jews, portraying their faith with dignity, emphasizing their resilience, family values, and suffering under Roman oppression. It highlights their longing for a Messiah and their enduring cultural identity.
The film 'Ben-Hur' is an epic historical drama. Its female characters, primarily Esther and Tirzah, do not engage in any direct physical combat scenes against male opponents or any opponents at all. Their roles are supportive and dramatic, not action-oriented.
The 1959 film "Ben-Hur" adapts Lew Wallace's novel and previous film versions. All major characters, such as Judah Ben-Hur, Messala, and Esther, maintain the same gender as established in the source material. There are no instances of a character's canonical gender being altered for this adaptation.
The 1959 film 'Ben-Hur' features characters of Jewish, Roman, and Arab descent, all portrayed by white actors. While this reflects common Hollywood casting practices of the era for Middle Eastern roles, it does not constitute a race swap as defined, as there is no instance of a character established as one distinct racial category being portrayed as a different one.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
8.4
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
User Ratings
8.1
7.9
Critic Ratings
8.7
9.0
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