Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a 1925 American silent epic adventure-drama film directed by Fred Niblo and written by June Mathis based on the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by General Lew Wallace. Starring Ramon Novarro as the title character, the film is the first feature-length adaptation of the novel and second overall, following the 1907 short. In 1997, Ben-Hur was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Plot Ben-Hur is a wealthy young Jewish prince and boyhood friend of the powerful Roman tribune, Messala. When an accident and a false accusation leads to Ben-Hur's arrest, Messala, who has become corrupt and arrogant, makes sure Ben-Hur and his family are jailed and separated. Ben-Hur is sentenced to slave labor in a Roman war galley. Along the way, he unknowingly encounters Jesus, the carpenter's son who offers him water. Once aboard ship, his attitude of defiance and strength impresses a Roman admiral, Quintus Arrius, who allows him to remain unchained. This actually works in the admiral's favor because when his ship is attacked and sunk by pirates, Ben-Hur saves him from drowning. Arrius then treats Ben-Hur as a son, and over the years the young man grows strong and becomes a victorious chariot racer. This eventually leads to a climactic showdown with Messala in a chariot race, in which Ben-Hur is the victor. However, Messala does not die, as he does in the more famous 1959 adaptation of the novel. Ben-Hur is eventually reunited with his mother and sister, who have developed leprosy but are miraculously cured by Jesus Christ. Cast Main Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur Francis X. Bushman as Messala May McAvoy as Esther Betty Bronson as Mary Claire McDowell as Princess of Hur Kathleen Key as Tirzah Carmel Myers as Iras Nigel de Brulier as Simonides Mitchell Lewis as Sheik Ilderim Leo White as Sanballat Frank Currier as Arrius Charles Belcher as Balthazar Dale Fuller as Amrah Winter Hall as Joseph Claude Payton as Jesus Christ (uncredited) George Walsh (he recorded almost the entire film, but was replaced by Ramon Novarro) Some notable crowd extras during chariot race Reginald Barker John Barrymore Lionel Barrymore Clarence Brown Joan Crawford Marion Davies Douglas Fairbanks George Fitzmaurice Sidney Franklin John Gilbert Dorothy Gish Lillian Gish Samuel Goldwyn Sid Grauman Rupert Julian Henry