Wanted director timur bekmambetov in talks to helm the benhur reboot. Together with the new governor his old friend messala arrives as commanding officer of the roman legions. The world, however, remembers him chiefly as the author of the novel ben hur, which he subtitled, a tale of the christ. Wanted director timur bekmambetov in talks to helm the. A tale of the christ first appeared in 1880, it was bound in a cadet bluegray cloth with floral decorations on the front cover, spine, and back cover. Karl tunberg, or more likely christopher fry or gore. The reason i bought and read the book was because of the title. Benhur struggles with this concept throughout the novel before accepting balthasars interpretation as he witnesses the crucifixion. Wallace wrote most of his masterpiece underneath a beech tree in crawfordsville, indiana. It is a towering story of love, of suffering, of the struggle of good against evil, and finally of triumph. The book that shook the world national endowment for. As with a lot of major studio releases, there will be a book to accompany it, a novel with a picture of benhur himself in a chariot on the cover. He completed the final chapters of the novel, especially those.
Books lew wallaces 1880 book also was a blockbuster. In the book he is the primary focus to make judah ben hur the believer in. The book is kind of thin with mostly information about the actors. His long descriptions of the settings in the novel have led to some criticism of the book, but they stand as a. The story tells of the adventures of judah benhur, jewish prince and merchant in jerusalem at the. We here at the museum like to monitor whats being said about lew wallace around the internet, and most of what we find is accurate and interesting. All i remembered about ben hur was the charlton heston movie, which i saw when i was young and all i remembered of that was the galley scenes and of course the chariot scene.
The musical soundtrack to benhur remained deeply influential into the mid 1970s, when film music composed by john williams for films such as jaws, star wars, and raiders of the lost ark became more popular among composers and filmgoers. One of the more prevalent fallacies, however, is the story that general wallace was an atheist who wrote benhur to disprove christianity. While this 2016 reimagining of the tale takes some liberties with wallaces plot, his spiritual elements remain core to the story. The real story of benhurs tale of the christ cbn news. Lew wallace, author of ben hur 19012000 church history. Benhur isnt a true story, but it was inspired by a. A tale of the christ, complete and unabridged wallace, lew on. Wallace wrote that he chose the name benhur because it was biblical, and easily spelled. The son of david wallace, an indiana governor and oneterm u. However, the basis for the movie benhur is a fictional book written by lew wallace, a civil war general. A tale of the christ 1880 by lew wallace is one of the most p.
Lewis wallace, american soldier, lawyer, diplomat, and author who is principally remembered for his historical novel benhur. Benhur was written by lew wallace and it was first published on november 12, 1880. Ben hur is still my favorite film and the book was an added addition. That version won 11 oscars, more than any other movie before it and has only since been tied by titanic 1997. A tale of the christ, complete and unabridged paperback march 25, 2014 by lew wallace author. However, the unexpected reunion after many years with his childhood best friend and now a roman tribune, messala, will lead to an eventual separation, banishing judah to a life of slavery and imprisonment at a galley ship.
Within a few months, he was relieved of his field command. Lewis wallace april 10, 1827 february 15, 1905 was an american lawyer, union general in. Judah benhur, a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother, an officer in the roman army, returns to his homeland after years at sea to seek revenge, but finds redemption. Judah benhur lives as a rich jewish prince and merchant in jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century.
He and benhur become friends, and malluch accompanies benhur and esther to rome at the end of the book. While the narrative centers around judah benhur, jesus is the storys real architect. It became a bestselling american novel, surpassing harriet beecher stowe s uncle toms cabin 1852 in sales. The experience motivated douglas to develop his own epic, spartacus 1960, which was partially designed to compete against benhur 1959. For many, watching the movie benhur has become an easter tradition. He completed the final chapters of the novel, especially those dealing with the crucifixion of christ, while he was serving as governor of the new mexico. Benhur is based on lew wallaces epic 1880 novel, benhur.
Judah benhur, shortened to benhur, is a fictional character, the title character and main protagonist from lew wallaces 1880 novel benhur. A tale of the christ is a novel by lew wallace, published by harper and brothers on november 12, 1880 and considered the most influential christian book of the nineteenth century. I want to thank you for that book, he wrote to wallace. Reviewed in the united states on november 14, 2010. I saw the movie many, many years ago and wish it had included the whole book and not just the exciting parts like the chariot races which is. Lewis lew wallace wrote more than just this novel, although it seems to be the only one. His wellknown works are the fair god about the spanish conquest of mexico, the prince of india about the wandering jew and the byzantine empire, and the most famous book of all, benhur, set in the roman empire. Wallace became so closely linked with benhur that he no longer went by general, but was referred to as lew wallace, author of benhur. I am taking this slow to understand better what the writer is trying to convey.
This august, nearly 60 years after mgms blockbuster movie, a new version of ben hur, starring jack huston and morgan freeman, will reach theaters. Lewis lew wallace was a lawyer, governor, union general in the american civil war, american statesman, and author, best remembered for his historical novel. A remake of benhur movie is about to hit the movie screens. In ben hur, wallace had written a novel that would help america forget the civil war. Wallace wrote the manuscript for benhur, his second and bestknown novel, during his spare time at crawfordsville, and completed it in santa fe, while serving as the territorial governor of new mexico. Wallace had been researching and writing the novel for seven years. Lew wallace fulfilled many roles in his life, including.
Douglas wanted to play judah benhur, whose jewishness appealed to him, but he was too old and charlton heston had already been cast. A tale of the christ written by lew wallace and published in 1880. Shapell manuscript foundation collection lew wallace collection, rare books and manuscripts, indiana state library. Judah ben hur is a fictional character, hero of the book ben hur. I have only read fifteen chapters so far, but benhur, a tale of the christ is absolutely compelling. Lew wallace wrote benhur in crawfordsville, indiana, and finished it in.
Lewis lew wallace was a lawyer, governor, union general in the american civil war, american statesman, and author, best remembered for his historical novel benhur. Wallace wrote the manuscript for benhur, his second and bestknown novel, during his spare time at. Lew wallace, author of ben hur on this day, february l5, l905, lewis wallace, the author of ben hur, died. In his biography, he admits using writing as a distraction from law. The book tells the story of a lifealtering encounter between a firstcentury jewish prince and jesus of nazareth. While governor of new mexico, lew wrote his dramatic story. I think because hollywood is completely void of religious understanding the movie was mostly just about action and chariot racing. He did most of his work underneath a beech tree near his residence in crawfordsville, indiana. A tale of the christ audible audiobook unabridged lew wallace. Whats fascinating to me is the story behind the book, which has also inspired two previous movies the 1925 silent version and the 1959 movieoftheyear, starring charlton heston.
He spent the rest of the war trying to win back the confidence of his superiors and the rest of his life trying to prove his innocence. And since its a novel, that means the tale of benhur is 100 percent fiction, wholly created by wallace. The story was first adapted into a silent blackandwhite feature in 1925, some thirty years before director william wyler made his famous technicolor. As one of the bestselling stories of all time, lew wallaces benhur. A tale of the christ is an 1880 novel by american author lew wallace. Thank you as a man who has come up from midnight into midday. At first they are happy to meet after a long time but their different politic views separate them. Wallace had only one other novel printed before the fair god in 1873 and harper probably only issued this first printing in an edition of 1,000 copies. With jack huston, toby kebbell, rodrigo santoro, nazanin boniadi. The true 1st edition of benhur kansas state university. Lewis wallace american author, soldier, and diplomat. Benhur, an adventure story of revenge and redemption, is told from the perspective of a jewish nobleman named judah benhur. Though never a member of a church, he became the best selling religious author of his day.
Those famous words do not actually appear in the original 1880 novel benhur by general lew wallace. If you were born after 1950, you might not know the story of ben hur. Benhur also meets balthasars daughter, iras, who flirts and acts coquettish with benhur. Over his lifetime he wrote a play, some poetry, as well as novels. I am amazed after listening to the whole book what a lame movie benhur was. A tale of the christ wordsworth classics wordsworth. It only remains to say that i did as resolved, with resultsfirst, the book ben hur, and second, a conviction amounting to absolute belief in god and the divinity of christ. I highly recommend this book written as a story of christ. There are a lot of urban legends about how why general lew wal. The book tells the story of a lifealtering encounter between a firstcentury jewish prince and.
This classic book written by a civil war general, lew wallace, in 1880, was turned into a movie starring charleton heston, which won the academy award for best movie in 1959. Iras wiles do entice benhur despite the nagging thoughts in his mind for esther, simonides daughter. The book covers the characters adventures and struggle against the roman empire as he tries to restore honour to his familys name after being falsely accused of attacking the roman governor. Minor biblical characters other biblical characters presented in. He was known for being dedicated to accuracy and spent years studying the geography, lifestyle and culture of the 1st century. Lew left behind him a lifetime of political and military accomplishments. Benhur, historical novel by lewis wallace, published in 1880 and. With this beautiful and reverent book you have lightened the burden of my daily life, he wrote to wallace later that same day. Fans from around the world wrote to wallace, recounting their own conversions with benhurthis one became a missionary, that one claimed the book saved his life. It deserves 5 stars because of lew wallaces vivid attention to detail and superb writing style. I vaguely remember ben hur from my childhood as a hollywood drama.