Ben-Hur

In the time of the Messiah,

the Roman Empire grows to span thousands of miles.

It is an empire nourished by blood

and secured by fear.

They will take everything you have.

They will invite you to their games to watch others suffer

and forget what you have lost.

They will leave you with nothing but bitterness...

and desire for revenge.

You should have stayed away.

You should have killed me.

I will.

Don't burn out your horse too soon.

Three laps to go!

Try keeping up, Judah!

Don't embarrass yourself!

Watch your back, brother!

You're a prince, not a warrior!

Prince Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew.

Messala Severus, his adopted brother, a Roman.

They were as devoted to each other as they were competitive.

You're a cheat!

Cheat? All is fair to you Romans!

Oh, that's low!

Judah's father passed away

holding onto the hope that the two brothers

could be an example of unity in this divided land.

Cheat!

One more lap to go!

Judah.

Judah!

Judah!

Help!

Mother?

Judah's hurt! Someone help!

Mama!

Nanny. Nanny, help. Take him. Take him.

- Careful, careful. - What happened? Judah?

Judah!

- He's lost a lot of blood. - Is he all right?

- What happened? - There was a rock.

Mother?

Quick, fetch a doctor for your brother.

Tirzah! Run!

- Esther? - Yes, Father?

Prepare the room for Master Judah.

- Get water. - Hurry, Esther.

Careful, careful.

Get some water.

Up.

He's badly hurt. What have you done?

I haven't done anything. It was an accident.

Judah was thrown from his horse.

- We were riding and... - Racing!

Mum...

What should I do?

You've done enough. Now pray.

My son, will he live?

- Minerva... - He will recover.

- The doctor reassured us. - Mother Goddess,

restore him by the skin.

But, Mother, he looks like he's in so much pain.

Thank your Messala for that.

Be strong, Master Judah.

Wait. Wait.

You are like an angel.

Tirzah.

Go to bed.

Good night.

We have different gods, Messala.

Did we have fun?

- Esther, dance with me. - I'm not allowed.

Well, we can give people something to talk about.

We can cause a scandal. Come on.

Oh, let me help you.

I have it. It's not your place.

You know there's a whole world beyond Jerusalem.

Greece, Persia, Egypt.

I just want to experience it.

I'm tired of reading about it,

hearing about it from travelers.

- Are you? - Yes.

- But you make it sound so easy. - It's not easy.

But that's life.

Tirzah.

Could you help me to my bedroom, please?

You spend too much idle time with Messala.

If I didn't, you'd have nothing to complain about.

"Oh, have mercy on me, world!

"Not one of my 359 gods will smile upon me."

Don't mock.

What's wrong with you? It's supposed to be a celebration.

It's a celebration of your faith, not mine.

Well, that's the virtue of wine. It doesn't discriminate.

So what happened with you and Tirzah?

Your mother doesn't want us speaking.

And who cares what Mother wants?

Your mother cares.

And?

- Listen, Judah, I... - You have feelings for Tirzah.

Messala, admit it.

What am I supposed to do with them?

You and your family are royalty.

And what does that matter?

I'd rather she was paying attention to you

than some other brute.

Thanks.

I'm not saying you're a brute, I'm saying you're brutish.

Oh...

Simonides, go to bed. Messala!

- You and Tirzah would be like... - Like what?

Like we were family. We're not family, are we?

Are we?

I'm just a lowly orphan your family took in.

Oh, my God. Of course we're family!

You're my brother. You'll always be my brother.

Everything I own is yours.

No. I'll never have your name.

And every time my name is spoken,

it will be spoken alongside stories of my grandfather.

Until I earn it back.

Messala, wait. Wait!

Messala.

- Where are you going? - I'm going to Rome.

Wait. What do you mean, you're going to Rome?

Messala, stop.

The Emperor's called for men to put down the rebellion in Germania.

He's called for idiots to fight and die.

I can't believe this.

After everything we've done for you,

you still want to go and fight for those murderers!

The pay's steady.

"The pay's steady"?

So I can come back to Tirzah with stature and wealth.

But wealth doesn't mean anything.

- It never does if you're rich. - Messala, please.

Look, tell Tirzah...

If you have something to say to her, say it yourself.

Otherwise you're just walking away.

Judah?

Where's Messala?

Messala,

I hope this letter finds you well, if at all.

As with all the others I've sent over the past three years,

I expect no response.

I can only hope that it is by your choice and not by the way of your demise.

I always prefer not to see my food before I eat it.

That's probably the best idea.

You would hardly recognize your Jerusalem now.

What? What are you looking at?

The circus.

The Romans continue to leave their mark

and build their circus.

When you come home, I will honor the monstrosity

by humiliating you in one of those chariots you Romans so love.

Yes, of course.

But, brother, I do have news to tell you.

Here, try it.

Two months ago,

Esther's father found a wealthy Roman for her to marry.

- Hmm. - Hmm.

We still have to find you something special.

Oh, no, that's okay. I don't want anything.

I gave my blessing knowing in my heart it was a mistake.

I was reminded of how I used to jest to Mother

that one day we would wed...

Go with God.

Knowing the thought of her son, a prince,

marrying a servant would send her to an early grave.

I couldn't let her go.

If you leave me, you leave me with nothing.

She is now my wife, brother.

Despite the wonderful life we have together,

Rome has come to lay a hard hand on the city.

Repeated attacks have left them with little patience.

Thankfully, we've been able to retain their favor.

Well, for now.

Hear my plea.

Be safe. Return home.

I will listen to stories of your travels.

Judah.

- What have you found? - I don't know what it is.

I know what this is! This is a Senet board.

- How much for this? - Five shekels.

A Zealot, and that he will be subject today

to the customary punishment of crucifixion.

- No! - May his punishment

stand as a warning.

- Ah, the Zealots. - All they want is freedom.

And at what cost?

If they had their way,

they'll bring the whole of Rome down on us.

Then where will our freedom be?

- How much is it? Five? - Thank you, My Lord.

There's freedom elsewhere.

Excuse me?

Love your enemies.

"Love your enemies." Well, that's very progressive.

It's the truth.

God is love. He made us to share that love.