Ben Hur (2010) s01e00 Episode Script
Behind the Scenes
Ben Hur is the timless story of a man wronged, getting his revenge and finding himself at the same time.
It was a great success in '59, DAVID WYLER EXECUTIVE PRODUCER and it's proven to be a wonderful piece of entertainment many many times.
Here you have a tale of friendship betrayed, we've all witnessed that in our domestic situations but this is set against the backdrop of something enormous an epoch-making event.
Forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Ben Hur's story is not possible without Jesus's message: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do.
" And that's actually an extremely sophisticated message that he's offering, it's a civilising message, STEVE SHILL DIRECTOR forgive people who have actually done terrible wrongs, because if you don't start it, who will.
Generally it's the same story of a jew oppressed by the Romans, who was wronged by his best friend.
We've rethought the story so that it no longer takes place in Rome.
We've set it in Jerusalem, a small town at the edge of the Roman empire with much more character.
What I discovered inside this great script that we have, is that it's a really fantasctic psycho drama as well as being a spectacle.
A personal story about love, friendship and betrayal and those themes are universal.
The love between Ben Hur and Messala is undeniable, and I love the way that has been depicted here.
You see them as young boys with the world ahead of them, HUGH BONNEVILLE PLAYS PONTIUS PILATE and you see that relationship gradually crumble, and turn into something that leads to death.
In fifth rank, from Jerusalem, Judah Ben Hur.
Playing Ben Hur is obviously a tremedous honour.
It's an incredible character to play.
His journey is fantastically epic.
JOSEPH MORGAN PLAYS BEN HUR It spans over many years, and he has a series of incredible adventures along the way, from the galleys with the rowing, to horse riding and chariot racing, and these big dramatic scenes.
It really is incredible.
Ben Hur is a man of enormous dignity, you sense a goodness in the man, but there is an absolute sense of the need for justice.
And in his tradition, in his jewish tradition, it is an eye for an eye.
And he really gets consumed by this kind of boil of hatred inside him.
He really focusses entirely on his revenge, and on destroying, obliterating the person who caused his family to die and his friends to suffer.
I think it's fascinating watching these two men on parallel journeys, and how each one chooses to behave, and how Ben Hur rises from the galleys to a position of status in many ways through kindness.
KRISTIN KREUK PLAYS TIRZAH Messala is trying to get the same things, but is doing it through deceit, and anger, and lies.
You're aware of Messala's capacity to love, which is always being stopped by his weaknesses.
He's insecure and fearfull, STEPHEN CAMPBELL MOORE PLAYS MESSALA and it's a frustrating experience but I think dramatically it's interesting.
Messala is a wonderfully complex character.
in that he never loses his contact, his childhood connection with Ben Hur.
But ultimately he is a victim of his own situation, his own circumstance, and also his own need to succeed.
And I think he pours all the things that he lacks into something else, as he identifies with the Roman philosophy of attainment and gain through being politic and being pernicious.
Did I win? Did I win? He's off centre.
He doesn't have the same moral compass that Ben Hur has, but it's a psychological problem that he suffers from.
He is filled with sadness, and that's the part the Ben Hur has to come to recognise in order to save his own soul, that Messala himself is human after all.
It's quite amazing to me that there hasn't been a remake of Ben Hur sooner, because it is such a fabulous story.
It's different cultures, people of different backgrounds and beliefs ALEX KINGSTON PLAYS RUTH trying to coexist.
I think it's absolutely relevant today.
It's a story about love, and trying to extend that love out.
You get a sense on the set that everyone feels that they're a part of something really wonderful, and there's nothing better when you're an actress to feel that.
EMILY VANCAMP PLAYS ESTHER It's been pretty wonderful.
There's no point in trying to challenge the 1959 version.
It's famous for its scale.
We're not doing a big marble arena, it's not just cars going round and round an oval, it's chariots going round a sort of Monaco-style Grand Prix, like Death Race 2000.
I'm saying this is a race with no rules, you know, it's just the last man standing.
We're trying to create a sense or realism, I can describe it by calling it documentary style, as in, here's a race going on, and it's today, it's not 1959, so let's just grab it as if it's really happening right now.
Steve Shill is doing a wonderful job of putting us in the middle of the action in the middle of biblical times.
Bringing them alive in a way you've not seen before.
I've tried to give an impression that you can reach out and touch the classical world.
It's like taking a journey back in time.
It really is.
In this setting the costumes have an authentic quality to them.
It's very exciting I have to tell you.
It's been 50 jaar years.
People don't remember what the story is.
It's our turn to make it speak to this generation, to the 21st century.
It's a story for all people, no matter who you are.
It's going to be a real experience when it's finished and it's broadcasted.
It's going to be a great journey for the audience.
It was a great success in '59, DAVID WYLER EXECUTIVE PRODUCER and it's proven to be a wonderful piece of entertainment many many times.
Here you have a tale of friendship betrayed, we've all witnessed that in our domestic situations but this is set against the backdrop of something enormous an epoch-making event.
Forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Ben Hur's story is not possible without Jesus's message: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do.
" And that's actually an extremely sophisticated message that he's offering, it's a civilising message, STEVE SHILL DIRECTOR forgive people who have actually done terrible wrongs, because if you don't start it, who will.
Generally it's the same story of a jew oppressed by the Romans, who was wronged by his best friend.
We've rethought the story so that it no longer takes place in Rome.
We've set it in Jerusalem, a small town at the edge of the Roman empire with much more character.
What I discovered inside this great script that we have, is that it's a really fantasctic psycho drama as well as being a spectacle.
A personal story about love, friendship and betrayal and those themes are universal.
The love between Ben Hur and Messala is undeniable, and I love the way that has been depicted here.
You see them as young boys with the world ahead of them, HUGH BONNEVILLE PLAYS PONTIUS PILATE and you see that relationship gradually crumble, and turn into something that leads to death.
In fifth rank, from Jerusalem, Judah Ben Hur.
Playing Ben Hur is obviously a tremedous honour.
It's an incredible character to play.
His journey is fantastically epic.
JOSEPH MORGAN PLAYS BEN HUR It spans over many years, and he has a series of incredible adventures along the way, from the galleys with the rowing, to horse riding and chariot racing, and these big dramatic scenes.
It really is incredible.
Ben Hur is a man of enormous dignity, you sense a goodness in the man, but there is an absolute sense of the need for justice.
And in his tradition, in his jewish tradition, it is an eye for an eye.
And he really gets consumed by this kind of boil of hatred inside him.
He really focusses entirely on his revenge, and on destroying, obliterating the person who caused his family to die and his friends to suffer.
I think it's fascinating watching these two men on parallel journeys, and how each one chooses to behave, and how Ben Hur rises from the galleys to a position of status in many ways through kindness.
KRISTIN KREUK PLAYS TIRZAH Messala is trying to get the same things, but is doing it through deceit, and anger, and lies.
You're aware of Messala's capacity to love, which is always being stopped by his weaknesses.
He's insecure and fearfull, STEPHEN CAMPBELL MOORE PLAYS MESSALA and it's a frustrating experience but I think dramatically it's interesting.
Messala is a wonderfully complex character.
in that he never loses his contact, his childhood connection with Ben Hur.
But ultimately he is a victim of his own situation, his own circumstance, and also his own need to succeed.
And I think he pours all the things that he lacks into something else, as he identifies with the Roman philosophy of attainment and gain through being politic and being pernicious.
Did I win? Did I win? He's off centre.
He doesn't have the same moral compass that Ben Hur has, but it's a psychological problem that he suffers from.
He is filled with sadness, and that's the part the Ben Hur has to come to recognise in order to save his own soul, that Messala himself is human after all.
It's quite amazing to me that there hasn't been a remake of Ben Hur sooner, because it is such a fabulous story.
It's different cultures, people of different backgrounds and beliefs ALEX KINGSTON PLAYS RUTH trying to coexist.
I think it's absolutely relevant today.
It's a story about love, and trying to extend that love out.
You get a sense on the set that everyone feels that they're a part of something really wonderful, and there's nothing better when you're an actress to feel that.
EMILY VANCAMP PLAYS ESTHER It's been pretty wonderful.
There's no point in trying to challenge the 1959 version.
It's famous for its scale.
We're not doing a big marble arena, it's not just cars going round and round an oval, it's chariots going round a sort of Monaco-style Grand Prix, like Death Race 2000.
I'm saying this is a race with no rules, you know, it's just the last man standing.
We're trying to create a sense or realism, I can describe it by calling it documentary style, as in, here's a race going on, and it's today, it's not 1959, so let's just grab it as if it's really happening right now.
Steve Shill is doing a wonderful job of putting us in the middle of the action in the middle of biblical times.
Bringing them alive in a way you've not seen before.
I've tried to give an impression that you can reach out and touch the classical world.
It's like taking a journey back in time.
It really is.
In this setting the costumes have an authentic quality to them.
It's very exciting I have to tell you.
It's been 50 jaar years.
People don't remember what the story is.
It's our turn to make it speak to this generation, to the 21st century.
It's a story for all people, no matter who you are.
It's going to be a real experience when it's finished and it's broadcasted.
It's going to be a great journey for the audience.