Ben Hur (Charlton Heston) is a Jewish prince who falls out with his close Roman friend (Stephen Boyd) when he refuses to promote Roman rule over his people - his mother and sister are imprisoned and he is enslaved. Hur plans and achieves revenge, but finds true peace when he joins the new following of Jesus Christ. This lavish biblical epic won a record-breaking eleven Oscars and is best known for its exciting chariot race sequence.

James Stewart plays a vengeful cow-herder who arrives in New Mexico determined to find the man who was responsible for the killing of his brother. His brother was shot down by Apaches armed with automatic rifles, and Stewart is looking for the man who sold them to the Indians. Following 'Winchester 73', 'Bend in the River', 'The Naked Spur' and 'The Far Country', this was the last of the five classic westerns Stewart made with director Anthony Mann.