Ben Hur (1907 film)

• William S. Hart: Messala

Ben Hur is a film by Sidney Olcott in 1907. It is the first film adaptation of the novel of the same substance. As model for the based on the novel play by W. Young in 1899. 1911, the filmmakers lost a case brought against them copyright process, which was a precedent of the U.S. copyright law.

Action

In the early 1st century AD, the Jew Ben -Hur lives. He comes with his former friend Messala, a Roman centurion, together.

The plot is gathered and kept short. In the center of the film is the chariot race, which was filmed on a beach in New Jersey with local firemen.

Comments

Dating back to 1899 by W. Young stage version of the novel by Lew Wallace served the film as a template. He remains close to the piece and, as usual in the early days of film production, the template was copied recklessly without permission of the author. This was the film producer ( Kalem Studios), the Motion Picture Patents Company and the screenwriter Gauntier sue for copyright infringement. 1911, the United States Supreme Court ultimately decided against the filmmakers and applied for the first time copyright principles to movies. Indirectly, therefore also the basis for the profession of professional screenwriter was created.

Remakes

Successful remakes of the substance formed in 1925 under the direction of Fred Niblo and in 1959 directed by William Wyler (who already participated as an assistant director in the version of 1925). Furthermore, there is an animated version from 2003, directed by Bill Kowalchuk and a TV remake from the year 2010.