Messala (Ben-Hur) she mentioned. In contrast with the 1925 version Messala is delighted when he hears that Judah has come to see him and still cares for his childhood friend before falling out over their different beliefs. In the book, Messala does not tell Judah that his mother and sister are alive. Another difference between the book and the film is that Messala and Gratus taking the Hur wealth is not part of the film's plot. In the 2003 animated film, Messala was voiced by Duncan Fraser. The character is quite different to the 1959 film. In this version he asks Ben-Hur
Production of Ben-Hur (1959 film) out that he wore leather bracers up to the elbow. Production of Ben-Hur (1959 film) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) originally announced a remake of the 1925 silent film "Ben-Hur" in December 1952, ostensibly as a way to spend its Italian assets. Stewart Granger and Robert Taylor were reported to be in the running for the lead. Nine months later, MGM announced it would make the film in CinemaScope, with shooting beginning in 1954. In November 1953, MGM announced it had assigned producer Sam Zimbalist to the picture and hired screenwriter Karl Tunberg to write it. Zimbalist was chosen because he had produced