Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925 film) his body. Gertrude Olmstead was cast as Esther. While on location in Italy, Walsh was fired and replaced by Ramon Novarro. The role of Esther went to May McAvoy. Shooting began in Rome, Italy in October 1923 under the direction of Charles Brabin who was replaced shortly after filming began. Additional recastings (including Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur) and a change of director caused the production's budget to skyrocket. After two years of difficulties and accidents, the production was eventually moved back to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Culver City, California and production resumed in the spring of 1925. B. Reeves Eason and Christy
Dr. Dolittle (1998 film) 1967 as a musical under the same title, a closer (albeit still very loose) adaptation of the book. The earlier film was a box office bomb, but still remains a cult classic and a two-time Academy Award-winner. Despite its PG-13 rating, it was marketed as a family film. The 1998 film was a box office success, despite mixed reviews from critics. The film's success generated four sequels; "Dr. Dolittle 2", "Dr. Dolittle 3", "", and "", the latter three being direct-to-video. As a boy, John Dolittle displays an ability to talk to and understand animals, starting with his pet dog.