{"product_id":"book-gb73","title":"Ben Hur","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA thrilling adaptation of Lew Wallace's epic biblical tale of betrayal, destiny and redemption.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJudea, 26 AD. Two men's lives run almost in parallel. One is a prince of Jerusalem. The other is known as 'He that is born King of the Jews'...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Judah Ben Hur visits his childhood playmate Messala, now a Roman tribune, he hopes to rekindle an old friendship. But their meeting has devastating consequences. Betrayed and falsely accused of attempted murder, Judah's property is confiscated and his family arrested - and he himself is sent to the galleys. En route to the sea, he meets a carpenter's son, who gives him water - and looking into the man's eyes, he almost loses his desire for vengeance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFreed from slavery years later, Judah travels to Antioch, where he hears of a King who will lead the Jewish people, and vows to go and fight for him. He also encounters his former friend Messala once more, and seizes the opportunity to crush him in a high-stakes chariot race. Emerging victorious, he journeys back to Jerusalem to find his lost mother and sister, and raise a resistance force against Rome. But as his life intersects with that of the King he champions, he comes to realise that Jesus of Nazareth is not a warrior, but a saviour - and that the path to his kingdom lies through forgiveness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst published in 1880, \u003ci\u003eBen Hur\u003c\/i\u003e was famously adapted as a 1959 blockbuster starring Charlton Heston, which won a record 11 Oscars. This spectacular, cinematic dramatisation boasts a stirring score by award-winning composer Wilfredo Acosta, and is brought to life by a stunning cast including \u003cb\u003eJulian Glover, Samuel West\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eMichael Gambon\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cu\u003eProduction credits\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten by Lew Wallace\u003cbr\u003eDramatised by Catherine Czerkawska\u003cbr\u003eDirected by Glyn Dearman\u003cbr\u003eMusic and sound design by Wilfredo Acosta\u003cbr\u003eIras' song sung by Elizabeth Mansfield\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cu\u003eCast\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJudah Ben Hur - \u003cb\u003eJamie Glover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMessala - \u003cb\u003eSamuel West\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAngel\/Esther - \u003cb\u003eDeborah Berlin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmrah - \u003cb\u003ePhyllis Calvert\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMother - \u003cb\u003eMargaret John\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eArrius\/Man 2 - \u003cb\u003eDerek Waring\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTirzah\/Maid - \u003cb\u003eNatasha Pyne\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChief of Rowers\/Man 1 - \u003cb\u003eDon McCorkindale\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMan 1\/Servant\/Roman 1\/Man at Inn - \u003cb\u003eJoshua Towb\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThord\/Man 2\/Passenger\/Servant - \u003cb\u003eMichael Tudor Barnes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMan in Boat\/Malluch - \u003cb\u003eGavin Muir\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSimonides - \u003cb\u003eBernard Hepton\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSheik Ilderim - \u003cb\u003eFreddie Jones\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBalthasar - \u003cb\u003eMichael Hordern\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrusus - \u003cb\u003eIan Masters\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIras - \u003cb\u003eBecky Hindley\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJesus\/Man 3 - \u003cb\u003ePeter Yapp\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePilate\/Guide\/John the Baptist - \u003cb\u003eNeville Jason\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAssassin - \u003cb\u003eOliver Senton\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMan 4 - \u003cb\u003ePeter Whitman\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMichael Gambon\u003c\/b\u003e reads from the Bible\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 March - 9 April 1995\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49387478810928,"sku":"BDgb73","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/284998-gb73-Square.jpg?v=1735196637","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-gb73","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}