I highly recommend the silent version of "Ben-Hur" by Fred Niblo (1927?). It features nudity and a fascinating chariot race scene as well. I believe some of it is in color. It's a terrific film. Also, Gen. Lew Wallace who wrote the novel on which the films are based was an interesting character himself. An Indiana native, he was a Civil War general (as I recall, not a very good one. Gen Grant was very angry with him at one point during the war), an Ambassador and a Governor of New Mexico Territory among other things.

Any discussion of Ben Hur without the words "Gore" and "Vidal" seems somehow inappropriate.

@2: Yup. When it comes to Ben-Hur it's gay subtext or GTFO.

It bombed. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/201…