# In 1959, Burt Lancaster refused to star in a “piece of crap” movie. It made cinema history

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1959-burt-lancaster-refused-to-star-in-a-piece-of-crap-movie-it-made-cinema-history/
- Published: 2026-11-04T23:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T00:51:37+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/i1959-burt-lancaster-refused-to-star-in-a-piece-of-crap-movie/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Lancaster rejected *Ben-Hur* despite a $1 million offer.
- The film won a record 11 Oscars.
- Lancaster won Best Actor the following year.

## Summary

Burt Lancaster turned down the title role in *Ben-Hur* in 1959, despite MGM offering him $1 million, because he objected to its portrayal of Christianity and doubted the film would succeed. The epic became a major box-office and critical hit, making his refusal a notable cinema “what if”.

Filmed at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, the production cost $15 million and used 300 large sets, making it Hollywood’s most expensive film at the time. Charlton Heston took the lead and won Best Actor as the film received 11 Oscars, a record later matched by *Titanic* and *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*. Lancaster won his own Best Actor Oscar the following year for *Elmer Gantry*.

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