Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius in Ben-Hur – Original PA-Reuter Press Photograph – Lew Wallace – 1959

Description

A striking original 1959 black-and-white press photograph of Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius in William Wyler’s Ben-Hur, issued during the film’s original release period.

Hawkins is shown in an exceptionally strong close portrait wearing the elaborate armour and crested helmet of the Roman naval commander Quintus Arrius. Photographed gripping a rope against what appears to be part of the production’s ship setting, the image has considerably greater visual impact than a conventional cast portrait and presents Hawkins unmistakably in character.

The reverse carries the large contemporary stamp of:

P.A.-REUTER PHOTOS LTD.
85 Fleet Street, London, E.C.4

together with a Shields Gazette Library stamp, manuscript newsroom annotations and a retained contemporary newspaper cutting describing the photograph.

The cutting identifies:

“Jack Hawkins, armoured for his role as Quintus Arrius in Ben Hur.”

It further records that the film was based on General Lew Wallace’s classic novel, that its cast numbered many thousands, that the production had been filmed in Italy, and that the London premiere was to take place in December.

The archive also carries a contemporary date stamp which appears to read 26 October 1959.

This is therefore much more than an undated photograph of Hawkins in Roman costume. The PA-Reuter stamp, contemporary newspaper caption and archive history place the print squarely within the British publicity campaign for one of the most celebrated epic films of the twentieth century.

Ben-Hur

Directed by William Wyler, MGM’s Ben-Hur was adapted from Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and starred Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet and Hugh Griffith.

Hawkins played Quintus Arrius, the Roman consul and fleet commander whose relationship with Judah Ben-Hur becomes crucial to the narrative. After Ben-Hur saves Arrius during the naval battle, Arrius ultimately adopts him, giving him the social position and freedom that allow his return to Judea.

The film received its London premiere on 16 December 1959, at the Empire, Leicester Square.

It subsequently became one of the great landmarks of Hollywood epic cinema, winning 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for William Wyler and Best Actor for Charlton Heston.

The surviving October 1959 archive date is consequently particularly attractive: the photograph was circulating in the British press before the London premiere, while MGM’s publicity campaign for the film was still underway.

Original Press Provenance

The verso provides strong contemporary evidence for the photograph’s period status:

• original P.A.-Reuter Photos Ltd. Fleet Street stamp;
• Shields Gazette Library stamp;
• contemporary newspaper caption identifying Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius;
• direct reference to Ben-Hur and Lew Wallace;
• contemporary archive date;
• manuscript newspaper working annotations.

This distinguishes the photograph clearly from the large number of later Ben-Hur reproductions and collector prints.

Getty’s archival collection independently records contemporary 1959 publicity photographs of Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius, confirming the use of individual Hawkins costume portraits during the original publicity campaign.

Condition

Very good condition overall for an original working press photograph dating from 1959.

The image remains sharp and strongly contrasted, with excellent detail throughout Hawkins’s face, Roman helmet, armour and costume.

There is light age-related toning, minor surface and handling wear and modest edge and corner wear consistent with genuine newspaper use.

The reverse retains the PA-Reuter Photos Ltd. stamp, Shields Gazette Library stamp, manuscript editorial annotations, contemporary newspaper cutting and archive date. There are small areas of residual adhesive or archive marking, consistent with its working history.

Please study both photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description.

Subject: Jack Hawkins
Character: Quintus Arrius
Film: Ben-Hur
Director: William Wyler
Literary source: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace
Date: 1959
Archive date: Apparently 26 October 1959
London premiere: 16 December 1959
Agency: PA-Reuter Photos Ltd.
Production: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Photographer: Uncredited
Provenance: Shields Gazette photographic archive
Size: 20.3 × 15.1 cm
Format: Original black-and-white press photograph
Verso: PA-Reuter Photos Ltd. stamp, Shields Gazette Library stamp, contemporary newspaper caption and manuscript archive annotations
Modern reproduction: No

Authenticity

This photograph has been handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at Hornseys.

Its identification and period status are supported directly by the surviving PA-Reuter stamp and contemporary newspaper caption identifying Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius in Ben-Hur, together with its Shields Gazette archive provenance.

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