Most expensive film produced (silent genre)

The most expensive silent film is MGM's Ben Hur (US 1925), which eventually cost $3.9million (then £852,645) to be made after filming began on location in Italy in 1923. This figure is equivalent to $33,109,910 (£20,693,694) today. Director Fred Niblo took over from Charles Brabin when the entire film crew were replaced and after a years work and $2 million (then £437,254) spent, filming was ordered to be continued in Hollywood where the project could be kept an eye on.