I recently showed Ben Hur to my Grade 8 Social Studies class and they thought it was a stinker. I had to agree. Melodramatic over acting. I am afraid the grand epics of the 50's and 60's haven't with stood the test of time very well. That is not say that Heston couldn't act. I have to agree with Rathdown above, however the style of acting Heston represents is I believe very far from modern standards