Every Best Picture Oscar Winner Ranked Worst To Best

54. Ben-Hur (1959)

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest
MGM

Best remembered for its glorious, heart-stopping chariot sequence, Ben-Hur would be all spectacle were it not for Charlton Heston's heroic central performance and its bracing tale of betrayal and revenge.

The action hasn't aged all that well in its bigger moments, but Ben-Hur is still an early example of pure, blockbuster entertainment, playing things big and loud but still finding balance for quieter, character-driven drama. It may be a long sit, but it's the best Ben-Hur adaptation by a country mile.

Contributor

Aidan Whatman hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.