In our present popular culture, saturated as it is with CG-ants scurrying about CG-environments, films like Ben-Hur are not so much a breath of fresh air, but a defiant roar. The chariot race alone is considered one of the greatest action scenes ever – the other 205 minutes are pretty darn good too. 

In The Bishop’s Wife, Cary Grant plays an angel sent to rescue the fading spirits of a Bishop, (played by the great David Niven), and his wife Loretta Young. Sound familiar? It was remade about 50 years later with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston as The Preacer’s Wife. 

Peter O’Toole as Henry II does verbal battle with Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion In Winter. Based on a play, this film features early screen performances from Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins, who based his performance as Hannibal Lecter on Katharine Hepburn in this film…that alone should encourage you to see this.