Better movie than credited.

There can be no argument about taste, and whether a person likes something is entirely up to them. But it is important to give credit where it is due and this movie gets an awful lot right.

The epic scenes are very well handled. Masterful I would say.

The makeup is far better than average, even by contemporary standards. Modern makeup artists who think you need to fire Homer Simpson's makeup shotgun at an actor to represent old age should take note.

The acting, while uneven, is surprisingly modern. Look at any movie of the era and they are highly mannered and stylised. It isn't Brando to be sure, but there is a naturalness on display that overcomes the sometimes hammy acting that creeps in.

The movie is a gold mine of what later become tropes. The movie literate viewer will delight at the recognition of them. The move cannot possibly have been the source of all of them, but must reasonably be credited for a good deal of them.

The costuming is first rate.

The story, while often incredible, is nonetheless a ripping yarn. This is a fairly long movie and I wasn't bored for a minute of it.

Judged against the sensibilities and technical abilities of the day this movie is a remarkable achievement. I for one am not surprised it won best picture.