Charlton Heston brings authority to heroic parts, though his formal delivery can make feelings sound rehearsed. We value him most when that reserve comes under pressure, as it does opposite Stephen Boyd in Ben-Hur.
Fi1m perspective
In the reunion between Charlton Heston's Judah Ben-Hur and Stephen Boyd's Messala in Ben-Hur (1959), Heston's reserve gives Boyd something to work against. Their attention to each other carries an attraction the film does not need to spell out. We were moved by the discomfort of that meeting, because maintaining his formality seems to cost Heston's character something. William Wyler gives him more to do here than look resolute. The stiffness that can hinder his delivery becomes a reason to keep watching his face.
Cecil B. DeMille gave him his first major film break in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), then cast him as Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956). Heston's resonant voice and physical stature were well suited to men expected to speak with authority. Historical leads continued with Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar in El Cid (1961). Playing George Taylor in Planet of the Apes (1968) brought a fresh direction in science fiction after that run of grand historical parts.
Ben-Hur is also a useful warning against giving him too much solemn dialogue. When Judah has to announce a feeling, the formality can look stiff, and the repeated moral lessons are no easier to accept for being delivered so seriously. The chariot race earns its place in the long evening; the speeches too often seem to delay the next useful exchange. Boyd supplies emotional pressure that the grand declarations cannot. We rate the film as a good historical adventure, with more ceremony than its actors need.
His later work included character parts and narration, with True Lies (1994) finding him in James Cameron's spy comedy as Spencer Trilby. For a first encounter, we would choose Ben-Hur, provided a long and occasionally ponderous historical adventure appeals. Pay particular attention to the scenes with Boyd; Heston is worth watching when someone makes it difficult for him to remain composed.
Biography
Charlton Heston was an American actor. Born John Charles Carter on 4 October 1923, he died on 5 April 2008. He studied drama at Northwestern University and began his career on stage and in live television before moving into film.
Heston appeared in numerous films, including The Ten Commandments (1956) as Moses, Ben-Hur (1959) as Judah Ben-Hur, for which he received the Academy Award for Best Actor, Planet of the Apes (1968) as George Taylor, Tombstone (1993) as Henry Hooker, True Lies (1994) as Spencer Trilby, and In the Mouth of Madness (1995) as Jackson Harglow. He also provided narration for Hercules (1997) and Armageddon (1998).
He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1960s and supported civil rights causes during that decade. Later he was president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003. He was married to actress Lydia Clarke from 1944 until his death.
