"Please. Which David Lean movies have you seen? Not one Gibson film has a story or screenplay to rival The Bridge On The River Kwai, or Lawrence of Arabia. Not even in the same league."
We have all seen those movies, and many of his others, I never watched Dr. Zhivago but most everyone else has.
I shouldn't have said Mel was much better, but so far I think Mel has already equaled, or surpassed David, yet Mel has only been at it a few years.
David Leans really great movies were made at a stage of his career that Mel hasn't reached yet.
It is a little unfruitful arguing about movies, but we can try comparing their talent again when Mel gets another 30 years under his belt, by then I think there won't be much argument to it.
David Lean made a couple of my favorites, but he never reached the glorious heights of " The Passion of the Christ".
As far as I know David Lean wasn't a raving anti-semite or a drunk. He has those facts in his favor too.