Greatest Actor Of All Time

[Pike B]

My top 10.
10: Brad Pitt: Best Performance: Twelve Monkeys
9: Denzil Washington: Best Performance: Training Day
8: Sean Penn: Best Performance: Carlito's Way
7: Tom Hanks: Best Performance: Philadelphia
6: Morgan Freeman: Best Performance: Shawshank Redemption
5: Al Pacino: Best Performance: Scent of a Woman
4: Jack Nicholson: Best Performance: One Flew Over Cuckoos Nest
3: Johnny Depp: Best Performance: Ed Wood
2: Robert De Niro: Best Performance: Raging Bull
1: Marlon Brando: Best Performance: On The Waterfront/Godfather
All top actors in incredible roles.

[theworm2345]

1: Cristiano Ronaldo: Best Performance: Every Game

[Pike B]

1: Cristiano Ronaldo: Best Performance: Every Game

Indeed, but hardly oscar worthy!!

[Dodge]

5: Al Pacino: Best Performance: Scent of a Woman

Scandalous choice for his best performance. One of his worst IMO

I'd nominate Dog Day Afternoon

[Pike B]

Scandalous choice for his best performance. One of his worst IMO

I'd nominate Dog Day Afternoon

Only oscar win. And he was brilliant. But he's always. Could have been any one of those two, or Godfather, Serpico, Carlito's Way, Heat.. Very hard to pick one. I stand by my choice.

[ken foree]

nice number 1 pikeb, i'd go with 'on the waterfront' over the godfather. for nicholson i might have chosen the shining - when he's drunk talking to the ghosts in the bar... simply amazing.

[Pike B]

nice number 1 pikeb, i'd go with 'on the waterfront' over the godfather. for nicholson i might have chosen the shining - when he's drunk talking to the ghosts in the bar... simply amazing.

I was edging towards The Shining I really was, but he was so fantastic in Cuckoos Nest. Just got the edge for me. As for Brando, I also would go for Waterfront if pushed. But Marlon was the greatest. Hands down. I picked up two Brando box sets on play.com for very good price. Worth a look.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Only oscar win. And he was brilliant. But he's always. Could have been any one of those two, or Godfather, Serpico, Carlito's Way, Heat.. Very hard to pick one. I stand by my choice.

After years of varied and creative performances they finally gave him the gong for a film where he just basically shouts in a Cajun accent. It's an enjoyable performance but not a great one and certainly not one that challenged him as an actor.

Cracked.com have a good gag about it in this article

[skitz3]

Robert Mitchum - Night of the Hunter.

[jmurphyc]

Robert Mitchum - Night of the Hunter.

I've been dying to see that film for a few years now. I've heard great things about it. I would also include Daniel Day-Lewis in the top 10. He hasn't been in many films but he's excellent in most films that I've seen him in. Also, what about the older generation of actors such as James Stewart, Bogart, Cary Grant, etc. I'm a big fan of James Stewart myself.

[jebus]

10. Tom Hanks - Philadelphia
9. Tom Cruise - Rain Man
8. Benicio Del Toro - 21 Grams
7. James Stewart - It's a Wonderful Life
6. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Love Liza
5. Al Pacino - Heat
4. Robert Duvall - Apocolypse Now
3. Marlon Brando - Apocolypse Now
2. Jack Nicholson - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1. Robert De Niro - Raging Bull

Don't understand how Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp would make anyone's top ten list to be honest, both have done good work (Pitt in Babel, Depp in Edward Scissorhands for me), but they certainly can't control the screen in the way I feel the ten I've picked can

[osarusan]

Dustin Hoffman in Lenny.

The only reason anybody would vote for a different acting performance is because the haven't seen this one.

[jmurphyc]

Sean Penn in Mystic River was another sensational performance.

[ken foree]

I've been dying to see that film for a few years now. I've heard great things about it. I would also include Daniel Day-Lewis in the top 10. He hasn't been in many films but he's excellent in most films that I've seen him in. Also, what about the older generation of actors such as James Stewart, Bogart, Cary Grant, etc. I'm a big fan of James Stewart myself.

night of the hunter is fantastic. very offbeat for its time. mitchum is terrific - i was gonna post some older generation additions to pikeb's list too and jimmy stewart would've been one of the first ones on it. orson welles, joseph cotten, and edward g. robinson (check out "key largo" with him if you like bogart) jump to mind and the names of john gielgud, sydney poitier, laurence olivier, john barrymore, and alec guinness among many many others should really get shouted.

[Pike B]

night of the hunter is fantastic. very offbeat for its time. mitchum is terrific - i was gonna post some older generation additions to pikeb's list too and jimmy stewart would've been one of the first ones on it. orson welles, joseph cotten, and edward g. robinson (check out "key largo" with him if you like bogart) jump to mind and the names of john gielgud, sydney poitier, laurence olivier, john barrymore, and alec guinness among many many others should really get shouted.

That's what it's all about. All great names there. Maybe this list should be top 50!!

[Pike B]

After years of varied and creative performances they finally gave him the gong for a film where he just basically shouts in a Cajun accent. It's an enjoyable performance but not a great one and certainly not one that challenged him as an actor.

Cracked.com have a good gag about it in this article

Ya, I figured this was going to get a reaction. Again, very tough to single out one Pacino performance but hey, whatcha gonna do...

[Pike B]

10. Tom Hanks - Philadelphia
9. Tom Cruise - Rain Man
8. Benicio Del Toro - 21 Grams
7. James Stewart - It's a Wonderful Life
6. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Love Liza
5. Al Pacino - Heat
4. Robert Duvall - Apocolypse Now
3. Marlon Brando - Apocolypse Now
2. Jack Nicholson - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1. Robert De Niro - Raging Bull

Don't understand how Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp would make anyone's top ten list to be honest, both have done good work (Pitt in Babel, Depp in Edward Scissorhands for me), but they certainly can't control the screen in the way I feel the ten I've picked can

Have to disagree. I think Depp in particular does hold a film. He has done a lot of average stuff, but for me is always on form. Rare if ever have I been dissappointed with his performance.
Your ten aint bad at all, some great actors in there. Duvall in particular was one I almost had in my own. Excellent actor.
But Tom Cruise??? He's good but better than Depp and Pitt?? Not for me.

[Angus]

All a bit noveau but I agree that each of these guys is a proper actor with proper credibility.

I never tire of watching Lawrence Olivier - great in Spartacus even though the blockbuster nature of that movie is difficult to rise above.

John Wayne is a controversial actor and generally plays the same caricature of himself - but for a proper performance look at the Searchers

[Wangball]

Robert Shaw's performance in Jaws is something to behold

Also love Philip Seymour Hoffman in anything he does, from thrash like Along Came Polly all the way to his performance as Capote in, In Cold Blood he never disappoints, he near steals the show in Boogie Nights with a relatively minor character

[TonyD]

Daniel Day Lewis is the best actor i've ever seen. Incredible in everything he's been in (and I don't think he's ever been in a film which does him full justice).
Edward Norton hasn't been mentioned here but he's damn good too. American History X, Primal Fear are two great performances.
Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of those scene stealing character actors. Great in Charlie Wilsons War recently.
Alec Guiness of the older generation is superb. Bit similar to Day Lewis in that he had a bit of a chameleon like quality.