The Ten Most MEMORABLE Performances in Film History- Page 2

[StageManager2]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 3:26am

I think he meant the general population.

[DG]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 3:29am

If that's true, SM2, then I hate to inform him that the 'general population' doesn't waste their time thinking about such things. They enjoy and appreciate what they encounter and then move on.

It's only people like us that think and/or obsess about such things.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 4:15am

MY memorable performances (and trying not to repeat)

Leslie Nielsen - Airplane
Shirley McLaine - Postcards from the Edge
Debbie Reynolds - Mother
Madeline Kahn - Blazing Saddles
Jeff Goldblum - The Fly - yuck, but memorable
Roy Scheider - All That Jazz (you know I had to include that)
Gwyneth Paltrow - Emma
Hugh Grant - Four Weddings and a Funeral
Alan Rickman - Truly, Madly, Deeply
Leonardo DiCaprio - What's Eating Gilbert Grape

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 2:30pm

To some of the performances already mentioned, I'd add:

Olivia de Havilland in The Heiress

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 2:33pm

I have no problems with anybody's choices; i just want to point out that film performances took place PRIOR to all of the aforementioned ones. Therefore, i submit:

MISTER RUSSELL'S MOST MEMORABLE SILENT FILM PERFORMANCES

1. Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times
2. Max Schrek in Nosferatu
3. Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera
4. Buster Keaton in The General
5. Paul Wegener in The Golem: How He Came Into The World
6. Greta Garbo in anything
7. Harold Lloyd in Safety Last!
8. Charlie Chaplin in City Lights
9. Lon Chaney in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
10. Mabel Normand in anything

[Mamie]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 3:20pm

Thank you, Taryn. I can't believe it took that many posts before Gregory Peck in Mockingbird was mentioned!

I'd also add Humphrey Bogart in The Caine Mutiny.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 3:41pm

george c. scott in patton

[DG]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 4:27pm

Thanks MrRussell, those are great! I've actually seen many of those films, but tend not to think of them off the top of my head. It's such a distinct and different art form, and the masterful ones really stand out.

As any list-making task is, this is basically impossible. But it's wonderful to see all these performances mentioned - great memory-joggers (and not a little inspiration for rentals, as well!)

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 6:36pm

These are great lists and terrific choices!

I didn't think so many of you would play along.

Updated On: 7/22/07 at 06:36 PM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 7:05pm

Meryl Streep in SOPHIE'S CHOICE
Marlon Brando in THE GODFATHER
Liza Minnelli in CABARET
Vivienne Lee in A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE
Reese Witherspoon in ELECTION
Joel Grey in CABARET
Kate Winslet in ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Judy Garland in A STAR IS BORN
Holly Hunter in THE PIANO
Julie Andrews in THE SOUND OF MUSIC


And some memorable supporting performances:

Anna Paquin in THE PIANO
Emily Blunt in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Toni Collette in THE SIXTH SENSE
Haley Joel Osment in THE SIXTH SENSE
Jim Carrey in ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Catherine Zeta Jones in CHICAGO
Adrianna Barazza in BABEL
Paul Dano in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson in DREAMGIRLS
Kim Hunter in A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE
Marlon Brando in A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE
Matt Damon in THE DEPARTED

Updated On: 7/22/07 at 07:05 PM

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 7:41pm

I am shocked that no one's mentioned Heath Ledger in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. That was a stunning performance, probably one of the best I've seen in years.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/22/07 at 8:50pm

Heath Ledger was rather wonderful, but I did find myself having quite a bit of trouble understanding some of his slurred sentences.

And Phyllip Seymour Hoffman most definitely gave a more memorable performance, hence his Oscar.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 7:33am

This list is somewhat organized:
Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame
Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard
Vivian Leigh in Gone With The Wind
Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront
Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean
Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!
Joan Fontaine in Rebecca
Alec Guinness in Star Wars
Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardener
Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot

[polly2]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:41am

ok in no particular order and definitely more than 10 but anyway:
Margaret Hamilton & Judy Garland in WIZARD OF OZ
Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS & THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Vivian Leigh & Clark Gable in GONE WITH THE WIND
Audrey Hepburn & Rex Harrison in MY FAIR LADY
Yul Brenner in THE KING & I
Doris Day & Rock Hudson in PILLOW TALK
Audrey Hepburn & George Peppard in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
Forest Whitaker in LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
Sidney Poitier in TO SIR, WITH LOVE & IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
Matt Damon & Robin Williams in GOOD WILL HUNTING
the entire cast of SENSE & SENSIBILITY

some of those others have said but i have to agree with them

[chicolini]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 12:41pm

Here's 7 for now. If I can think of more that aren't duplicates of previously mentioned performances, I'll edit.

Peter Sellers – Dr. Strangelove
Ingrid Bergman – Casablanca
Ray Milland – Lost Weekend
Kevin Kline – A Fish Called Wanda
Jimmy Stewart – The Philadelphia Story
Anthony Hopkins – Silence of the Lambs
Robert Mitchum – Cape Fear

[notsovirginmary]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 6:37pm

I'm probably duplicating, but ah well.

Katharine Hepburn- The African Queen
Vivian Leigh- Gone with the Wind or Streetcar (and for anyone who has actually seen it) Waterloo Bridge
Humphrey Bogart- The Maltese Falcon
Marlon Brando- Street Car
Carole Lombard- My Man Godfrey
Ingrid Bergman- Casablanca
Meryl Streep- Sophie's Choice
Orson Wells- Citizen Kane
Jimmy Stewart- My Smith Goes to Washington
Greer Garson- Mrs. Miniver

and I'm going to place Myrna Loy and William Powell together for the thirteen movies they made together.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 8:14pm

Okay, I'm adding another ten, many of which I stole from all of you!

I couldn't just stop at my first ten either!

Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird
Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Linda Blair in The Exorcist
Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter
Jackie Coogan in The Kid
Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice
Marjorie Main in The Egg and I
Anthony Perkins in Psycho
Billie Burke in The Wizard of Oz
Donald O'Connor in Singin' in the Rain

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 8:49pm

Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:40am

Javier Bardem in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 2:31pm

One more!

Ann-Margret in TOMMY

[robbiej]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 2:43pm

OK...I'll do one...but I'm adding a condition. These are my top 10 Most Memorable Supporting Performances.

Peggy Cass in Auntie Mame
Olympia Dukakis in Moonstruck
Wes Bentley in American Beauty
George Sanders in All About Eve
Sandy Dennis in Who's Afraid of...
Katherine Hepburn in Suddenly, Last Summer
Madeline Kahn in What's Up, Doc?
Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List
Tommy Lee Jones in JFK
Bruce Davison in Longtime Companion.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 2:44pm

Ellen Burstyn:
Last Picture Show
Exorcist
Alice Doesnt Live Here Anymore
Requiem for a Dream

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 2:47pm

doodle-

You forgot Ellen Burstyn in THE BABYSITTER'S CLUB.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 2:54pm

Marsha Mason:
Cinderella Liberty
Goodbye Girl
Only When I Laugh

also in Only When I Laugh:
Joan Hackett
Kristy McNichol
James Coco

[Pippin]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 3:50pm

Ellen Burstyn: Requiem
Annette Bening: American Beauty
Robin Williams: Mrs. Doubtfire
Peter O'Toole: Lawrence of Arabia
Al Pacino: Dog Day Afternoon
Heather O'Rourke: Poltergeist
Charlize Theron: Monster
Felicity Huffman: Transamerica
Philip Seymour Hoffman: Capote
Casper the Ghost: Casper