Best performance by these actors?

johnnyboy · December 22, 2002, 19:23

Hey!

I think these are all great actors, but my question is what do you guys think has been the best performance they have given
and why.

Peter Sellers
Marlon Brando
Robert De Niro
Clint Eastwood
Steve Buscemi
Morgan Freeman
Sean Penn
Robert Carlyle
Tim Roth
Samuel L. Jackson
Gary Oldman
James Stewart

Thanks to anyone who finds the time to do this.

FrustratedPoet · December 22, 2002, 19:27

Robert Carlyle - Trainspotting

Steve Buscemi - Big Lebowski

Sean Penn - Carlito's Way

Robert De Niro - Raging Bull

James Stewart - Vertigo

Gary Oldman - Leon

Marlon Brando - Godfather

Peter Sellars - Dr.Strangelove

Tim Roth - Rosencrantz and Guildernstern Are Dead

Kontiki · December 22, 2002, 20:19

Peter Sellers - no question, Dr. Strangelove. I can't remember exactly how many characters he plays (I think it's three), but it was just classic!

Morgan Freeman - something of a toss up. His role in Driving Miss Daisy was critically acclaimed, but I think his best may have been in The Shawshank Redemption.

monkspider · December 22, 2002, 20:22

I'll agree with those choices FP.

"RC and GS are dead" is an existentialist classic.

Who all does Sellers play in Dr. Strangelove? I think it's Dr. Strangelove, the President, and the RAF guy, Col. Mandrake. But I wouldn't swear to it.

FrustratedPoet · December 22, 2002, 20:26

Quote:

Originally posted by monkspider
"RC and GS are dead" is an existentialist classic.

The guy who plays Hamlet in the film sucks, although Roth and Oldman are great in the lead roles.

The scene near the beginning with the travelling theatre troupe is a stunning comedy representation of Renaissance theatre. As a student of that period I found it hysterically accurate.
The description of Shakespearean theatre as "transvestite melodrama" always cracks me up.

also, the "play within a play within a play within play" scene is devilishly clever.

Zkribbler · December 22, 2002, 20:40

Youse guys ain't been answerin' da "why" part of da question.

Peter Sellers: Shot in the Dark ...wherein Sellers creates the Cluseau character...a totally deadpan mocking of all the super-cool detectives of the era. For example, unknowingly dabbing his nose into the cold cream while he's explaining why he's such a great detective

Clint Eastwood: Fistful of Dollars Clint did the unthinkable for an actor...he went through the script with a blue pencil and chopped out dozens of pages of his own dialogue. The result: one of the greatest anti-heros of all time!

Sean Penn: Colors I'm blown away but a small bit at the end where he's telling the joke about the two bulls and he messes it up. Purposely messing up a joke is really hard to do convincingly.

Gary Oldman: State of Grace He plays a mentally retarded killer who has to act to save his brother. But his best "friend" (Sean Penn) starts playing mind games with him. Oldman knows he's right but he has such complete faith in Penn and such little faith in himself, that he's psychologically ripped in two. A great scene!

James Stewart: It's a Wonderful Life Seeing Steward plunges about two leagues down into the Sea of Dispare and then fighting his way back to the surface is unforgettable

Hmmm, bolding the stars' names is such a great idea that I predict Sikander will use it in the very next post.

Sikander · December 22, 2002, 21:34

Peter Sellers - Tough one, as he has been so good in so many films, but I have to agree with the consensus and select "Dr. Strangelove", where he cracked me up as three different characters.

Marlon Brando - Another tough one, mainly because he made many films that I have never seen. I'll select "The Young Lions" just to be contrarian, as I wasn't all that impressed with Brando in anything I have seen him in since the 1950s anyway.

Robert De Niro - It's hard to admit, but I've never seen "Raging Bull", so take my opinion with a grain of salt (those who don't discount it out of hand habitually). I'm going to choose "Taxi Driver", which had a big impact on me when it came out.

Clint Eastwood - I like a lot of his films, and have always felt that he really brought something to the cinema with his ability to make silence work for him, as has already been lauded above. I'll select "Where Eagles Dare", where he showed his ability early on to share the stage with a great actor (Burton) in a performance that made the most of both actors abilities.

Steve Buscemi - I liked him a lot as "Donny" in "The Big Lebowski" too, but I have to pick him as Mr. Pink in "Reservoir Dogs", which is the role that really put him on the map for me, and a favorite.

Morgan Freeman - Another actor who has done a lot of important work that I haven't seen. So my probably ignorant selection for him is "Glory.

Sean Penn - Another actor who has done a lot of impressive work, as well as one who has been in a lot of acclaimed films that I have missed.

Samuel L. Jackson - Again, I am sure that there are some awesome performances that I have missed, but my favorite of what I have seen is "Pulp Fiction"

Gary Oldman - I reallly like this guy, in "The Professional", "Bram Stoker's Dracula", "True Romance", but I'm going to select his role as Zorg in "The Fifth Element".

James Stewart - God, so many films, many of them great, and many great performances. I'll go with "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence".

Guynemer · December 23, 2002, 00:18

The only performance that I haven't seen mentioned yet is Gary Oldman in "The Contender". Simply incredible.

Sava · December 23, 2002, 00:40

Peter Sellers - don't know him
Marlon Brando - that waterfront movie
Robert De Niro - Heat
Clint Eastwood - can't decide
Steve Buscemi - Resevoir Dogs
Morgan Freeman - Shawshank Redemption
Sean Penn - hmmm I dunno, he sucks
Robert Carlyle - can't recall
Tim Roth - is this the guy from Pulp Fiction? if so, he sucks
Samuel L. Jackson - Jackie Brown
Gary Oldman - The Professional
James Stewart - I never liked him much

Dis · December 23, 2002, 03:23

Clint Eastwood- Unforgiven. God I love that movie so much.

Steve Buscemi- Fargo

Samual L. Jackson- Pulp Fiction

Mogran Freeman- Unforgiven

Robert De Niro- heat was a good one. But I'll probably stick with Taxi Driver

And I'm not familiar enough with the other actors to select.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · December 23, 2002, 03:39

Peter Sellers- Dr Strangelove

Marlon Brando- On the waterfront

Robert De Niro- The King of Comedy

Clint Eastwood- High Plains Drifter

Steve Buscemi- Fargo

Morgan Freeman- The Shawshank Redemption

Sean Penn- At Close Range

Robert Carlyle- Cracker

Tim Roth- Vincent and Theo

Samuel L. Jackson- Pulp Fiction

Gary Oldman- ***** up your ears

James Stewart- It's a wonderful life.

molly bloom · December 23, 2002, 04:04

For Eastwood I would be forced to choose between 'Play Misty For Me', 'The Beguiled' and 'The Unforgiven'. In all of them he acts against his usual characterisation, and I think is the better for it. He's decidedly unsympathetic in 'Misty', and nearing his sell by date in 'Unforgiven' (as the character)- like Wayne in 'True Grit' or 'The Shootist'.

For Brando, I can only choose 'The Wild One'- he oozes sex appeal, to men and women, he epitomizes the essence of freewheeling rebellion and has yet to lapse into mumbling caricature. But he's also dammn fine in 'The Men' too.

De Niro I like for 'Godfather II'. My problem with de Niro for many of his recent films is that he seems to be playing de Niro playing de Niro. In 'Godfather II', he shows the transition from ordinary decent hardworking recent immigre to the embryonic mafia don figure. And he makes it so plausible, almost as though his fate is to inexorably become the gangster.

Morgan Freeman inhabits quietude and silence in 'Seven'. By doing less, he achieves more than the hyperactive Mr. Pitt. If only all screen detectives had Mr. Freeman's 'zone of silence' presence.

Tim Roth has never bested his performance in the teleplay 'Made in England' where he played a neo-nazi skinhead.

Peter Sellers in 'Being There' showed he could be a serious actor- for much of his oeuvre he was the constant nervous joker, wearing disguises, donning accents, and yet in his portrayal of Chance the gardener, he played against type and surprised his usual audience.

Similarly I liked James Stewart in 'Rear Window' and 'Vertigo', wherein he very much doesn't act the folksy 'Our Town' American. In fact, his prurient telephoto lens wielding snoop in 'Rear Window' must be one of his least sympathetic roles.

Gary Oldman was best in '***** Up Your Ears', when he played the gay playwright Joe Orton. Orton's kitchen sink welfare state humour gelled nicely with Oldman's acting, and Oldman had yet to develop the taste for cheese that he showed in 'Dracula' or 'Leon'.

aaglo · December 23, 2002, 04:38

Peter Sellers - All of the pink panther movies.

Marlon Brando - I have no idea of his best performance.

Robert De Niro - Taxi driver

Clint Eastwood - Dirty Harry

Steve Buscemi - Fargo

Morgan Freeman - Robin Hood (the Kevin Costner version

)

Sean Penn - ???

Robert Carlyle - Full Monty

Tim Roth - Reservoir Dogs

Samuel L. Jackson - There are so many for him... Pulp Fiction, Die Hard 3, Unbreakable

Gary Oldman - Bram Stoker's Dracula

James Stewart - North by Northwest

Dis · December 23, 2002, 04:54

I haven't seen many Sean Penn movies.

But I vote for Fast Times at Ridgemont High

JohnT · December 23, 2002, 04:56

No time for Why:

Peter Sellers - Being There
Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront
Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver... no, Raging Bull... no, Taxi Driver... no, Raging...
Clint Eastwood - The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Steve Buscemi - Reservoir Dogs
Morgan Freeman - Shawshank Redemption... but he did make a HELL of a President in "Deep Impact."
Sean Penn - Who cares?
Robert Carlyle - Who?
Tim Roth - Reservoir Dogs
Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction. No, wait! Unbreakable.
Gary Oldman - Immortal Beloved (I'm not a big Oldman fan)
James Stewart - The Glenn Miller Story.

alva · December 23, 2002, 05:27

Quote:

De Niro I like for 'Godfather II'. My problem with de Niro for many of his recent films is that he seems to be playing de Niro playing de Niro.

nice observation

Quote:

Tim Roth - Rosencrantz and Guildernstern Are Dead

TheStinger · December 23, 2002, 05:28

Everbody knows Clint's best performance was with the ape in Every wich way but loose.
De Niro's finest hour- Rocky and bullwinkle of course

FrustratedPoet · December 23, 2002, 06:23

Quote:

Originally posted by aaglo

James Stewart - North by Northwest

That was Cary Grant.

It WAS a great performance, but it just wasn't Jimmy.

aaglo · December 23, 2002, 06:26

oops....

Rufus T. Firefly · December 23, 2002, 07:36

Peter Sellers - Lolita. Clare Quilty brings out the menace that was always just below Sellers best comic performances, better than any other I can think of.

Marlon Brando - Streetcar Named Desire. The essential Brando persona, but with more depth and complexity than any other Brando film.

Robert De Niro - New York, New York. Hardly anyone has seen this (it bombed whan it opened, and "A Martin Scorsese Musical" doesn't exactly inspire confidence), but I think its the film in which he displayes his fullest range: violent, comic, even romantic. It's a brilliant performance, and an unjustly neglected film.

Clint Eastwood - Tightrope. Eastwood reaches deep down and desconstructs everything compelling about his own persona. He's completely brilliant in it.

Steve Buscemi - Resevoir Dogs. Just for the scen in which he objects to being "Mr. Pink." But I should say that I haven't seen Ghost World, which I've heard touted as his best work.

Morgan Freeman - Unforgiven. Can't say why, because he's great in everything; maybe just his rapport with Eastwood.

Sean Penn - Carlito's Way. He completely disappears into the character of the mob lawyer, and gives a performance that grabs the spotlight away from Pacino (who himself is very good in it) without ever being showy.

Robert Carlyle - Cracker, "To Be a Somebody." Manages to draw your symapthy and repulsion in equal measure, the whole way through, in a way I've never seen an actor do before or since.

Tim Roth - Resevoir Dogs, I guess; he just doesn't do that much for me.

Samuel L. Jackson - Jackie Brown. Charismatic and an a$$hole; smart but not as smart as he thinks he is. It's a great role, and he's perfect in it.

Gary Oldman - Sid and Nancy. Gets to show more range than I can think of in any of his other films.

James Stewart - It's a Wonderful Life. There are two James Stewarts: The easy-going All-American hero of films like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and the tormented neurotic of films like Vertigo. This is the one film in which he's both, an dto great effect.