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The Top 100 Male Actors of All-time
- Robert De Niro
- James Stewart
- Marlon Brando
- Humphrey Bogart
- Jack Nicholson
- Al Pacino
- Daniel Day-Lewis
- Toshiro Mifune
- Charlie Chaplin
- Cary Grant
- Marcello Mastroianni
- John Wayne
- Henry Fonda
- Paul Newman
- William Holden
- Klaus Kinski
- Dustin Hoffman
- Gene Hackman
- Clint Eastwood
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Max von Sydow
- Robert Mitchum
- Brad Pitt
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Burt Lancaster
- Jean-Paul Belmondo
- Buster Keaton
- Montgomery Clift
- Tony Leung
- Tom Cruise
- Jean Gabin
- James Cagney
- Kirk Douglas
- Bill Murray
- Sean Connery
- Tom Hanks
- Denzel Washington
- Clark Gable
- Sean Penn
- Joseph Cotton
- Jean-Louis Trintignant
- Edward Norton
- Harrison Ford
- Takashi Shimura
- Joe Pesci
- Laurence Olivier
- Emil Jannings
- Harvey Keitel
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Christian Bale
- Paul Muni
- Ryan Gosling
- Ralph Fiennes
- Chisu Ryu
- Peter O’Toole
- Heath Ledger
- Morgan Freeman
- Orson Welles
- Jeff Bridges
- Michael Caine
- James Dean
- Alain Delon
- Steve McQueen
- Martin Sheen
- Warren Beatty
- Anthony Hopkins
- Robert Duvall
- Johnny Depp
- Frank Sinatra
- Jack Lemmon
- Gary Cooper
- Peter Lorre
- Edward G. Robinson
- Bruce Willis
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Rod Steiger
- Matt Damon
- George C. Scott
- George Clooney
- John Cazale
- Christopher Walken
- Peter Sellers
- Gunnar Bjornstrand
- Robert Redford
- Alec Guinness
- John Hurt
- Jean- Pierre Leaud
- Robert Shaw
- Richard Burton
- John Goodman
- Casey Affleck
- Donald Sutherland
- Russell Crowe
- Roy Schieder
- Maurice Chevalier
- Ray Liotta
- Kevin Spacey
- Thomas Mitchell
- Anthony Quinn
- Willem Dafoe
Drake2021-03-22T00:09:48+00:00
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Gary Oldman is around my top 25
Hi Leo,
I love Gary Oldman. Definitely one I thought hard about and lamented having to leave off. Again, the the list is more about accomplishments than acting talent or range- both of which i think Oldman has in abundance. Is there one here on the top 100 that you would point to as who you would leave off in exchange for Oldman?
No Sidney Poitier??? Come on!
I came here to say where is Gary Oldman?
@Mary- thanks for the comment and for visiting the site. As i told Leo I love Gary Oldman. I think the main obstacle for Oldman making the list is his best films (JFK, The Dark Knight) don’t align with his best performances (Sid and Nancy, The Darkest Hour).
Oldman as far as I am concerned is in the top 25, 50 at minimum. Anyone that watched “The Professional” would be challenged to name a more dramatic acting job than his as the deranged agent. Many can name parallel performances by actors, but can’t say the skills outdo Oldman. “Bring me EVERYONE” lol!
@Calvin — really appreciate you visiting the site and the comment here. Oldman is a popular one. He’s certainly skilled, such a range and a talent. However, that resume isn’t spectacular. Not a ton of great movies.
Very fine list and nice to see Max Von Sydow ranking so high. I am however, missing Omar Sharif. I can see that hisovies are of varied quality but I can never forget his performace as Doctor Zhivago – a true star. Also taking into account he made to Hollywood as an egytian actor which was rather rare at the time. I truely adore him on screen. Thabk you again for the list
@Anne- thanks for visiting the site and the comment. Sharif only had four archiveable films by my count- Lawrence, Zhivago, Funny Girl and Juggernaut— and yeah, based on the first two with Lean you could make a case for him— but I think there are at least 100 actors with stronger cases
The ground breaking, race barrier conquering Sidney Poitier is not on the list?? First black man to win an Oscar??? Wait. Guess who’s coming to dinner? To Sit, With Love? Most of the actors on this list credit him for inspiration. Please tell me I overlooked his name. You’ve got to be kidding. Bruce Willis but no Sidney. …no lawrence Fishburn?
@Drama Teacher- thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I love Sidney Poitier– but I think you could argue he isn’t in any of the top 1000 films of all-time. Maybe In the Heat of the Night but even that isn’t a top 100 film of the 1960’s. And Sidney only had one year (1967) where he gave one of the best performances. He’s on the fringe for the top 100 but he really needed to be in some better films to make a dent on the list
Hmmm I wonder why he wasn’t cast for any of those 1000 films… Come on. You clearly take into account Era’s, why not account for context when making a “top 100 actors ever” list ?
@joe- yeah, that’s a fair point- but this list is largely about resume- regardless of the reason for the resume.
How come tom cruise is over morgan Freeman, tom hanks, Denzel Washington, Russel Crowe and Hopkins. Also, I think that Clint Eastwood is a better director than actor.
@Lewandowski- thanks for visiting the site and the comment. So I do have individual pages for each actor (and director) on my lists and go into more detail there. Unfortunately for right now on the actor’s page there isn’t a hyperlink yet so you have to just search for “Tom Cruise” and it should come up. Sorry about that.
Better movies & imho better performances.
Underrated actor.
Yes I agree, I think maybe it’s because he doesn’t star in too many GREAT movies that he doesn’t deserve a very high spot that would match his pure talent. I would maybe switch out Willam Dafoe though I obviously love him too. This is a great list though I agree with most of it, especially the top 10, also maybe i would’ve very hesitantly switched out Mastroianni for Grant or Chaplin.
Hey man! No Charles Laughton? ??
Hey Adam– it was tough to leave Laughton off– I have no beef if he’s on your list– similar to my comment here to Leo on Gary Oldman- I just don’t have Laughton in that many great films. Island of Lost Souls, Mutiny on the Bounty, Spartacus– I have 16 archiveable films for Laughton here below–
who would you take off to put Laughton on?
1932- If I Had a Million
1932- Island Of Lost Souls
1932- The Old Dark Horse
1933- The Private Life of Henry the VIII
1935- Les Miserable
1935- Mutiny On the Bounty
1935- Ruggles of Red Cap
1936- Rembrandt
1938- Sidewalks of London
1939- Jamacia Inn
1939- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1948- The Big Clock
1954- Hobson’s Choice
1957- Witness For the Prosecution
1960- Spartacus
1962-Advise and Consent
Good stuff, I get your going with accomplishments over talent but still it seems jarring to have John Wayne, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise so high and Anthony Hopkins, Robert Duvall, Jack Lemmon, Peter Sellers and John Hurt so low. Especially Hopkins I really rate him highly. Seeing Pitt sitting there just above PSH just rubs me the wrong way haha. Aside from that minor complaint very thorough and well thought out list, you certainly know your stuff. Also, I think maybe Willem Dafoe deserves a bump I think he’s been one of the best active actors of the last few years.
@Joe- thanks again for the comment. Tough year to be on the anti-Pitt side of things after the 2019 he just had.
Yes no Laughton no depardieu who should be no1
Hello Jean,
thanks for the comment– I’m fine if you think Gérard Depardieu should be on the list… but #1?!?!? haha wow. I’m sorry but that’s ridiculous. He’s a fine actor but his resume does not warrant top 50 consideration.
Nice ranking , and great website , thank you for all the great content your provide, however i think the best Actor of all time is Daniel Day Lewis with all due respect to Robert De niro
DDL is a fine choice. I still owe “Phantom Thread” another rewatch soon. What criteria are you using?
Ummmm… no johnny depp?
@ Quenton– Depp is #68
How the hell is Olivier not in top 10?
Hey Chipper- who would you move down in order to make room for Olivier? I love Olivier and admire his skill but also keep in mind i’m not considering, at all, his famous reputation as one of the best stage actors of the 20th century– i go on a little about it on his page but he didn’t make a lot of great films (relative to the others ahead of him on this list) and the auteur/director he worked with most often was…. himself— not a crazy-great artist behind the camera
“best film: It’s either Rebecca or Spartacus and this is Olivier’s problem. These films are with Kubrick and Hitchcock—the best two directors of all-time. But—and it’s a big but—I have these two films as Kubrick’s 10th best and Hitchcock’s 12th best film. Basically what I’m saying is if you were watching the greatest works of film art in order of greatness you’re going to go a very long time before you get to a Laurence Olivier movie sadly. I do not believe that’s totally coincidental despite Olivier’s obvious greatness as an actor”
It might not be entirely coincidental. Still, I think you are putting too much emphasis on participation in the absolute greatest films. Also, do bad films factor in at all? I was thinking about De Niro, but I guess almost every great actor has made a lot of bad films for long periods of time. Why is this list so heavily American by the way? I find that a little strange when comparing it to your list of directors.
Hey RK- Thanks for the comments. Many agree with you that I put too much emphasis on the greatest films. It’s impossible to calculate how many solid performances by Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck or Charles Laughton (three guys not on the list) Ray Liotta’s performance in “Goodfellas” is worth. I’m up for the debate but I’m comfortable with my position.
I don’t really factor in bad films– that’s an interesting thought. De Niro obviously has a much lower “per film quality” average than Daniel Day-Lewis and many others. De Niro has been mostly awful since 1997 or 1998 if you want to count back from Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” or Cuaron’s “Great Expectations” save a few David O. Russell films/performances. I think it’s like Michael Jordan in Washington or any great athlete who stays too long– i just think back to their glory days and better films. If you wanted to go strictly but “per film average” i think it would skew things too far the other way and you’d have like John Cazale and James Dean ahead of Brando
I don’t think it’s overly american– who do you want to move up, down or out? That’s too broad of a criticism for me to defend.
Why are tom Hanks and laurence olivier so down in the list they both are definitely better than leo
@Nikhil Soni- thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I do have individual pages for DiCaprio, Hanks and Olivier if you want to see some of the reasons behind the rankings. You can just search their names. Unfortunately it isn’t hyperlinked here yet. My apologies.
This is the first solid list I have come across. And the response of the author makes it even better. I do believe Tom Hanks should have been ranked higher. And Tom Cruise shouldn’t be as high. Is Tom Cruise really better than Peter O’toole, Clark Gable and a host of others.
HI Alexis- Thanks for the comment and your take here. I love O’Toole, Hanks and Gable. I think for O’Toole and Gable the depth of their career isn’t as strong as their best work (between the two of them this would be Lawrence of Arabia, Gone With the Wind and It Happened One Night). Cruise frankly has more depth there. I also admire so much what Cruise accomplished in 1999 with both Kubrick and P.T. Anderson– it’s just such a massive year. Hanks I like– but who would you move him above? Cruise? Most would say Brad Pitt but give me the work Pitt did with David Fincher over the work Hanks did with either Spielberg or Zemeckis.
I would have William Hurt in there. He had an impressive run in the 80s that included an Academy Award for Best Actor (Kiss of the Spiderwoman) and 2 other Best Actor nominations (Children of a Lesser God and Broadcast News). He was also the lead Actor in the Accidental Tourist which was nominated for Best Picture. Other films that he did during that span were Body Heat, The Big Chill, and The Doctor. Over the last 20 years he’s been mostly a supporting actor and received another Academy Award nomination in 2005. That’s a strong body of work and an impressive resume imo.
Thanks for the William Hurt nomination here. I have 13 archiveable films with Hurt in it– and half of them really solid lead performances during that impressive run in the 80’s you mention here. When i did the best 5 or so performance of each year one by one I only came up with one Hurt performance though- his work in Body Heat from 81′– that just wasn’t enough with 100+ years of cinema.
Hey, so, I am really not very familiar with actors, since I have been studying actresses more thoroughly, recently. However, I cannot help but point out that Bruno Ganz is missing from the list. He is a personal favourite of mine, and a really talented and underrated actor. He has been in “Downfall” (outstanding performance, probably worth of an Oscar) and in “Wings of Desire”, both of which would be easily in the ” top 5 films of the year” list, for me. Then again, I am also very fond of his occasional work with Theo Angelopoulos (“Eternity and a Day”, “The Dust of Time”). Before ” Downfall” he seemed to me like an actor with distinct melancholic and cerebral qaulities, if you will, but when I came around to “Downfall” I was stunned by how utterly different Hitler was from any other role he played and how well he brought this notorious figure (putting it mildly) to life. So he would easily be a top 80 for me, maybe even a top 50, but I really ought to do an all-around better study of male actors.
@G – thanks for the comment– Bruno Ganz is an excellent choice. On top of the films you mention here he’s very good in Wenders 1977 film “The American Friend”
Thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely check it out!
I found your website recently, and I am loving the content over here. This list is great, I think Hoffman should be closer to the Top 10, Caine and Freeman are a bit too low for my taste. Seeing this list confirms to me that Heath Ledger is one of the great what ifs in recent cinematic history.
Two requests: A list of films with the Best starpower (Actor + Director+ Screen writer+ Musicians involved. Godfather would probably be the run away winner, but a list would be much appreciated.
Second, a list on the Greatest Acting performances. You mention it in your descriptions, but a standalone list would be great.
Hi AP-
Thanks for the note- Hoffman, Caine and Freeman are hard to argue with- I love all three. Anyone ahead of them specifically you’d move down to make room for them?
Yeah- Heath Ledger–so sad– would’ve been one of the all-time greats.
hmm- best star power—- I think this was a topic when “Dark Knight Rises” came out in 2012 or around then but it’s usually only concerning actors — you’re changing it up by combining director/writer/music director…. if we were just doing actors it may be like “a bridge too far” or “how the west was won” as those ensemble films seem to be like a murders’ row of acting talent…. maybe “the player” from altman? lots of cameos there though. I’m probably not the guy to ask on music or writing but “vertigo” has my #1 director of all-time, my #2 actor of all-time, and Bernard Herrmann has to be one of the best 5 on the music side of all-time.
thanks for the suggestion on best performances, too. i could tackle this one. If you go into my “archives by year” i always pick out the performance of the year and runners up on the male and female side. I could pull those apart and rank them.
Samuel Jackson deserves to be on this list!
He is E. he’s #75 and there’s a big fat picture of him. Samuel L. is a great actor
liam neeson and nicolas cage are both terrific, top at least 50-75 actors of all time. i know cage can be eccentric but he is a great actor and more importantly very passionate. adrien brody maybe 100 and id be okay putting ben kingsley or gregory peck (or even robin williams) as in the top 15. rutger hauer? IAN MCKELLEN Patrick Stewart? IAN MCKELLEN? now i know you dont include plays but if you did McKellen may be the #1 actor ever. i love bruce willis and samuel l jackson but i dont see them above any of the above mentioned actors except maybe cage.
one of the great performances in my opinion is neeson in Spielbergs Schindlers List.
also for actresses, where is sean young who in blade runner i believe gave an all time great performance.
also, id include woody allen for his all time great comedy performance in annie hall masterpiece.
Hi M– good stuff here- thanks for the comments. I like all the actors you mention but have various reasons for thinking they’re not superior to Samuel L and Willis. Good feedback though. thanks
liam neeson? id put him top 25
HI Michael– Neeson in the top 25 huh? What’s his second best performance after Schindler’s List? That’s where you lose me. And who in the top 25 are you moving out to put in Neeson?
ok maybe not 25 but i think that he is top 100. even in films that arent the best, like phantom menace or the cheesy action flick taken he is still great i think. taken is a funny one, because that film is not very good, and without neesons acting and facial expressions and delivery it would be unwatchable. also, i think you should do a top performances thing, top 100 all time acting performances. neeson in Schindlers list would be top 40 or so for me. thank you
@michael- thanks again for the comment. I think i agree with you on Neeson in Schindler’s list– if it’s not top 40 it’s close. and i don’t really factor in how good actors are in bad or even mediocre movies. If they’re slaying it in a bad movie, doing theater in the park or on a stage— it doesn’t factor in. To use a sports analogy it’s like scoring a lot of points in an exhibition or preseason game. It doesn’t do much for me except wish they had done it for real in an a good, great or masterpiece-level movie
1.Jack Nicholson should be number #1
2.leonardo DiCaprio
3.robert de niro
4.morgan Freeman
5.denzel Washington
I don’t see Liam neeson, Jim Carrey,tom hardy???
solid top 5 but where’s everybody before Jack? 100+ years of cinema and the 5 best are all from the last 50? Liam Neeson is great in Schindler’s List but missing a strong #2 film where he gives one of the year’s best performances — even someone like Ray Liotta has that with “Something Wild”. I love Tom Hardy but i’m ready for him to give the best performance in a really good movie. His best movies “inception”, “mad max” “the revenant” someone else is giving the best performance in those films– and the movies where he’s giving the best performance are “warrior”, “bronson” “locke” are all about the 29th best film of their respective years…. Jim Carrey wouldn’t make my top 250. Needs a lot more work like “Eternal Sunshine” or “Truman Show”
Robin Williams?
DiCaprio is not better than DeNiro or Denzel neither is Morgan Freeman Who is Top 25 not top 5.
As much as I love Denzel and DeNiro, I have a funny feeling that if DiCaprio continues making movies of the quality he is at the moment and consistently giving tour-de-force performances… he might end up being able to lay claim to being the greatest actor of all-time. His performance in The Wolf Of Wall Street is a performance that is bound to end up being considered in the same realm as DeNiro in Raging Bull and Brando in On The Waterfront. And that’s without mentioning his portrayal in The Departed – which is about as far as you can go from The Wolf Of Wall Street. I’ve only mentioned two of his performances in two of the most fondly-remembered movies from the 21st century thus far. I have a funny feeling that he will end up being the greatest
@Jeff– while I’m not with you on the Dicaprio in Wolf of Wall Street is on par with De Niro’s Raging Bull or Brando’s On the Waterfront performance— I am with you on the statement you make here — “if DiCaprio continues making movies of the quality he is at the moment and consistently giving tour-de-force performances… he might end up being able to lay claim to being the greatest actor of all-time.” — that’s a big if. I hope he can keep going.
Sorry but when you are making a list of actors who you would state are the greatest of all time to not have such giant figures as Tracy, Laughton or Peck I find really hard to take, not to mention amazing actors such as Fredric March.
What’s the methodology you are using? Don’t get me wrong I love parts of your list and the sheer work you have put in j to each entry is amazing, I just read the Mitchum entry and am full of admiration.
Just curious to know how you came up with it?
@ Dean day — thanks for the comment — Tracy, Laughton and Peck are great actors– but i’d argue so are all of the actors I have on the list above. What separates them is probably the quality of the films they are in. These three are in a lot of very good films, but i’m pretty confident they are in a combined total of 0 of the top 500 films of all-time. What’s missing from all three is the continued pairing with a great auteur.
My criteria for this list was going year by year and selecting the best 3-8 or so performances (depending on merit) on both the male and female side and then awarding points to them and then adding them all up (De Niro in Raging Bull worth more than Bob Hoskins in The Long Good Friday or John Hurt in The Elephant Man if we’re looking at 1980 say). But even to get mentioned as one of the 3-8 you couldn’t be very good in the 17th best films of the year which was often the case with say Spencer Tracy.
I understand your system I think, but would it give a wider more balanced result if you put more performances in the mix? Remember an actors performance is not only considered great just because of the overall film, in fact their are many examples of the opposite, that an actor has given an unremarkable performance in a great movie. Remember Tracy for example was widely considered by his own peers as the outstanding movie actor of his generation.
His performance in say the seventh cross was considered stunning although the movie itself was not a classic. Tyrone Powers best performance by far is now commonly agreed to be Nightmare Alley.
West Side Story is considered one of the best movies of 61 but does that mean Richard Breymer gave a great performance?
Would you be interested if I came up with another points system? Again your work here is stunning, it’s just a subject I am quite passionate about.
@ Dean day. Really good stuff here- thanks again for sharing and commenting. I think my points system is the best (which is why i picked it). Doing great work in bad or mediocre movies is common and frankly not of much interest to me. i mostly just feel regret they didn’t do it in better movie– sort of a waste. It’s like scoring a lot of points in a preseason or exhibition game in sports… meh
… Needless to say what Ray Liotta does in “Goodfellas” is worth 5 or 10 solid Spencer Tracy performances in the 24th best movie of their respective year
…. as for West Side Story and 1961 i didn’t award any points to Beymer. I don’t just select the lead actor of great films. The actor has to be great- that goes without saying. Beymer is fine and does some good work but the 4 actors/performances i singled out from 1961 are Paul Newman (The Hustler), Mastroianni (La Notte), Mifune (Yojimbo) and Franco Citti (Accatone)
Aamir Khan is a top 100 actor.
nah
A great site. No Omar Sheriff in top list?
@Uday — appreciate the comment– here are the archiveable films for Sharif — a great actor and a really solid run there in the 60’s but a little light for the top 100 and i don’t think any one of the single performances here are overwhelmingly brilliant.
1962- Lawrence of Arabia
1965- Doctor Zhivago
1968- Funny Girl
1974- Juggernaut
Denzel Washington should be top 3. Keanu Reeves should be on the list.
No!!
@Cheryl — thanks for the comments. Denzel hasn’t been in enough great films– or worked with enough great auteurs -to be top 3. That’s interesting about Keanu. I think there are points in his career would i would just outwardly call him a bad actor and laugh at the suggestion here but i’m not laughing anymore. I would still need a few times during his career where i say “wow he gave one of the best performances of the year” and i just don’t have that with Keanu.
I think the list is pretty solid but Sam Jackson should definitely be higher up as well as Jeff Bridges and Robert Redford. James Franco should be somewhere on the list too.
@Sage— thanks for the comment. moving up 4 guys here— which 4 are you moving down? James Franco, huh? I haven’t heard that one. “127 Hours”, “Milk”– great in those– “Spring Breakers” is an interesting film. i just don’t quite think the resume is there yet.
Tom hanks on 36 lol ?! R u serious rn ?!
@ayman– appreciate the comment. Very serious. Are you lol’ing because you think I’m underrating him or overrating him? i can’t tell
Hanks is overrated. A top 10-15 in people’s mind. 36# is a good spot.
Denzel way to Low.. I’m out.
@Tirrellx– thanks for the comment. I get that one a lot on Denzel. I just wish he had worked with more auteurs and great directors. A really nice run with Spike but not much beyond that. Denzel has been in a shockingly low # of really great films.
Is this list serious or satire? I can’t tell. It’s almost like a lot of legit actors were put in here, and then some “funny funny, haha” choices are thrown in for comic relief. Tom Cruise?? Dude is the same guy in. Every. F’ing. Movie. What’s your barometer for measuring this? Blockbuster movies? You forgot Nick Cage. Maybe Hayden Christensen too? Jason Stratham? The Rock?
You also include Casey Affleck, Ray Liotta, Bruce Willis and you leave off legends like Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, just to name a few.
I’m seriously asking. It’s like you were serious through #29 then just decided to make a joke out of the rest.
@JediMasterEkim69 .. thanks for the comment– even if its a little unnecessarily mean-spirited. I like how you gave me three you’d take off (Willis, Casey Affleck, Liotta) and then gave me three you’d add (Ed Harris, Viggo, Gary Oldman)– totally fair. I don’t want to go into all 6 actors here and their case individually but could if you have one you’d like me to explain further. All three you added here are great actors and would be somewhere between 101-150 for me so i don’t have a big problem with you making the switch.
Your Tom Cruise take needs correcting though. If you don’t think he should be #30- that’s fine. But you’re making mistakes here that need to be cleaned up. 1. I don’t agree with the idea that he plays the same person in every movie. His roles in “Magnolia”, “Collateral”, “Eyes Wide Shut”, “Born on the 4th of July”–different. 2. Even if he is the same guy in every movie your idea that “acting range” is somehow synonymous with “great actor” is just plainly false. It is a factor. But so is screen presence and resume. Paul Muni, Laurence Olivier Willem Dafoe, Alec Guinness and John Hurt all have greater range than Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin, Toshiro Mifune, Humphrey Bogart and yes… Tom Cruise. I love all ten actors but you can’t make range the only criteria or that slippery slope would push off some of the greatest actors of all-time.
I don’t know much about technology and such, but there should be a way in which I can click on the actor’s name and it takes me to the page where you discuss the select artist in detail. Would be much appreciated if you can do it.
I expect The Irishman and The Joker to make a difference for Pesci and Phoenix. Think they can both creep into the Top 40 if their respective films deliver. On second thought, it could also make a difference for Pacino as well. Let’s see.
@AP – haha yeah- i can’t tell if you’re making fun of the website or not but yeah I can, and should, be able to hyperlink the connected films and actors on a page. It’ll happen eventually i’m just not sure when i’ll have the time. For now if you want to find the individual pages you’ll have to search for them.
I hope you’re right about “The Irishman” and “The Joker”. Though Todd Phillips (The Joker) is no Scorsese– I have more faith in Phoenix at this point. i hope i’m wrong but it’s been a long time since Pacino, Pesci and De Niro have been at the top of their game. Hopefully they can really bring it here– one last time. It would be awesome.
Of all the actors on this list, where is the great John Garfield??? Why is is forgoton? Whys is Joe Pesci on here…he couldnt shine Garfields shoes on his best day! And that goes for many others!! And Dinero is not # 1!
@Dennis George – thank you very much for visiting the site and the comment. Hmm- John Garfield. I think John Garfield is a fantastic actor and certainly is in my top 150 (so just missing the list). He has range, certainly has power– a screen presence for sure. The knock against him is he’s in 12 archiveable films (below) and none of them are in the top 500 of all-time. Zero. He’s in some very good films– and he’s great in them. But Pesci is simply magnificent in both “Raging Bull” and especially “Goodfellas” and they have to be in the top 50 of all-time for anyone who truly appreciates cinema…. and i haven’t even mentioned his work in “JFK” or “Casino”. So, sadly when comparing Pesci and John Garfield we have Pesci “winning” quite easily.
1933- Footlight Parade
1938- Four Daughters
1939- Juarez
1939- They Made Me a Criminal
1941- The Sea Wolf
1943- Air Force
1946- The Postman Always Rings Twice
1947- Body and Soul
1947- Gentlemen’s Agreement
1948- Force of Evil
1949- We Were Strangers
1950- The Breaking Point
I would like to see Gérard Depardieu. En France,it’s a monstre sacré. Maybe,i can recommande you movies :
Les Valseuses (1974) – Bertrand Blier
1900 (1976) – Bernardo Bertolucci
Buffet Froid (1979) – Bertrand Blier
Mon oncle d’Amérique (1980) – Alain Resnais
Loulou (1980) – Maurice Pialat
Le Dernier Métro (1980) – François Truffaut
Tenue de soirée (1986) – Bertrand Blier
Jean de Florette (1986) – Claude Berri
Sous le soleil de Satan (1987) – Maurice Pialat
Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) – Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Germinal (1993) – Claude Berri
Mammuth (2010) – Gustave Kervern & Benoit Delepine
12 movies & i stopped myself. His pairing with Pialat (4) & Blier (8) are essential.
@ KidCharlemagne — Thanks again for the comment. In the archives year-by-year i note the archiveable debut of Depardieu in my summary of 1976 and the great year for him in 1980 with both the Last Metro and Mon Oncle d’Amérique but i don’t have a single year where i think he gives one of the best 4-5 performances of the year. Do you? These are the 10 movies I have with him in it in my archives and it’s a strong resume- but without a year where he gives a top 5 performance it’s sort of a non-starter for me to make this list. I’m sure i have work to do and will continue to update my list as I watch, and rewatch, more Depardieu. I’ll also make an effort to study Pialat and Blier- I’ve seen a few films here and there but not enough to have much to say on them yet. Thanks again for the recommendations
1976- 1900
1980- Mon Oncle d’Amérique
1980- The Last Metro
1981- The Woman Next Door
1983- Danton
1986- Jean de Florette
1990- Cyrano de Bergenac
1996- Hamlet
2007- La Vie en Rose
2012- Life of Pi
Hi ! Thanks for the reply.
I think he gives a top 5 performances in :
1980 maybe. (5-6#)
1983 sure with Danton,great performance.
1986 maybe. (4-5#).
1990 sure. His greatest performance,academy award nomination (dosnt win because of a rape scandal).
@KidCharlemagne — thanks again— i look forward to revisiting some of Depardieu’s work to see if I lean more towards your thinking on him
Fred Astaire? He’s synonymous with the 30s 40s.
@ Hugo– thanks for the comment. Yeah- more 30’s than 40’s. He actually had a better 50’s arguably than both– his archiveable films are below– I admire Astaire’s talent (a bit more as a dancer than an actor) but there’s no year when I think he gives one of the best performances of the year is there? Do you think? i don’t think so and I don’t have any of his films in the top 500 of all-time. It’s tough to make the case for him in the top 100.
1934- The Gay Divorce
1935- Top Hat
1936- Follow the Fleet
1936- Swing Time
1937- Shall We Dance
1940- Broadway Melody of 1940
1942- You Were Never Lovelier
1948- Easter Parade
1951- Royal Wedding
1953- The Band Wagon
1957- Silk Stalkings
1959- On the Beach
1974- The Towering Inferno
Usually when I read lists like this I’m disappointed, this one was pretty good I thought. I also feel like this has to be a hard list to make, there are lot of actors on here who at one time or another I considered one of the greatest of all time. Like other people on here, I’m now going to give you my “Why did you snub these guys?” comment. Three actors I didn’t see on here, maybe I missed them but I scanned it twice- are Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy and Nick Nolte. Nick Nolte is the man! Great list on your part still!
@Eddie C– thank you for the comment here and praise of the list. It was fun but yeah it did take a long time and it’s a difficult task to make this list and try to do it justice. I’m fine if you have your snubbed guys— many have already mentioned Tracy. It was tough to leave him, Poitier and Nolte off- they’re all great actors. I will say that I made a list of the top 500 films of all-time and I don’t think i have a single Tracy or Poitier film http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/04/10/the-best-500-films-of-all-time/ . To me that’s telling. That makes it really tough. They are strong actors but so are the actors who were in the best movies of all-time. It makes me regret Tracy and Poitier didn’t work with the best auteurs more often. Nolte is a new one- i’m an admirer. He is in “The Thin Red Line” (easily in my top 500, in fact in my top 100) and he’s sensational in it. That’s really the only year though, 1998, where i think Nolte gives one of the best 5-6 performances of the year… do you have another year where you think he is one of the best? which year? With only one year it it makes it hard to compare him favorably with my top 100 actors who show up, mostly at least 2-3 times if not more.
No Mads Mikkelsen. A Cannes Best Actor omitted?
@Susanne– thanks for the comment. I love Mads– but I don’t have a single year where I think he gives no one of the best 5 performances of the year. Do you? With 100 years of cinema, that’s 500 performances- sort of the prerequisite for getting on the short list. Here’s the archiveable films I have listed for Mads…. and as far as Cannes best actor awards– I mean there have been some great ones but it doesn’t mean a whole lock. Dean Stockwell has two Best Actor at Cannes wins, James Spader has one, Jean Dujardin won the year before Mads…
1996- Pusher
2002- Open Hearts
2006- After the Wedding
2006- Casino Royale
2009- Valhalla Rising
2012- The Hunt
If you have one hit wonders, then where is malcolm mcdowell?
@Jorge— thanks for the comment and for visiting the site. I don’t have any actor I’d classify as a “one hit wonder” on the list on the male side. All 100 I believe I mention at least twice as I go year-by-year an mention the best performances of the year. McDowell is more of a straight one-hit wonder (which is why he’s left off). I think he’s transcendent in “A Clockwork Orange” but I don’t think as highly as his work in “If…” or “Oh Lucky Man!” as many and his resume is really light after that– perhaps with another viewing of those two films i’ll reconsider.
No Michael Landon or Bill Bixby? Two actors who would strive for perfection regardless of not needing to. The cameras loved them, their audience adired them. Both more than deserving to be on this list.
I agree with 90% of this list, but see some actors on here that either due to untimely deaths or have had only 1 key role, placed on a mantle not rightfully earned.
@rocco Thanks for the comment and for coming to the sight. Glad we agree 90% of the time on the list. So who do you want to take off for Michael Landon or Bill Bixby? I do not believe I have any actors on here with 1 key role. I don’t really watch much tv (or theater, etc) and don’t have a desire to so I never considered Michael Landon or Bixby.
In my Opinion ths big one that should be off the list is Health Ledger had 2 roles Breakback Mountain and Dark Knight and most of his recognition came for the Dark Knight in which he only filmed half of it before passing, and once again in my opinion he wouldn’t have gotten as much recognition if he didn’t pass.
@Rocco— Interesting. Thanks again for sharing your opinion. I’d argue Heath Ledger had two of the strongest performances of the 2000’s decade. He’s strong in “Monster’s Ball” and “I’m Not There” but yeah he’s here because of “The Dark Knight” and “Brokeback” and that is one hell of a 1-2. I think you’re wrong about his work as Joker in “The Dark Knight”. He’s mesmerizing- such a special role/performance/actor.
Well that’s dumb even if he didn’t pass he would still would have gotten the same recognition and he would have gotten even more Fame and Recognition due to all the great movies he would have been in life The Tree Of Life And Mad Max Fury Road
Drake, I totally see where your coming from, and and also glad we can agree to disagree without disrespect lol it is the interwebs…
I wish to not sound as though I’m taking away from his acting ability nor his dedication to become the character he’s playing not just play it, a trait not seen enough in today’s cinema. Honestly one of my favorite performances of his and as corny as it is was him in A Knights Tale.
Bixby was more known as a television star than a movie star so often overlooked he was a known perfectionist and showed this in 3 pivotal roles in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, My Favorite Martians and later in Incredible Hulk.
Landon same thing well known television star not so much the movies. He became his characters made you believe he was really who he was playing such as his roles in Bonanza, Little House on the Praire and Highway to Heaven.
Too bad there isnt more room on the list so many great actors so hard to name a perfect 100. But once again very good list overall. Names I haven’t heard in years and made me remember so iconic movies I kinda forgot over the years.
@Rocco- thanks again- and yes- I’m glad we can disagree without getting nasty or mean-spirited.
Robin Williams? Second time I’m sending this. Don’t know if the other went through. Sorry if it did.
@Swatta– Robin Williams is a really good one. He’s superb in many films including “Good Will Hunter” and “The Fisher King”– he’s right there for me. Here’s the list of archiveable films for Williams. Ultimately I had to take the 100 I had here ahead of him. For say Liotta I’ll take “Goodfellas” and “Something Wild” over any 1-2 punch for Williams.
1982- The World According To Garp
1988- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1989- Dead Poet’s Society
1990- Awakenings
1991- Dead Again
1991- The Fisher King
1996- Hamlet
1997- Deconstructing Harry
1997- Good Will Hunting
2002- Insomnia
Without Charles Laughton, Frederic March, Paul Muni, and Lon Chaney (man of a thousand faces) high on this very good list, it loses credibility. I love Joe Pesci but he’s not top 100 all time. Alain Delon, Heath Ledger and Roy Schieder don’t have enough great work to make it either.
@ W. Thomas– thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I love that you have not only good suggestions (Laughton, March, Muni and Chaney) but you have an actual suggestion for the 4 you’d take off or move down to make room for them (Pesci, Delon, Ledger and Schieder) even if i disagree with it. It’s easy to complain but very few people have thoughtful suggestions for alternative so thank you.
I have Muni at #51 just as a heads up….
The problem with your suggestions are that you aren’t taking into account the quality of the films enough. Pesci, Delon, Ledger and Schieder are doing fantastic work in masterpieces for Scorsese, Nolan, Melville/Visconti, and Spielberg.
Laughton/March/Muni and Chaney never hit those heights even if they had a more balanced career. Which one March or Laughton performance are you pitting against Ledger’s role as The Joker or Pesci’s work in Goodfellas? March and Laughton would get slaughtered.
Your argument ultimately falls flat when you talk about how my 4 choices don’t have “enough great work” and then throw in Muni who really only had a short stint where he was a top actor (8 years from 1932-1939). He has 7 archiveable films (Chaney even less) and that’s less than Schieder and Pesci (8) and tied with Delon (7).
I got to give you credit. You got some really inane ones but your responses are measured and respectful. Kudos. I’d like to ring in, huge movie fan for 45 years. I think overall it’s a good list. Off the top of my head I’d say Sean Penn should be top 20 at worst. I agree that Cage should be on here for a bold, daring body of work that while filled with over the top crap, theres just too many great performances to ignore. Nice to see you include Gosling and Casey Affleck. Alec Baldwin almost always good to great, and his 7 minutes in Glengary alone…
@Kent — Thanks for visiting the site and the comment here. I usually find myself defending Nic Cage (many think he’s an outright bad actor) and Sean Penn to other cinephiles so this is a weird spot for me here. I like both actors a great deal and they have impressive resumes. For the purposes of this list I just don’t have a year where Cage gives one of the best 5 performances for a male actor. He’s close in 2002 and 1995 with “Adaptation” and “Leaving Las Vegas” but— well—yeah isn’t one of the 5 best. If you can’t give one of the 5 best performances of the year in the 100 year history of cinema I can’t find a spot for you on the list.
Sean Penn is a brilliant actor with a strong resume and #39 is no insult. If you were going to put him in your top 20 I’d have to hear who you were moving down on my list to make room for him. I just hope Penn isn’t done. He’s only 59 years old but from 2009-2019 I have one archiveable film for Penn. Even though that film is Tree of Life, probably the best film during that stretch, it isn’t a film that leans too heavily on Penn’s performance for its greatness.
Thanks for responding. I think Cage in Leaving Las Vegas one of the 5 best performance of the decade let alone 1995. As for Penn, to answer your question I’d say he’s definitely better actor than John Wayne, Holden, and Klaus. Also forgot to mention Mcconahey. Other than his rom- com period, always makes cool choices. So good even going back to Lone Star. Then recent history w Buyers club, Killer Joe, Mud, and one of the great all-time television performances in True Detective season 1. I’d ague him as much as Cage.
@Kent. Really good stuff here. At least we located the disconnect for Nic Cage. I do not believe his performance in “Leaving Las Vegas” is one of the 5 best of the decade. I think it’s a fine film but didn’t make my top 100 of the 1990’s and I wouldn’t leave my top 100 films of the decade to pick the best performances of the decade.
Matthew McConaughey has had a great run — The McConaissance!! haha. I don’t have a big problem with you if you have him in your top 100. He was close for me, too. Great pick.
I’m going to piggy-back on @KidCharlemagne below when talking about Penn being better than Wayne. Penn is the more talented actor– but Wayne has the better resume. Also, Wayne (and this goes for Kinski and Holden, too) have higher highs. Their best work (The Searchers, Aguirre Wrath of God, and The Wild Bunch) top Penn’s best.
Dont have your film knowledge
But tbf you nailed top spot,de into is easily the best actor ever,body of work and quality is unparalleled
A better actor than Wayne maybe but Wayne « outwork » him.
I really appreciate your input. It’s cool to hear the process you go through. I guess I’m feeling like I’m trying to make my way through your selection process and what went into it. I guess we look at the selection process different. that’s not a criticism, it’s just interesting. For instance, you mention highest highs. I’m not going to argue that Penn’s best performance is better than the three you mentioned, and that would include Carlito’s way, milk, Dead Man Walking, Sweet and lowdown, mystic River, casualties of war, hurly-burly, bad boys, etcetera etcetera. I’m sure you can see where I’m going here, which is that highest highs or not, Penn has has been great way more often than the other three. To me that’s way more important. I guess I’m still trying to figure out a talking about Cage, well I totally understand you don’t agree it’s one of the best performances the decade, you would also said earlier you didn’t have is one of the five best performances of 1995. That’s shocking Drake. I’d really like to know, which five of that year you think we’re better than cage in leaving Las Vegas. But overall, I really appreciate the dialogue. You really know your stuff. Like that you have Philip Seymour Hoffman so high as well.
@Kent – Honestly this type of back and forth is one of the main reasons I enjoy doing this site. Thank you. You’re correct here. We’ve got some different criteria and that’s fine. Two of my closest film/cinema buddies complain that I put too much on the quality of the film when evaluating actors and performances. The analogy I always use is sports. To me, a great performance in a masterpiece, or even better, a top 100 film. Is like an athlete having a great game in the title game, or playoffs. To me, the inverse is true and a great acting performance in the 27th best film of 1998 is like someone having a great game in the regular season— and if they’re good in an even worse movie- that’s like doing it in an exhibition game or preseason. I almost can’t even enjoy the performance even if it, in a vacuum, is awesome, because I’m just so sad that it’s wasted in such a weak movie.
I will say that the depth of great performances argument here with Penn isn’t a sweep over those three actors like you think it is. It’s a sweep over Kinski– I’ll give you that. Kinski is on the list that high mainly because of his big 2-3 films with Herzog. However, Holden and Wayne have a lot of depth. Wayne is superb in Red River, Liberty Valance and many others. He has over 30 archiveable films. I just don’t think I can compare Penn in Casualties to Wayne in The Quiet Man or Fort Apache and say it’s an easy win for Penn. Ditto for Holden with work in Network, Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17, River Kwai– that’s depth that matches Penn so we’re left with the difference, which is at the top.
As for your comment on 1995 and Cage in “Leaving Las Vegas”– the skeleton for my best actors list is my archives by year. I go year by year and pick the best performances (again usually using that year’s top 10 films to pick from — but not always). and then award points based on how good it is (Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood gets more points than say Mark Ruffalo in Zodiac both because it’s a better film and because he’s more important to the film’s quality though they’re both great) Here’s my page for 1995 and my explanation on the best male actor below http://thecinemaarchives.com/2017/11/13/1995/
best performance male: Robert De Niro is lights out in the first and third best movies of the year. I don’t even really want to pick one—I think he clearly had the edge on Pacino if you’re ranking performances in this film and he’s in virtually every scene of Scorsese’s three hour gangster opus (and virtual remake of Goodfellas—not a complaint, a compliment). The answer to this category in 1995 is De Niro. He has strong contenders behind him. Johnny Depp gives the best performance of his career in Dead Man. His comedic blank stare is perfect for the jarmuscian style. I wish they’d worked more together…maybe they still will. Brad Pitt gets a joint nominee here for his work in both seven and twelve monkeys. Kevin Spacey very much deserved the best supporting oscar for his work in usual suspects. Sean Penn gives his pest performance to date in 1995 in dead man walking and Vincent Cassel arrives like a bat out of hell in la haine. All of these actors are mesmerizing in their work here in 1995—as I said- a very strong year for this category.
Wow. I don’t agree but your poi t is well taken. Excellent argument. Man, I’ve met my match. ?. Ok. Well I think Pacino was better than Deniro in Heat although only by a hair. You and I are going to talk Zodiac more as I feel it’s the best film in a quarter century but I know u hold it in high regard too so it will be fun. Is it ok if I send you a couple Top 10, 20 or at most 50 lists so you can see where I’m coming from. Trust me , my sister, m( my movie buddy) would laugh if she knew I was looking for outside opinions on my list as I am adamantly supportive of what I like? Thanks Drake.
@Kent. That would be great if you share a list or two. I’m always looking for films that I’ve missed completely or haven’t seen in too long to rewatch. Please- share.
What’s your top 10 best French actors ever ?
My top :
1} Gérard Depardieu
2} Alain Delon
3} Jean-Paul Belmondo
4} Jean Gabin
5} Jean-Louis Trintignant
6} Yves Montand
7} Lino Ventura
8} Phillips Noiret
9} Michel Piccoli
10} Michel Simon
Honorables Mentions : Jean-Pierre Léaud,Jean Marais,Patrick Dewaere,Gérard Philippe,Charles Boyer,Maurice Chevalier,Matthieu Amalric,Vincent Cassel & Jean Dujardin.
@KidCharlemagne . Sorry for my absence here. Here’s the 6 french actors that are in my top 100 (I believe) and in order. I will say that Cassel, Simon, Piccoli were all close in the next 50.
1. Jean-Paul Belmondo
2. Jean Gabin
3. Jean-Louis Trintignant
4. Alain Delon
5. Jean- Pierre Leaud
6. Maurice Chevalier
50 best films of the 21rst century 50 Carol
49 Tropic Thunder
48 oceans 11
47 Yes Man
46 Lone Survivor
45 Last house on the Left ( so much better than Cravens)
44 Brawl in Cell Block 99
43 Good Dick
42 John Wick ( the reinvention of the action film)
41 Lost in Translation
40 Mystic River
39 Collateral
38 American Psycho
37 Under the Skin
36. Snowpiercer
35 Paranormal Activity ( a Perfect, I mean perfect way to use low budget and make a masterpiece)
34 The Invitation
33 Session 9. ( These last 2 a perfect example of the slow burn, and the economy of great direction)
32 A Quiet Place
31 Requiem for a Dream
30 Hereditary
29 Before Sunrise
28 Open Water ( stayed w me for weeks)
27 Donnie Darko
26 Social Network
25 The Revenant
24 Bourne Ultimatum
23 Signs ( one of only 2 movies in my life I saw on the same day twice in the theater)
22 Whiplash
21 Nightcrawler
20. Tree of Life
19 Silver Linings Playbook
18 Inglorious Bastards
17 Kill Bill 2
16 Gone baby Gone
15 The Pledge ( the 2nd most underrated film of the modern era)
14 The Departed
13 La La Land
12 Moonlight
11 Out of the Furnace. ( 5 great actors at the top of their form..The most underrated film of all time..Richard Roeper the only one who got it giving it the 2 ND best film of the year)
10 Into the Wild
9 Wedding Crashers
8. Drive
7 Monneyball ( greatest sports movie ever)
6 Mulholland Drive
5 Sideways
4 25th Hour ( a masterpiece)
3 Michael Clayton ( Brad Pitt who I was fortunate to meet and talk film, said it was the only FLAWLESS film he’d ever seen
2. No Country for old men
1. Zodiac
@Kent — really great list! thank you for sharing. We share so many in common- if you go to the “rankings” page I do a top 100 for every decade (I haven’t done one that combines the 00’s and 10’s) but you’ll notice so many we share in common.
Likes: I love Bourne Ultimatum there. It’s a great genre film for sure but Greengrasss clearly has an identifiable aesthetic with this camera style right? Good choice! I’m also happy to see The Departed as your greatest Scorsese of the 21st century. There’s been so much buzz for Wolf of Wall Street recently but I’m with you here. I’m also happy to see La La Land and The Revenant so close to the top. I feel like they’re not both really underrated now. Back to back winners for best director/cinematography and boy did they earn it. They aren’t about social issues so they lost at the oscars to Moonlight (also an excellent stylistic film) and Spotlight (not so much) but I think they’re the superior films.
dislikes: Of course don’t take it personal but I have some issues here. Paranormal Activity– are you praising the effect it had on you and the audience? Or the artistic craftsmanship involved? I’m just not sure there’s much there to rewatch and study/praise/admire.
Also- Ok and this is bigger. I think these 4 auteurs may be the greatest of the 21st century (not in order necessarily): PT Anderson, Wes Anderson, Cuaron, and Christopher Nolan. I don’t see them anywhere on your list? You aren’t a fan? Did i miss one? What gives?
curious: I’m curious about the idea of Sean Penn as top auteur/director. You have two films he directed in the top 15. No other director does. Wow. Can you say more about him? What makes you feel that way that he’s really one of the best?
Thanks again for sharing the list
Hey Drake. Yeah. I’m gonna post some Top 10, 20 and 50 lists here. I’d really appreciate the feedback. Yeah, just alone, Brawl in Cell Block 99 was CLEARLY one of the best films of 2017. And the Invitation is one of the best films of the 2000’s. But let’s start with my lists and let the dialogue begin!!
@Kent- thanks again for the comment here. Sorry I was traveling for a few days and didn’t have a chance to catch up on the site. Yes- please share some lists and I’ll give it a look after some thought on it/them. Ok- You gotta give me more than “clearly one of the best films of 2017”. Why was it so clear? I’d like to think I know what I’m talking about (which doesn’t mean I can’t get a film wrong or miss something) but it wasn’t “clear” at all to me. What was so superior about it? Here are my thoughts on it– I’d need something more specific on what I missed. http://thecinemaarchives.com/2018/01/24/brawl-in-cell-block-99-2017-zahler/
Hey Drake ?. Sorry took a minute to respond. I was in the hospital. All’s good now. I have lots I want to respond to. I sent you my top 50 from memory. I have some additions I will send tomorrow. Forgot some Big Ones. Also while u have a chance also noticed no Woody Harrelson on your list shud be there. Like ur feedback on that, Out Of The Furnace, and I will get back to u on Paranormal Activity.. Thanks. Ur Awesome
@Kent– I’m sorry to hear you were in the hospital. I hope all is well/better. As for Woody Harrelson– he’s a great actor– has been for such a long time. I’ve got him marked down here with 15 archiveable films. However, what keeps him from cracking my top 100 is that, although he’s excellent in everything, I don’t have a single year where I think he gives one of the 4-5 best male performances. Do you? If there’s 100 years of movies and 5 best male performances each year that means Woody doesn’t have one of the top 500 single male performances. And that’s a knockout for me to make a list like this.
1989- Casualties of War
1994- Natural Born Killers
1996- The People Versus Larry Flynt
1997- Wag the Dog
1998- The Thin Red Line
2006- A Prairie Home Companion
2006- A Scanner Darkly
2007- No Country For Old Men
2009- The Messenger
2009- Zombieland
2012- Seven Psychopaths
2013- Out of the Furnace
2014- True Detective
2017- Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri
2017- War for the Planet of the Apes
Hey Drake. I just wanted you to know I posted my top 50 films of the 21st Century but for some reason they got posted in the middle of our dialogue. I’m sure you’ll find it. I’m dying to know your response.
Have you seen The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford ?
One of the best underrated movie ever.
@KidCharlemagne– The Assassination of Jesse James is an amazing film. I’ve got it all over the place here. Here’s the link to my notes on it. http://thecinemaarchives.com/2018/01/12/the-assassination-of-jesse-james-by-the-coward-robert-ford-2007-dominik/ . I’ve got it as Pitt’s best single performance here http://thecinemaarchives.com/2018/06/27/the-23rd-best-actor-of-all-time-brad-pitt/ #9 of the 2000’s decade here http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/03/25/the-best-films-of-the-decade-the-2000s/ and #112 of all-time here http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/04/10/the-best-500-films-of-all-time/
I think it’s becoming less and less “underrated” though as a ton of cinema lovers appreciate this film and champion it. Happy to hear you are one of them!
Come on! No John Malkovich?!
@ D-Mart— Thanks for the comment and for visiting the site. I love Malkovich- a great actor- I’ve got 18 movies for him in the archives (below). Only in 1988 with Dangerous Liaisons does he give one of the best male performances of the year. You need 2 or 3 if your year isn’t going to be an all-timer performance/film.
1984- Places in the Heart
1984- The Killing Fields
1985- Death of a Salesman
1987- Empire of the Sun
1988- Dangerous Liaisons
1990- The Sheltering Sky
1991- Shadows and Fog
1993- In the Line of Fire
1996- Portrait of a Lady
1998- Rounders
1999- Time Regained
1999-Being John Malkovich
2000- Shadow of a Vampire
2001- I’m Going Home
2002- Ripley’s Game
2008- Burn After Reading
2008- Changeling
2019- Velvet Buzzsaw
I would say the people versus Larry flynt top five that year, and once again our criteria is different. When I see an actor, that to your own admission is pretty much great in everything he does, to me that holds much more weight than whether or not he was the top five in any given year. You look at rampart hey, Out of the Furnace, the messenger, natural Born Killers, his death scene in the Thin redline alone is a masterwork. Really want to get your feedback, on Out of the Furnace, to me that is a great, great film
@Kent. I’m a big admirer of Out of the Furnace. Scott Cooper isn’t PT Anderson but has made several really strong films now– great acting in every one of them.
You won’t hear me say a word against Woody- again- a great actor. But I disagree with Larry Flynt being one of the best performances of 1996. There are 6+ that are better from that year along. He is good in everything, and has been so for a long time but so are a lot of great actors. How about Melvin Douglas (not on my list and good in everything with 15 archiveable films), Peter Finch, Richard Widmark, Tom Wilkinson, etc). These are actors that are great in everything they do- just like Woody. To me that’s just not enough to make the list.
I want to tell you Drake n I will be writing more later tonight but I want you to get your props, cuz even tho some of your opinions infuriate me ( n I’m sure vice versa). I’ve checked into many movie sites/ opinions etc. But I’ve never felt obliged to post anything more than once. You have a great site!! N once I educate u on why ur wrong about so much ??. It will be even better??. By the way. Not in too 100 but isn’t it interesting to see Keanu Reeves actually making me think about his work. John Wick Trilogy is great, and with unbelievable innovative direction his performance in all 3 films plus , in my opinion , one of the best no nonsense action performances of all time in Speed. Rivals Wiilis in Die Hard n Schwarzenegger in Predator. Plus his unexpected turn as a wife beating racist in The Gift. He’s one of 2 Major stars I’ve ever met- I’ve met many as I was a health club mgr in LA for 15 years- I’m not a star struck guy just find people how I find them- but he and Brad Pitt the most kind, down to earth actors I’ve ever met. Funny, in my experience it’s the B or C list actors that are more dueche. ?. Anyway, Keanu n Brad Pitt … awesome!! Keanus knowledge of film history blew me away..
@Kent– thanks again. I’m so pleased to hear you enjoy the site and I love having the dialogue here with you as a frequent commenter. Thank you.
Very cool on Keanu Reeves– knowledge on film history?– so cool. That’s always great to hear they’re a decent person, too. Do you want him on the top 100 list here? I’m not opposed to the idea just because he isn’t a really gifted thespian. He has presence and is in a fair amount of good movies. I’m just not there yet. Even in the Wick’s or The Matrix in 1999 I’m not sure he’s as good as so many of his peers and contemporaries.
Hey Drake. This is what happens when someone’s recovering from the hospital. You start obsessing about Drake’s top 100 actors. When you first posted this, I remember sending you messages about a few things, but now I’m starting to notice after the fact I need to look at your list harder. I just realized on top of the fact you don’t have Woody Harrelson your top 100 you have Russell Crowe 93. Brother. ?. You’re better than that. For some reason I missed the fact where he was on your list. He’s better then at least 45 to 50 actors on your list. His performance in the Insider or alone, in the year where there was many great performances. Sean Penn in Sweet and lowdown, Spacey in American beauty. 1999 in my adulthood is the second greatest film year. I’m sure you’ve seen there’s a whole book now stating it’s the best film year in film history. Three Kings, American beauty, The matrix, election, magnolia,… I agree it’s great. But to me the best film year since I was an adult is 2007. Zodiac. No country for old men. Michael Clayton. Into the wild. Gone Baby Gone. Bourne ultimatum.etc..
@Kent. Thanks once again. My brother bought me the “Best. Movie. Year. Ever”- Brian Raftery book I just haven’t had time to read it yet. 1999 is an incredible year and 2007, too. Both are years that come along once in a decade or so– among the best. I think 1960 may be the best single year ever. http://thecinemaarchives.com/2017/09/14/1960/
as for Russell Crowe– i mean I think 93 is a really got slot. There are so many great actors. I single out his 1999 in The Insider (ahead of Keanu Reeves I may add). LA Confidential he’s superb, Gladiator, and Master and Commander… What an amazing 7-8 year run. He’s been really quiet since then. He’ll need to rebound with another big year or two to get much higher on the list here.
Great comments Drake! It’s nice to have somebody but even if I disagree with him a lot, I have a high regard for in their opinion. A lot of times when I get into film conversations I get frustrated because so many of my friends, while smart, their opinion seems to run what’s the hottest at the Box office. As to some of your comments, as far as Keanu, I’m never going to argue he should be in the top 100 actors of all time, but he’s a personal favorite. I’m really glad you liked Out of the Furnace. That alone lets me know I found a kindred spirit in film. :-). As far as your comments about the best Auteurs of the 21st Century I will respond to that more thoroughly later today, but I will say I think Nolan’s inception is a bloated overrated mess, however I agree with you on Dunkirk it would be on my top 50 of the new century. One of those that I will send to you in my Caveat list to those that I forgot when I sent you my top 50 from memory. As far as Wes Anderson, Timmy is 2 best films are bottle rocket and Rushmore. Which is my third favorite supporting performance of all time in Bill Murray behind Tom Cruise in magnolia and John Goodman in The Big Lebowski. But I will add to this later. I really appreciate the dialogue. I’m having kind of a hard time in my life right now. This is a nice things to look forward to.
@Kent– awesome stuff here. Again- really appreciate the back and forth. I really only think about box office as “will this help this director get his next movie made?”- I root for the good artists/auteurs.
Hi Drake,
Just wondering… What system do you use for this website to figure out the best actors? Just curious as this is very intricately and well-done here, it would seem lol.
@Jeff– thanks for the comment an question. Yeah- I try to be as painstakingly detailed as possible. Basically I go year by year (archive by year link) and compile the best 3-10 performances for males and females that year. I typically only look at the top 10 films of that year to pull the actor from and then take into account 1. how good the performance is 2. how good the film is and 3. how important the actor is to that film’s greatness. Then I award points. Then I go on to the next year and keep a running tally for 200+ actors. It’s not a perfect system by any stretch and there can be debates, this is art, not math– but this is my system.
Oldman for Clooney. Woody Allen? I know he won’t win any year but the sheer filmography should get him in, close to Damon.
@AP. Oldman is a popular one – other film enthusiasts like yourself agree with you. Fair enough– he’s a great actor with terrific skill set. I only have one year (1986 with Sid and Nancy) where I think Oldman gives one of the best male performances of the year. Do you have more? Clooney I have two years– 1998 with Out of Sight and 2007 with Michael Clayton.
Woody Allen is an interesting idea– I’ve thought about it and I’ve gone back and forth on him. He’s certainly a strong screen presence and has been in so many great films.
Thanks for the feedback!
yeah i agree on woody allen. him in annie hall is the best performance in the movie and it is groucho from duck soup. amazing performance.
Eh don’t get me wrong Woody was great in Annie Hall but Diane Keaton clearly gives the superior performance in the film.
@AP, M and Randy— I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here. I praised them both when I went by year by year– here’s 1977 and my blurbs on both http://thecinemaarchives.com/2017/10/05/1977/
best performance male: It’s not a strong year here either. There have been several years (1976 included) where’d I’d have at least 2-3 options better than any single one here but given my choices I’m going to go with Richard Dreyfuss’s strong work in close encounters as my performance of the year. His possessed every man is imaginative and energetic but has enough sympathy to stick it out with him when he abandons rationality (and his family)—it’s a tough role and dreyfuss is perfect for it. Behind him I’m definitely going with Woody Allen. Diane Keaton won the oscar and she’s great- but Allen carries the film. Bruno Ganz does some superb work in wenders’ American friend so he’s my third choice and my last choice here is the charasmatic turn by Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Alec Guinness received the oscar nom but I think Harrison Ford’s turn is clearly superior and it’d hate to see how dry this film could be without him.
best performance female: I am going to agree with the academy and give the best performance to keaton in annie hall. She’s great at playing naïve and awkward—she’s funny– but clearly she goes through a transformation throughout the film and is more than just an allen foil. Behind her I think Liza is very good in scorsese’s new york, new york and the two performances in altman’s three women by Shelley Duvall and Sissy Spacek (another mention for spacek which gives her 3 in 5 years) round out my choices here.
What about HUGH LAURIE?!!
He does a MAGNIFICENT job on HOUSE!!
To top it off, he is a very talented multi-instrumentalist!!
Super talented guy. Not really what this list is about though.
I am not sure why you say this Matt.
Just because he is multi-talented does not mean that he cannot be compared to all the other actors on this list.
For a British actor, his American accent is unbelievably accurate.
@Christopher – I do not have Hugh Laurie in my current working list of top 500 male actors of all-time
This is too bad Drake. I think that he should be there.
He is very unique in combining comedy and serious matters.
His lines in HOUSE would usually take the average actor a lifetime to memorise!!
Wait – Drake, you have a working list of the Top 500? I’m actually curious to see what that looks like lol.
@Jeff– haha well sort of- not in order but I have a list of over 500 actors with 2-3 archiveable films or more. I started with that
I think that some readers know that HUGH LAURIE wrote a song called I’M IN LOVE WITH STEFFI GRAF.
Just like Hugh, I am a dreamer as well.
I think that I might write a song called I’M IN LOVE WITH JULIA GOERGES!!
With his 2019 year, I think Brad Pitt deserves the 13#-19# tier. I would put him in the 19# seed, juste after Eastwood (now 20#). What do you think Drake ?
He had 22 movies in the Archives. 8 top 5 of the year movie (Seven,12 Monkeys,Fight Club,Jesse James,Inglourious Basterds,ToL,Ad Astra & Once Upon a Time…).
If I’m correct, he also had one of the 5 best performances in 5 years (3# in 1995,2# in 1999,3# in 2007,2# in 2011 & 2# in 2019).
@KidCharlemagne — I think you’re probably right about Pitt jumping up into that range this year. It can get lost in the moment but having a 2019 like Brad Pitt had doesn’t come along often. I’m not going to update this list quite yet- I have a few other projects/lists/updates I want to do but I feel confident saying that when I do update it– Pitt will ascend to reflect his tremendous 2019.
I understand. Thanks for the reply
With the Tarantino, I think LDC also desserves the 13#-19# tier. I don’t know where I’ll put him. He had 6 top 5 BP (2004,2006,2010,2013,2015 & 2019) & 8 top 5 movies of the Tear (Titanic,Aviator,The Departed,Shutter Island,Inception,Django,The Revenant & OUTH). Also 15 AM.
Maybe the 17# or 16# spot for him ?
I think Pacino should stay in the 6# seed & Pecsi could be in the 40-44# Tier (maybe 41# ?)
Phoenix should remain in his position.
@KidCharlemagne — ditto here for Leo. I don’t think Leo has done enough yet (he’s like 45) to crack the top 15 but I think both he and Pitt have pretty interchangeable resumes with those just slightly higher than them. Again, Leo is awesome the #2 movie of the year directed by Tarantino– wow!
That’s true. I hesitate because Pitt-DiCaprio have the same resume but I put LDC above because I think that he’s a better actor.
Thanks for the reply @ good luck with these projects 🙂
@ KidCharlemagne @Drake. This is a fun one. I will move Pesci big, case in point he eclipses Cruise and moves into the Top 30. Phoenix takes the Pesci spot at 45.
Pitt moves inside the Top 15. Just behind Newman, Leo gets 17th just above Hackman and Hoffman.
De Niro is indisputable, I think 2 to 6 is all up for debate. I will stick with Pacino at 6, but not a lot separates him and the 4 above him.
The problem with Pesci is :
1 – He’s in 9 movies on the Archives.
2. He gives one of the best 5 performances of the year only 3 times (1980,1990 & 2019).
For me, a jump into the top 30 is too much.
@ AP and KidCharlemagne– appreciate the comments- really good stuff here. I love the conversation and debate. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer on Pesci. If you take out his two early cameo performances, Daniel Day-Lewis only has 13 archiveable films, Klaus Kinski only has 10 and Chaplin has 11 so there are others that are in the top 20 that are close to his total number of archiveable films. Now to further complicate things I mean Pesci isn’t even the “lead” in any of his 3 performances where he gives one of the 5 best performances of the year (does that matter? I dunno). The counter would be his 1-3 is probably better than many ahead of him (including Cruise). Tough call. There are so many moving parts that I won’t update the list until I can sit through and go through the entire process and that’ll take a week and right now I’m putting together my “best of the decade” stuff- so it’ll be a bit before I can update this list.
I think that Pesci is in better movies but his top 3 is as good as Cruise’s top 3.
It’s difficult to rank the performances but Cruise is not bad in what he does (don’t know if we have understood each other).
Clearly, Pesci played in better movies but it seems like he’s carry by Scorsese (not a bad thing) but he lacks of depth.
Cruise’s been good with Scorsese (R),Mann (HR),Spielberg (HR),Kubrick (MP),Anderson (MP). 1999 shows some versatility (It’s not the same character in these 2 masterpieces).
He’s great in Comedy (Tropic Thunder),Drama (Rain Man),Action (MI),Romcom (Jerry Maguire). As a vilain (Collateral) or Hero (A Few Good Men).
That’s just my opinion, may be wrong.
I don’t know about this… I do think that, whilst Pitt is in a lot of great movies, it is not always the case that he is the best actor in those movies or that he is the equal of the film he is in. On the other hand, DiCaprio will pretty much always give the best performance in a film he’s in – on an even keel in Once Upon A Time… and Waltz is slightly better than him in Django… but, outside of that, he’s pretty much always the best, even against heavyweights like Nicholson – Pitt doesn’t always have that.
@Jeff. I think that’s fair. Certainly DiCaprio loses that battle in Gangs of New York but I get your point. I think Pitt is equal to Norton in Fight Club, Affleck in Jesse James, and DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I don’t give him any real credit at all on this list for 12 Years a Slave or True Romance or The Big Short.
You’re right! I forgot Gangs of New York – but I don’t know if I 100% blame that on just DiCaprio. The part he is given in that is not really right for him nor is the part partiuclarly good – especially not compared to Bill The Butcher. I could kind of see a Christian Bale or someone a bit more introverted doing it better, but Amsterdam Vallon is far from a great character. All the same, Pitt is good – very good, but is not as great as DiCaprio from a talent-perspective, even if I do think they have a similar range – DiCaprio just has a bit more depth.
No Vincent Price or Claude Rains hm.
@Frank Story– thanks for the comment and for visiting the site. I like both Price and Rains– talented character actors who often played villains and did a great job of it. I have 14 archiveable films for Rains and 11 for Price but I do not have a single year where I think one of them gives the best 5 or so male performances of the year. Do you? Without that it is hard to make the case for any actor. There have been 100+ years of cinema so that’s 500 performances as a starting point.
Claude Rains most definitely gave one of the top 5 Male performances of 1942 in both Casablanca and Now Voyager.
@Randy– what are your other top 4 male performances of 1942 ?
Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandey, Monty Woolley in the pied Paper, and Gary scooper in the pride of the Yankees.
I meant Gary Cooper instead of Scooper.
@Randy– thanks for sharing- Yeah I have Errol Flynn in Gentleman Jim above Woolley and Cooper
Drake, how does someone earn the #1 spot, in terms of being the best male Actor of all time?
If you could let me know, I’d appreciate it.
Thank you.
@John— sure- i think the easiest way would be to check out the de niro page- i’ve copied it here http://thecinemaarchives.com/2018/07/16/the-best-actor-of-all-time-robert-de-niro/
Ok, that’s pathetic. There’s no Spencer Tracy and Laughton, who were considered the greatest actors in the world back in the day, but there’s Ray Liotta, Heath Ledger… Funny.
@Maulder– thanks for visiting the site and the comment. Very few people have seen as many Spencer Tracy and Charles Laughton films as I have– so I’m not ignoring them. They simply don’t have a Goodfellas or The Dark Knight-level performance on their resume sadly (and both Liotta and Ledger back it up with very solid #2 performances like Brokeback and Something Wild).
Spencer Tracy Certainly does Inherit the Wind and Adams Rib are all time timers on the level of anything Heath every did and certainly superior to Anything Ray Liotta Ever did
Randy White- No, not a chance. and TSPDT rightly leaves both Inherit and Adam’s Rib off the top 2000 films of all-time list.
Yes it is inherent wind as a performance is miles better then anything Ray liotta ever did, any serious critic will tell you the exact same thing.
@Randy– haha agree to disagree. Tracy gives a nice little performance in a nice little film– but not on the same level as Liotta in Goodfellas.
Haha I guess we will have too then because you’re overrating Liotta in Goodfellas he was good but not as good as you’re making him out to be (Jeremy Irons from the same year) and no Spencer Tracy was excellent performance in A Classic Movie.
@Randy- Yeah you’re talking about two movies that aren’t really that relevant in Reversal of Fortune (Irons) and Inherit the Wind (Tracy)– neither factor into the top 20 of their respective year. Liotta is superb in maybe the best movie of the last 35 years.
I could understand reversal of fortune not being very Relevant but Inherit the Wind has been remade a few times (and isn’t in the library of Congress if I’m not mistaken)And it very relevant today. also just because you say they’re not top twenty of their respective years doesn’t mean I or anyone else can you’re not the end all be all Of Opinions When it comes to film.
@Randy- I meant artistically relevant. I never said you said you couldn’t have an opinion. Go for it. I can respond as well- You’re with Spencer Tracy in Inherit the Wind and Adam’s Rib and Jeremy Irons in Reversal of Fortune over Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and Ray Liotta in Goodfellas. Great- happy to be on the side I’m on here.
I never said I had Spencer Tracy and Jeremy irons over Heath ledger I just said Ray liotta performance isn’t as good as the other two. Heath actually deserves praise for actually putting together excellent 10/10 performances unlike Ray and wasn’t overshadowed by his co stars.
My mistake. You said Spencer Tracy in Adam’s Rib and Inherit the Wind is on the level of anything Heath Ledger ever did. Just want that clear. Right?
Yes sir
@Randy White- got it. Thanks
No Billy Bob Thornton? Versatility at it’s best slingblade, friday night lights, and bad Santa. Just saying top 100 fir sure, hmm-mmm
@ Dakota— haha I like the “hmm-mmm”— I love Billy Bob– throw in A Simple Plan and The Man Who Wasn’t There. It is a strong resume– not as strong as any of the top 100 above– but still- I don’t hate the choice. Thanks for your comment and idea here.
What about Geoffrey Rush?
@Paul– Geoffrey Rush is great. I have 9 archiveable films Rush here below. He’s good in everything right? But his best work is probably in Shine or King’s Speech. I can’t say I considered him for the top 100 though because I think it’s very possible that he isn’t in any of the best 1000 films of all-time— and I only have one year where he could realistically be considered for giving one of the best 5-10 male performances and that is in Shine in 1996– and that film is fine, but nothing too special
1996- Shine
1998- Elizabeth
1998- Shakespeare In Love
2000- Quills
2001- Lantana
2003- Intolerable Cruelty
2003- Pirates of the Caribbean
2005- Munich
2010- The King’s Speech
speaking of actors where is Jeremy Irons. He gave two of the best acting performances in one film (Dead Ringers)
@m — Dead Ringers is brilliant and Irons is brilliant in it. Here’s the 7 archiveable performances from Irons. I just needed one more year/performance where Irons was among the best. If you look at like Liotta…. Liotta’s work in Goodfellas/Something Wild certainly bests the Dead Ringers/Reversal of Fortune 1-2 punch.
1981- The French Lieutenant’s Woman
1986- The Mission
1988- Dead Ringers
1990- Reversal of Fortune
2005- Kingdom of Heaven
2006- Inland Empire
2011- Margin Call
Well, being an actor isnt easy I can tell you that. My uncle always talks about how difficult the profession is. And even if you do have talent, there are other factors too. Are you good looking(VEry important), charismatic, easy to work with?
Also I dont want to say this in a bad way but no one can come close to De Niro (especially not in Raging Bull) or Brando (On the Waterfront, godfather ) or Day Lewis (Age of Innocence) or even Kinski (aguirre).
Cage? Seriously???????. He doesnt deserve to be mentioned alongside the other actors. You will most certainly be able to be as good as him.
@Azman
I’d disagree with you. First, yes an actor should be charismatic and I can’t think of too many counter examples. but Kinski was neither good looking nor easy to work with. also, yes i do believe any actor could surpass the greats. I/m sure de niro looked at brando and cary grant and stewart and said there’s no way i could be that good. as for cage, he is as good as any. he might not have as memeorable a performance but he is an auteur-acor, very consistent and unique. great actor.
Kinski wasnt good looking???. Blue eyes, sharp jawline ,big lips etc. Look at Eberts review of Aguirre. Also you look at most actors from the 30s 40s 50s and they were all quite tall. (The average height of the top 100 actors would be quite high)Stewart, Grant etc. Nearly all of them were taller than 5 foot 7. Pacino was even consider too short and ugly for The Godfather by Paramount until George Lucas’s wife convinced Coppola and Paramount.
Thankfully today it’s a bit easier for short actors to make it with many of Hollywood’s leading men being short. However most of them are still ridiculously good looking (plastic surgery, photoshop etc). Sure you have Woody Allen and a few others but they are clearly the exception.
I’m an aspiring actor, my goal is to be the number one actor of all time, when my career is all said and done. I believe I can pull it off and I am determined, passionate and will not give up until I reach my goal. I know the craft of acting has changed over time, so what will I have to do in order to take the number one spot, and when it’s all said and done for me to be the best male Actor of all time.
Thank you.
@Johnny– thanks for visiting the site. Good luck. Who are some are your favorite actors?
johnny. same here i am an aspiring actor and a drama student and i hope to be the greatest film actor in history. to even top brando, day lewis, klinski, de niro, and nicolas cage (probably in that order). i used to want to be director/writer when i first got into film back at the end of 2018 due to tarantino, but i am no good as a writer and i also would rather act and be part of the great scenes. Good luck to you.
on second thought, perhaps john wayne over cage. other greats are travolta irons harrison ford, hoffman, chaplin, too many to list
Way too low: Robert Redford, John Cazale, Jack Lemmon, Jeff Bridges, Robert Duvall
Way too high: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio
No reputable critic in the world would argue Tom Cruise is a better actor than probably half the guys listed beneath him.
@Doug— thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I like that you provide both options— those that are too low and too high. Most just do one or the other and I think that’s a cheap way out so I appreciate you giving me both sides here. Take a look around the site– I think I’ve seen enough to know enough to be called “reputable critic in the world”. I’m not sure what you have against Cruise, Pitt and DiCaprio. Just because they are good looking and big box office? That can’t be it because you have Redford here as way too low. Cruise, Pitt and DiCaprio have been damn good for decades now, in the best films, and working with the best directors. I’m good with their spot on the list. It checks out when you really dig into it.
Wayne and Eastwood are way too high as well they’re great actors (Eastwood > Wayne) but the 12th and 19th greatest male actors of all they are not more around the 40 -50 range
@Randy- it isn’t all about range, otherwise I’d agree with you– you have to take into account their resume and screen presence
Also, not having William Hurt anywhere on the list is a garish omission.
He should be somewhere in the top 20.
@Doug… Thanks again. I like William Hurt — he’s a very good actor–13 archiveable films, four-time oscar nominee, had a great run in the 80’s and supporting work after but if you have him as top 20 well that just puts him in a class he plainly isn’t in… the resume isn’t there for that. There’s really only one year where Hurt gives one of the best 5-6 male performances of the year and that’s 1981 with Body Heat. Guys in the top 20 have 5-10 years where they give one of the best performances of the year.
Ok, the favorite actors of a random cinephile. I’m ok with it.
@Jennygo — thanks for visiting the site and the comment. haha glad you’re ok with it. I wouldn’t use the word favorite or random at all.
How do you decide if a film is archivable? I’d like to know your system, I think your list is really interesting you have an amazing knowledge of film history. Another question, do you include the greatest films worldwide every year or primarily in America? I’m just not seeing a lot of diversity, I guess.
@Jalon– thanks for visiting the site and for the comment. I appreciate the kind words. Normally I consider a film archiveable if it worth revisiting and watching seriously again. It usually equates to the best 30-50 or so films a year. I certainly try to see the greatest films worldwide… the last 10 films I’ve seen are from Andersson (Sweden), Powell (UK), Eisenstein (Russia), Gus Van Sant (US), Carl Reiner (US), Besson (France), Stupnitsky (US), McCarey (US), Resnais (France), Tarantino (US)— so about 50/50 maybe. If you go back further it’s a bunch of Resnais films so slightly more international. I think it is a pretty good mix on the site if you browse around but I’m certainly open to feedback but I ask it be specific.
I do not consider the country of the actor, director or film when making the list. Doesn’t matter to me. But there may be certain films or filmmakers I haven’t seen or seen enough of. Who is missing?
Alright, here’s a thought experiment. What actor who you would not for even one instant consider for the top 100 list, has the best filmography? If I started the bidding with Arnold Schwarzenegger where do you go from there?
@Matt Harris— haha interesting. So for starters- I did consider, for at least an instant, Arnold. We’ve talked about this before but acting talent, range or whatever is part of the equation— but as much as anything, this list is about resume and which 100 actors had the best careers. Pairing with the right auteur (Cameron) and being in great films (Terminator, Terminator 2 for starters) is at least half the ballgame. Arnold is also great in these roles— anyone want to see Willem Dafoe or Gary Oldman as the Terminator? Haha.
But I get your question. I’m guessing you don’t mean someone like Ward Bond. Probably the greatest filmography of all-time in everything from Rio Bravo to It’s a Wonderful Life to The Searchers, It Happened One Night, Maltese Falcon, Grapes of Wrath…. wild. Great filmography and I never considered him
I’ll rule out someone like Jeff Goldblum and John C Reilly because I did and would consider them.
How about Groucho Marx? Charlton Heston? Rock Hudson? Boris Karloff? Errol Flynn? Are those the guys you’re looking for? I’m probably missing some
Peter Berling is a choice too (small roles in some of these though) :
Gangs of New York
Satantango
Aguirre
Fitzcarraldo
Cobra Verde
The Marriage of Maria Braun
Veronika Voss
jared leto is not bad just not top 100. but he has been in some great stuff.
@m— Jared Leto is great. He does work rather infrequently for someone not named Daniel Day-Lewis. It is his music career I think. I think he gives one of the better performances of 2000 in Requiem For a Dream but I need another one of those to give him some serious thought for this list I think.
Lee Van Cleef, Philipp Stone, Udo Kier, Skarsgard, Wallach and Hardy. Probably not Skarsgard and Wallach
Haha the comments on this list are endless. I think it is a very accurate one though. You have some great work here. My only point of disagreement is probably Bruce Willis – yes he practically defined the action genre and his work on this front is great, but you can make a strong case for his lack of versatility and this really bugs me. His two towering performances in Pulp Fiction and Die Hard are great and he did make a respectable Wes character, but I think he needed a little something to propel him in the top 100. I’d take him off and add someone of the following: Geoffrey Rush, Ganz, Depardieu or Fassbender. By the way, what do you think of Fassbender? Would he make this list?
@Georg– I like this. You make a really solid case for both the removal of Willis and his replacement. Where do you stand on 12 Monkeys? I think that may be the difference. I don’t know about Rush but Ganz, Depardieu and Fassbender are right there for me. I think revisiting Hunger again since making this list I’d have to find a spot for him the next time I update it. I’ll be close. I hope he can keep adding to his resume. It’s been lackluster from about 2016 on after an incredible run from 2008-2015 or so.
@Drake – I saw 12 Monkeys a long time ago, I haven’t seen it for probably 5 years or so, which means that my thoughts of it are likely to change with a second viewing. I thought the film was actually good (with some flaws but overall good), I enjoyed it and I liked some of the turns the narrative took. I also thought Willis delivered a fine performance in it, certainly on a different tone than his most known work, but it didn’t strike me as something incredible, if you understand me. As for Fassbender, I definitely agree with you here, I’m waiting out on him to make something special again since he’s been quiet since 2015 and on. But I think that his 1-2 with Hunger and Shame along with Inglorious Basters and some also great work in Jobs and Macbeth would land him on the list for me
Fassbender in Shame is a top 5 performance of the decade. The sort of performance that doesn’t come along very often.
@Matt Harris– agreed. Not often at all- 50 or so in cinema history roughly with 10 decades. Fassbender already has a strong case
Denzel Washington at 37???????? Should be at least top 10 IMHO.
@damon durrah — thanks for visiting the site and the comment here. Denzel is amazing. These are all great actors- it is largely about resume and Denzel has been a standout in a lot of mediocre to good films.
hey how would you rank david bowie as an actor? Justin Timberlake? Who do you think are the greatest singer/actors. I don’t mean like Gene Kelly 9amazin) but singers who started acting. I agree with you Frank Sinatra is probably the best. Thought Timberlake was really good in llewyn davis and social network. bowie is a music legend but he has also been in iconic films. what are your thoughts.
@m Yeah– I think Timberlake is really well cast in Social Network– does a great job– and then same with Bowie on a larger scale in Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth. I just watched Going My Way and that’s Bing Crosby. Dean Martin is superb in a few films including Rio Bravo. Art Garfunkel was a decent actor in a few Mike Nichols films including Carnal Knowledge, Wahlberg in Boogie Nights, Ice Cube in Boyz in the Hood, Tom Waits has had a really good career, Lady Gaga is very good in A Star is Born. Those are the ones with really solid careers or performances that come to mind. I think Sinatra is clearly the best
Tatsuya Nakadai. How does he grade out under your system?
@Matt Harris-
9 archiveable films but only 1 year (1985 – Ran) where he gave one of the best performances of the year. If it was the right performance on the female side one could be enough but on the male side I needed two performances as a starting point for most (Cazale and Dafoe were sort of close but yeah)
1954- Seven Samurai
1961- Yojimbo
1962- Sanjuro
1962- Harakiri
1963- High and Low
1964- Kwaidan
1967- Samurai Rebellion
1980- Kagemusha
1985- Ran
Hey Drake! Extremely diffucult to put a list like this together, so many great films, so many great actors. But you did it (and with A system) it’s fun to read and i really like your site. However I do have Some questions/notes about the list.
It’s about the combination great film AND great performance right? As is in that’s the most important?
I think you’re probaply American. Cause i do think your list is a bit too ‘americana’ for my taste.
Too many European greats are missing.
Gary Oldman, Gerard Depardieau, Javier Bardem, Jeremy Irons, Michael Fassbender, Jude Law, Tom Hardy, Christoph Waltz. ( all nominated and/or Oscar winning actors…)
As for americans missing; Robin Williams, Robert Downey jr., Jim Carrey, John C Reilly, (Huge underestimated actor) Viggo Mortenson and Matthew McConaughey.
With Carrey and Williams, think you really underestimate the difficulty of being great in a comedy.. also both actors have done great dramatic performances. However, I do love a high rated Chaplin.
Was also wandering what you do in film? Director/DOP/writer/critic?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but i don’t think your an actor. Purely based on the list, some real great ‘actors actors’ way too low and with (nearly) every other actor I know Brando would be no. 1.
Almost every actor (younger then HIM of course) on that list is influenced by his acting. He was the Original Method actor. Everything in film-acting changed after his first film performances. I think that even guys like Nicholson De Niro and Pacino would name him no 1 by a mile.
Denzel should also be way higher. Top 20 at least. Same for Phoenix.
I also really don’t understand what Ray Liotta is doing on the list. Why is he there? Don’t get me wrong i really like him as an actor but he is not top 100 material. Don’t even think top 200 or 300. I loved goodfellas. But it was always going to be a great film. He turned in a great performance (career best) but I think if his part was played by a better actor it would have got an Oscar nod.
Looking Forward for your response!
The reason most film lists are dominated by American movies (usually made and acted by Americans) is because no country whatsoever can compete with the quality of movies America produces.
I’m not an idiot, my patriotic friend.
I know America is movie country nr. 1.
Just pointing out his list is really missing some of the worlds greats. (Especially European).
@Azman, I do not see the need to divide, every time someone says that there are only American films, I say that I do not criticize the film for its nationality, for the content, a film is not bad if it is from India, neither is a movie as good as Citizen Kane for being American
@Aldo. I get your point. Yannick is pretty clueless about my life and his comments make little sense to me. I have no sense of patriotism or attachment to America because I have never even visited the United States of America. This list has so many Europeans too. Yannick is entitled to his opinion.
I’m sorry Azman. Not here to fight. For me the main thing was that I really thought you we’re being a bit Captain Obvious… Also, yes there are many europeans on the list, but I really think that if anyone out of the states would make this list there would be more. Guys like Irons, Oldman, Bardem, Hardy and Law would be there most def.
I’m late, I wanted to avoid a fight
@Yannick– thank you so much for visiting the site and the comment here. I especially appreciate how you recognize and mention the difficulty of taking on this task and trying to do it justice– thanks again.
So I’m not being lazy but I think I do a decent job explaining each choice (from Liotta, to Brando, to De Niro to Phoenix and Denzel) on individual pages. Sorry they aren’t hyperlinked but I think you’ll find a spirited defense of why I have two actors ahead of Brando, Liotta, etc on those pages. You can just search them by full name.
You mention I’m missing about 14 or so great actors- many of them were right on the edge of being on my top 100. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on them. It is a tough undertaking so I’d have to take 14 actors off here. I considered all of your suggestions (though some more than others I’ll admit).
As for your great film and great performance question– I think a great performance in a great film is worth more than a great performance in an OK/good/average film… don’t you?
I’m not an actor- just passionate cinephile– just been obsessed with movies for 20 years.
Agree with you on Ray Liotta,Robin Williams, and Jim Carrey (comedy actors will unfortunately forever stay underrated)
Yeah man, once again hell of a job.
Gives me a headache just thinking about making my own top 100 haha.
Great articles on the actors especially Brando. Where you also admit of thinking of him as the most talented.
About the great film/great performance:
Yes I also think a great performance in a great film is more important than a great performance in a lesser film. An all time great should be in all time great movies.
However don’t you think that a great performance in a average movie is more difficult to achieve? You have worse writing, worse story telling, worse costars etc. If you win an Oscar for it, I think it’s like becoming champion without a big team. Take Training Day. Not an average movie, but def not one of the greatest of all time, however Denzel makes that movie. Isn’t that an acting power move?
If I would do a ‘system’ on best film actor list, I think I would judge them one:
Films/Achievements/Oscars/Prizes
Versatility
(Different roles/range)
Craft
And maybe something like longevity
What would you think about my system?
Keep up the good work!
@Yannick– yep- Brando the most talented but his own worst enemy with some of his choices at times.
My biggest feeling when watching a great performance in merely a good movie is “that’s too bad- wish this were in a better movie.” Like a really good film score that is sort of wasted on a movie. I’ve used it before on the site but it’s like a athlete having a lot of points in a preseason or exhibition game—- i wish it were in the playoffs (great film)
I like the categories– I have my own but I like this– how about screen presence? Actors like John Wayne or Tom Cruise may not have the versatility of Day Lewis or Paul Muni– but they certainly command your attention when they’re on screen.
Allright man I understand.
I really like the screen presence suggestion. Very important for an actor.
Think that should be 5th category for ‘my system’! Thanks!
Hi Yannick, I don’t like the “oscar” section
Where’s the Oscar for Peter O’Toole, Cary Grant?
Maleck has an Oscar for a fairly mediocre movie
What about Art Carney beat Pacino?
Well he didnt just saw Oscar’s. He also said other awards and achievements. Like the Torornto Film Festival or Cannes or something.
Yeah, I just wanted to indicate that they did not have any and that is why they would not be under someone who does
My Top 100
1. Marlon Brando
2. Robert Deniro
3. Jack Nicholson
4. Jimmy Stewart
5. Humphrey Bogart
6. Lawrence Olivier
7. Al Pacino
8. Dustin Hoffman
9. Spencer Tracey
10. Daniel Day Lewis
11. Tom Hanks
12. Denzel Washington
13. Leonardo DiCaprio
14. Gary Cooper
15. Anthony Hopkins
16. Burt Lancaster
17. Gene Hackman
18. James Dean
19. Gregory Peck
20. James Cagney
21. Jack Lemon
22. Paul Newman
23. Henry Fonda
24. Kirk Douglas
25. Clint Eastwood
26. John Wayne
27. Sidney Poitier
28. Clark Gable
29. Johnny Depp
30. Morgan Freeman
31. Frederic March
32. Steve McQueen
33. Robert Mitchum
34. Michael Douglas
35. Heath Ledger
36. Robert Duvall
37. Charles Laughton
38. William Holden
39. Montgomery Clift
40. Peter O’Toole
41. Richard Burton
42. Charle Chaplain
43. Tom Cruise
44. George C. Scott
45. Sean Connery
46. Marcelo Mastroianni
47. Michael Caine
48. Charleston Heston
49. Ernest Borgnine
50. Rod Steiger
51. Robert Redford
52. Harrison Ford
53. Martin Sheen
54. Orson Wells
55. Joseph Cotten
56. Peter Sellers
57. Kevin Spacey
58. Edward G. Robinson
59. Jon Voight
60. Walter Matthau
61. Anthony Quinn
62. James Mason
63. Eli Wallach
64. Errol Flynn
65. Lee Marvin
66. David Niven
67. Javier Bardem
68. John Garfield
69. Jeremy Irons
70. Martin Balsam
71. Hal Holbrook
72. Mickey Rourke
73. Christian Bale
74. Mathew McConaughey
75. Brad Pitt
76. Walter Pidgeon
77. Yul Brynner
78. Kevin Costner
79. Mahershala Ali
80. Robert Downey, Jr
81. Mickey Rooney
82. Donald Sutherland
83. Robin Williams
84. Timothy Hutton
85. Peter Ustinov
86. James Garner
87. Ben Kingsley
88. Russell Crowe
89. Jake Gyllenhaal
90. Phillip Seymour Hoffman
91. Joaquin Phoenix
92. Sean Penn
93. John Hurt
94. Albert Finney
95. Liam Neeson
96. Edward Norton
97. Peter Falk
98. Robert Shaw
99. Christopher Walken
100. Jeff Bridges
My Top 100. Actors
1. Marlon Brando
2. Robert Deniro
3. Jack Nicholson
4. Jimmy Stewart
5. Humphrey Bogart
6. Lawrence Olivier
7. Al Pacino
8. Dustin Hoffman
9. Spencer Tracey
10. Daniel Day Lewis
11. Tom Hanks
12. Denzel Washington
13. Leonardo DiCaprio
14. Gary Cooper
15. Anthony Hopkins
16. Burt Lancaster
17. Gene Hackman
18. James Dean
19. Gregory Peck
20. James Cagney
21. Jack Lemon
22. Paul Newman
23. Henry Fonda
24. Kirk Douglas
25. Clint Eastwood
26. John Wayne
27. Sidney Poitier
28. Clark Gable
29. Johnny Depp
30. Morgan Freeman
31. Frederic March
32. Steve McQueen
33. Robert Mitchum
34. Michael Douglas
35. Heath Ledger
36. Robert Duvall
37. Charles Laughton
38. William Holden
39. Montgomery Clift
40. Peter O’Toole
41. Richard Burton
42. Charle Chaplain
43. Tom Cruise
44. George C. Scott
45. Sean Connery
46. Marcelo Mastroianni
47. Michael Caine
48. Charleston Heston
49. Ernest Borgnine
50. Rod Steiger
51. Robert Redford
52. Harrison Ford
53. Martin Sheen
54. Orson Wells
55. Joseph Cotten
56. Peter Sellers
57. Kevin Spacey
58. Edward G. Robinson
59. Jon Voight
60. Walter Matthau
61. Anthony Quinn
62. James Mason
63. Eli Wallach
64. Errol Flynn
65. Lee Marvin
66. David Niven
67. Javier Bardem
68. John Garfield
69. Jeremy Irons
70. Martin Balsam
71. Hal Holbrook
72. Mickey Rourke
73. Christian Bale
74. Mathew McConaughey
75. Brad Pitt
76. Walter Pidgeon
77. Yul Brynner
78. Kevin Costner
79. Mahershala Ali
80. Robert Downey, Jr
81. Mickey Rooney
82. Donald Sutherland
83. Robin Williams
84. Timothy Hutton
85. Peter Ustinov
86. James Garner
87. Ben Kingsley
88. Russell Crowe
89. Jake Gyllenhaal
90. Phillip Seymour Hoffman
91. Joaquin Phoenix
92. Sean Penn
93. John Hurt
94. Albert Finney
95. Liam Neeson
96. Edward Norton
97. Peter Falk
98. Robert Shaw
99. Christopher Walken
100. Jeff Bridges
No John Travolta ? No Michel Piccoli ? No John Malkovich ?
I mean CMon
Thanks for the comment- great actors- big admirers of all three.
This is really a great site and great list but I believe that Jim Carrey should be in the top 100, and I definitely think he should be higher than bill Murray. I know he’s not the most respected when it comes to his comedy, there is no denying he’s got some serious dramatic acting chops. I really think his performance in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the greatest performances ever.
@James- Thanks again for the comment. I think Carrey is a talent. But you can’t compare his resume with Bill Murrray’s right?
Well Bill Murray May have the edge in consistency but I think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a better performance than Lost in Translation. And one last complaint before I stop bothering you with these comments, why no Robin Williams????
Hi @James Robbins. There are many actors who give the best performance of the year and never give it again, that would be Carrey, do you think he gives the best performance in another year? some others would be Neeson in 1993, Murray in 1984, Travolta 1994, Wahlberg in 1997
@James Robbins – Yeah, I think Carrey is great in Eternal Sunshine- but there is 100 years+ of cinema. That’s a high number of great performances. I love Robin Williams, too. Such a talent. If you add these two who are you taking off? Murray? Who else?
Nice list, but leaving Gian Maria Volonté off and putting Johnny Depp and Frank Sinatra so high in the list Is very particolar. Im wonderig if Ur from the usa..that could explain a lot of things.. Welles behind Ryan Gosling it’s pretty weird for me top.. Clift I think Is too low too. I don’t know bro, But really a good job for the website
@Benedetto- thank you for visiting and the comment on the site. I don’t think there’s a serious case for Volontè
I would like to apologize for my first reply to you as I was ignorant to not mention that I didn’t watch that many films of brad pitt at the time which I’ve now seen a lot more of his work and he deserves to be put in this list even though I prefer richard burton and robert redford. Is there a opportunity you would do a female list too?
The female list already exists here: http://thecinemaarchives.com/2018/07/18/the-top-100-actresses-of-all-time/
@Neil Childs- thanks for the comment but no need to apologize. Happy you were able to catch more of his work. Certainly there is nothing wrong with preferring Burton and/or Redford
I just came across this site. Great list. I have long been an admirer of James Stewart. I’ve read a lot about him and seen many of his films. I always felt he was vastly underrated even when many hold him in high regard. He had such a great range to excel in a variety of genres. I read about his war experience recently and it helped me to understand the rage he acquired through those years of intense bombing missions in World War 2. He channeled that fury into many classic characters. Right off the bat, he utilized it at the end of “It’s a Wonderful Life” when things look dire for his character. Certainly he used it in westerns like “The Naked Spur,” “The Man from Laramie,” and “Winchester ’73.” Romantic comedies, Hitchcock films, westerns, many notable biopics, and a masterful performance in one of the best courtroom films of all time “Anatomy of a Murder.” I appreciate that he is so high on this list.
@Carl – thanks for the comment here and nice words on the list. I’m very happy to hear we’re on the same page with Stewart. I agree that he’s too often overlooked when the discussion of the best actor comes up. His resume is beyond impressive.
You should update this list and each actors pages every 5 years.
@James Robbins- thanks for visiting the site and the comment. Yeah- that’s the goal. Did this in 2018. Kind of fun to see new names get added– resumes helped in the last 5 years. And certainly some films (and performances) age better than others when you go back and rewatch them.
This is really a great site and great list but I believe that Jim Carrey should be in the top 100, and I definitely think he should be higher than bill Murray. I know he’s not the most respected when it comes to his comedy, there is no denying he’s got some serious dramatic acting chops. I really think his performance in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the greatest performances ever.
Overall a solid list but seeing actors such as brad pitt (who I like), tom cruise and matt damon higher than richard burton and robert redford is baffling.
Hi @Neil Childs. It puzzles me that you think that, after Pitt’s feat in 2019, very few actors are in the two best movies of the year, Pitt is a serious candidate for the best year for an actor
Why Pitt is underrated ? Too subtle i think.
@Neil Childs – thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I think highly of Robert Redford and Burton. There are pages for each actor on the site (sorry they aren’t hyperlinked yet but you can search for them by name) where I go into more detail on why I have them where I do if you’re interested. I believe case for those actors, Pitt in particular, ahead of Burton and Redford, is pretty clear
charlton heston?
@22-thanks for the comment and for visiting the site. I have Heston as one of the best male acting performances of 1959 with Ben-Hur– but don’t have him in any other year. He’s not crazy talented so it would have to be his resume that gets him in and it’s just not quite enough. Without really going through and cleaning it up here are the 17 films I have with him in the archives– an impressive career.
1950- Dark City
1952- The Greatest Show On Earth
1954- Naked Jungle
1956- The Ten Commandments
1958- The Big Country
1958- Touch of Evil
1959- Ben-Hur
1961- El Cid
1963- 55 Days at Peking
1965- The Agony and the Ecstasy
1966- Khartoum
1968- Planet of the Apes
1971-The Omega Man
1973- The Three Musketeers
1993- Tombstone
1994- True Lies
1996- Hamlet
What do you think of his performance in Touch of evil?
I saw him again a week ago and I would say that he is quite well and deserves a mention in the 1958 performances, but it is probably just me
@Also- sorry I missed this. I’ve always kind of wished for someone else in this role behinds Heston
I barely noticed that you answered me, sorry.
Who would you like instead?
What problems do you have with its performance?
Maybe I think well of his performance because he reminds me of Pacino
in Scarface where they play Mexican / Cuban they act very well except the parts in which they speak in Spanish where I don’t believe their role.
@Aldo– hmm- haven’t thought of that much. In 1958? How about Kirk Douglas or Burt Lancaster?
Certainly Lancaster would do it well, although it may be a casting error since he should also speak spanish and I don’t think he does it very well. Nor do i think Douglas speaks spanish very well, it would be best if the character was not mexican
Hello. I love this site and all the comprehensive writings you do that covers so much of cinema’s past, present, and future. I love this list here and admire your choices, but there are some I just cannot understand. Some I can roll with (I think Wayne and Grant are just a bit overrated but I can’t deny they have been in some great films, and the opposite for Olivier)… but others I just can’t comprehend.
William Holden simply isn’t nearly top twenty material. In his best movies (Sunset Boulevard, Network, and The Bridge on the River Kwai) he is playing almost the same character and in none of the three is he the best performance in the movie: Gloria Swanson by a mile for Sunset; Guinness by not quite as much but still clearly the best in Bridge; and a tough call for Network with Holden, Dunaway, Finch, and Duvall being very close. The character he plays in all three is supposed to be this relatable everyman who gets stressed under all the craziness going on around him, but comes across as flat and unrealistic.
Orson Welles, Peter O’Toole. and Ralph Fiennes – all of whom you have way down in the fifties – would be significantly higher than Holden for me. In Citizen Kane, The Third Man, and Touch of Evil (all masterpieces adding up to more than Holden’s top three), Welles is playing completely different characters near-perfectly, tackling a large range of both strong emotion and reservedness. O’Toole gives a top ten all time performance in Lawrence of Arabia, portraying a very difficult character, and while he may seem like a one-hit wonder, let’s not forget he was nominated for 8(!) Oscars for Best Actor. No, Academy nomination does not equal great film, but that Oscar resume is really something impressive. Lastly, Ralph Fiennes is one of the most versatile actors alive. I think that his work in The Grand Budapest Hotel (actually one of my favorite movies) passes Peter Sellers in Strangelove and the other nearby contenders for being the number one comedic performance of all time. Amon Goeth is one of the most frighteningly believable purely evil villains ever, and those two masterpieces are not nearly the end of his notable filmography.
Last thing to mention: Ray Liotta. I will admit I’ve only seen one of his major performances and I think you can guess which one. But while he is able to bring some good ebb-and-flow between instensity and calm as Henry Hill, I don’t think it’s good enough to make him a top actor. I just couldn’t relate to his situation so much and while this may have been Scorsese’s intention, I can’t truly imagine a New York gangster kid acting that way while I could definitely see DeNiro, Pesci (certainly a way over-the-top character but it feels necessary), and Lorraine Bracco being real. I would rather put some of actors others have mentioned in comments – such as Gary Goldman, although I understand your reasons against him – above.
Thanks for making this list and listening to my ideas.
@Graham – thank you for the comment, visiting the site and the kind words about it here. Clearly you put some thought into this comment– much appreciated.
I disagree with you about Holden. His naturalistic style has aged well. Swanon is acting the MOST in Sunset Boulevard, same for Peter Finch Network– but not the best.
I go into the details for each of these actors on their individual pages (sorry– when I update this I’ll include hyperlinks but for now you can just search Peter O’Toole on the site, etc– so I’ll let those pages speak for themselves.
I hear you on Liotta– many people have a beef with his placement here. I do think highly of his performance in Goodfellas… I’ll take it over anything Oldman has done— and then his work in Something Wild as a backup.
You’ve said before in other places that you believe the 1960s to be the best decade in cinema overall. What about the best for acting? For me it’s either the 70s (second wave Brando, the rise of DeNiro, Nicholson, Streep, Pacino, Keaton and such, and great work from the already estalished Newman, Hackman, Kinski, Hoffman and more) or the 1950s (First wave Brando and some of the best performances from Stewart, Grant, , both Hepburns, Wayne, Mifune, Fonda, Masina and many other of your top performers).
@Graham— Yeah, I really haven’t had an empirical look by decade — but at first glance it seems hard to argue against that generation. I think you could take the 1950’s, 1960’s or 1970’s and build a pretty good case. There are plenty of years since 1990 too where I’ve had to really try to limit by “best performances of the year” to 5 and found it quite impossible because so many actors were doing good work (and some actors like Pacino and De Niro had really nice runs in the 1990’s, too).
Where might Anatoly Solonitsyn, who was a great actor in Andrei Tarkovsky’s movies, fall on an extended list?
@Graham– he’d be right there. And he may warrant a spot on the top 100 when I update it.
Okay, now another collaborator of Buñuel, what about Fernando Rey?
Viridiana, Tristana, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, That Obscure Object of Desire, even has other good little roles, Chimes at Midnight, and the villain in the French connection
Again let me know what you think
@Aldo- I think he’s close. My sort of minimum cutoff was at least two mentions for one of the best performer of the year and I only have that once for Rey- 1972 with The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie… it is the only year he’s one of the very best of the year… but if you want to take him over some of mine between 85-100 on my list you wouldn’t get a really spirited argument from me.
Hello, in my opinion, I found this list very weak, I agree with almost nothing, after all art is subjective and acting is an art, I think Leonardo DiCaprio, Brade Pitt, Tom Cruise (sorry, but surely he shouldn’t is between 100 or 500), Johnny Depp (only made a few good Tim Burton films, then just crap, despite loving Jim Jarmusch, I think Dead Man is a horrible film) should be between 80 and 100, for me Joaquim is better than these three.Robert De Miro in first, he made great films (Taxi Driver, is among my favorites), but what about the dozens (or rather hundreds) of films I did. Jean Pierre Leaud, Jean Louis Trintinaignt, Alain Delon should be among the 30. And where are the masters: Erland Josephson, gunnar björnstrand and Anatoly Solonitsyn, who should be in the top ten?
Hi @Lucas Henriques, I agree with him mistake of not having Anatoly Solonitsyn on the list, but Drake acknowledged his mistake and included it, as for the rest, Cruise, Dicaprio and Pitt can’t be good actors because they are handsome?
I especially don’t understand how you say that about Pitt having one of the best years for any actor in 2019, i seem to have read a comment previously complaining about the three of them, i don’t know, maybe it’s a collective idea that they are not good actors.
@Aldo- I think you’re onto something here. It is like handsome actors or big-time celebrities can’t act. It’s strange, nobody says that about Paul Newman anymore and certainly he was as big a star (and as handsome) as any of these actors. Nobody brings up Mifune’s good looks…. but this has always been a thing. People said this about Cary Grant during his time as well. Luckily, we have the films and their performances as evidence so we don’t need to argue it with Pitt, DiCaprio or Cruise anymore.
@Lucas Henriques — “very weak” huh? Thanks for the comment I guess. First off- a little cleanup and correction here– Gunnar Bjornstrand is on the list- #83. And yes, I think Solonitsyn should probably be on the list– but top 10 isn’t realistic. Any I missing any heavyweight performances of his outside of his work with Tarkvosky? Serious question to you and anyone else.
The anti-DiCaprio, Cruise, Pitt thing really can’t be supported anymore at this point. And I think you saying Dead Man is “a horrible film” says way more about where you are on your journey as a cinephile or movie fan– than the film itself. Speaking of that- there is never going to be an objective “these are the top 100 actors in order” list. I’ll admit that. There’s nuance, debate, and shades of gray –for sure— however. This whole “art is subjective” thing is often the crutch of the uninitiated.
Drake this is an answer for your two comments probably, as for Solonitsyn, he should probably be in the top 50, did you know that Tarkovsky planned for Solonitsyn to be the protagonist of Nostalghia and The sacrifice?Unfortunately he died, that would give him a crazy curriculum, he was his favorite actor.
There is a comment very above mentioned “Way to high Dicaprio, Pitt, Cruise. No reputable critic in the world would argue Tom Cruise is a better actor than probably half the guys listed beneath him.”
Because they are already dead and they appreciate talents more, as with some films that are booed in the beginning and recognized later, in a few years we will look back and remember the great actors that they are, i mean those who do not appreciate, i really don’t understand about Dicaprio, he was possibly the best actor of the century
As for “art is subjective” that sounds like something Azman would say haha (don’t get mad, it’s a joke Azman)
“Crutch of the uninitiated.” what does it mean? how do i know if i initiated?
I pretty much have the same exact thinking as Drake.
There will never be a top 100 best actor list of all time in order as Drake mentioned. There will always be a tiny bit of subjectivity but it is also largely objective too.
I’m really sorry, Drake, maybe I was a little offensive, but it wasn’t intentional, I just wanted to say that I don’t agree, as you may find my comment “too weak” too. But I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be offensive. this “art is subjective” thing is usually the crutch of the uninitiated- What did you mean? I did not understand..
Aldo, I don’t like Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Du Caprio because they are beautiful, but because they are irrelevant to the history of cinema, Brade Pitt did a great job on the tarantino film and As Astra, but it remains irrelevant. Also, compare the performances of all these actors with that of Joaquim Phoenix in the Master or Joker, it is objectively clear that Joaquim is better. Don’t you think Erland Josephson should be among the 10? Do you think Robert De Niro (with all his very good films, but also some horrible ones, I honestly think he was very greedy) And Drake, I wasn’t the only one who hated Dead Man, Roger Ebert either, not that he’s one cinema authority, but to show that I’m not the only one I hated.
@Lucas Henriques– you are incorrect if you think Tom Cruise, Brad PItt and DiCaprio are irrelevant to the history of cinema. Incorrect.
I’ll be shorter here, certainly Phoenix’s best performance is better than Pitt’s, but removing the Master, what is the second best movie of it? On the other hand with Pitt, the Assassination of Jesse James, fight club, inglorious bastards, OUATIH, Seven, i could go on, and he performs very well in all of them, certainly that would be valid, if Phoenix in Joker was the best performance in the history of cinema as people believe, make a list of the top 10 movies / performances of the two of them and Pitt would win the most.
I think @Lucas is confusing range with acting ability. It took me a while to realise, an actor’s job is to believably portray a character and show exactly the right emotions required for the scene by the DIRECTOR and from this auteur based perspective, Drake’s ranking actors is the most objective list I’ve seen.
Okay i just saw who Erland Josephson was, he certainly has a strong case
That’s the problem with a lot of people. The same people who critzices the acting of Eastwood, Gosling or Pitt. Too subtle. They don’t shout enough i think.
Cruise is the best movie star since the Dead of John Wayne.
https://www.google.fr/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/708514/Clint-Eastwood-actor-Tom-Cruise-Sully-Tom-Hanks-100-years/amp
But if the best thing about an actor’s job is to play “normal” people very realistically, the actors in Abba Kiarostami’s films (I think all the actors Kiarostami used were guards), Asghar Farhadi would be the best ever. Compare Payman Maadi’s performance with Tom Cruise’s. Compare Ahmed Ahmed Poor’s (a child) performance with Brad Pitt’s. Compare Leo’s performance with Shahab Hosseini’s performance. Certainly the Iranians are better compared to an act of realism
I really don’t think there is much to add here, but what does that have to do with it? If the best director were the one who works best with actors or produces the best performances, it would be Kazan, but here we are talking about actors.
You’re saying the people you mention are better actors than Dicaprio, Pitt, Cruise? I don’t know how you say they are irrelevant to the history of cinema, Cruise hasn’t been in a good movie for almost 20 years, okay, but what about Dicaprio that’s in 3 of the best 30 movies of the decade, you mention Phoenix but it’s only 1 in the top 30,
with Pitt we have being in 3 and he gives the best performance in all.
I wrote it wrong is not “guard” is “amateurs”
Aldo.Compare these Brad Pitt performances with those of Trintinaignt in Amour, Three Colors: Red, A man and a Woman (Claude Lelouche), in the fantastic underrated film Il Sorpasso, in The Conformist, My Night at Maud’s (Rohmer). There is no discussion as to which is better, Americans are very overestimated compared to Europeans.
Okay, i think i understood, are we talking about the best actors or the best performances? because many of the ones you mention don’t have many great movies.
I wonder if you’re like some anti-cinema-American critics? Just to clarify i’m not american or from Usa if that’s what you mean, so i don’t really care what country the movie / actor is from
are you in favor of film piracy?
I also think that there is nothing more to add, do you think that Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are relevant actors in the history of cinema, I don’t think so and I think we will not be able to change each other’s opinion. Just to clarify, I’m not “anti-American”, I just think that a good American actor today will have a lot more visibility and fame than a great Iranian, French, Japanese or Chinese actor. So out of curiosity, do you like Kiarostami? From Kaurismaki? Bruno Dumont? Jafar Pahni? Tsai Ming-Liang? Kléber Mendonça Filho? Bilge Ceylan?
@Lucas Henriques – I’ll add that Cruise, DiCaprio, Pitt being “relevant actors in the history of cinema” is not an opinion. It sounds like you have a ways to go on your journey exploring cinema– with all due respect. I’d be happy to suggest some key films to see from each actor.
Drake, I’d rather you suggest me a few other things.I really think I’ll never agree with the fact (according to you) of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, ok, maybe DiCaprio (I remembered his great performance in Django, even so I’d put it in 70#), are important to the point of being among the top thirty.I’m sorry, I may be wrong, I know that you certainly know more about cinema than I do.But that, I can’t agree, would be like an atheist agreeing with the existence of God or religious agreeing with the absence of God.I’m sorry, I just can’t. It seems you have a long way to go on your journey exploring the cinema,” yes, I agree, there are many films by Fellini, Antonioni, Bergman, Chaplin, Jacques Tati, Passolini, Claire Denis, Jacques Rivette, that I haven’t seen.Instead of you suggesting the films of these actors, I would be very grateful if you would tell me your 10 favorite Italian films, the 10 French films and the 10 American films, the 10 Asian films or 10 essential films for every movie lover, I would be very happy if you would do this favor
« irrelevant to the history of cinema »
Come on… Cruise is a better Bebel than Bebel (im french by the way) and before his Bebel Era, he does great work with Scorsese, Anderson, Kubrick, De Palma, Spielberg & Mann.
My favourite of this generation is Brad Pitt. Great work with Scott, Fincher, Gilliam, Soderbergh, Inarritu, Coen, Tarantino & Malick.
@KidCharlemagne– Totally agree with you. My point is not that these three actors are hands down superior (inarguably) to the others mentioned. But “irrelevant” is incorrect. Look at those directors they’ve worked with! It is a certainty that they are not irrelevant. Thanks for compiling the list of directors.
And there is no such thing as facts (ok, sometimes, yes, like saying that Citzen Kane is more important than Avengers). For me, it is a fact that Erland Josephson, Gunnar Björnstrand and Jean-Louis are more important and better than Tom Cruise, not for you, but that’s okay. As I also read on a list of you that you think The Tree Of Life is the best movie of the decade, I really disagree with that (and not the only one). we have the same opinion, I think the master is in the top 5. Maybe this one actually says more about you than your knowledge (no offense). We disagree, but I still like your lists and your website.
@Lucas Henriques– your comment does not make sense logically here. If everything is subjective in art (which I disagree with) then Citizen Kane is no important than The Avengers. So you contradict yourself in like the first 20 words here in your comment.
And arguing for Erland Josephson, Gunnar Björnstrand and Jean-Louis Trintignant above DiCaprio, Cruise and Pitt is totally fine. But saying DiCaprio, Cruise and Pitt are “irrelevant to the history of cinema” is laughably false. It is doing you a disservice but making you seem like someone who does not know much about cinema when I’m sure that’s not the case.
It seems like you are more of an emotional evaluator of cinema- with lots of personal tastes and biases– and that’s fine– that’s your right. It just isn’t how I watch a movie and evaluate cinema. That sort of personal opinion isn’t what I’m going for. I know The Godfather is good because I’ve studied cinema and film style. I’m wrong sometimes– I’m not saying I always get it right– but I’m not guessing or going off emotions– like it seems you are.
I think I understood what you meant: Okay, I don’t like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo Di Caprio, but saying that they are not relevant is incorrect, because I have to analyze beyond my tastes and analyze the their contribution to cinema? It would be like someone saying that Jim Jarmusch (I love him) is irrelevant to cinema, just because he didn’t like his films, without thinking about his great contribution to cinema. But there it is, now I find Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio relevant to cinema. But Tom Cruise didn’t, because I didn’t see any great performance from him (maybe I’ll change my mind if I see Eyes Wide Shut and 4 Of July?) And because he’s better (or more relevant) than Adam Sandler, Mark Whalberg and Mark Ruffalo
Why(not because) Tom Cruise os better than this actors?
and yes, I rate some films more because of my taste (and my taste for the script) than their technical specialties
@Lucas Henriques. I’m quite surprised to hear this, most of the site’s users agree that the tree of life is the best movie of the decade, it could also be the best movie ever, what would be your top of the decade? I am surprised that you say the master when it is a difficult movie, but instead not the tree of life.
I read your comment in
Coppola’s page, thank you for your recommendation
The 10 favorite movies you ask for Asian, American, Italian, Drake said that his favorites are the best for what would be 7 samurari, tokyo story, rashomon etc. the searchers etc, 8 ½, Bicycle thieves etc..
For me, the besta of the decade is Stray Dogs, By Tsai Ming-Liang.this review represents my feelings about the tree of life, if you can take a look (you will need to use a Google translator, it is in Portuguese) https://www.planocritico.com/critica-a-arvore-da-vida/
Thanks for answere me.
And what is your favorite movie of ALL time, Aldo?
I really love The Master, the dialogue, the story about eternal loneliness and the search of meaning, the framed, the photograph, everything
Cruise is perfect in what he does.
Risky Business, The Color of Money, Rain Man, Interview With a Vampire, Jerry Maguire, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, Collateral. Great performances.
@KidCharlemagne- good stuff here again- thanks. Yes- if you don’t think Cruise can act- you simply haven’t seen Magnolia
Great list man, im not going to argue anyone should be on this list but it seems lots of people want to see Jim Carrey on this list and i saw another list that had Russel Crowe at number 5… im only 15 and just trying to learn a little, so could you explain please. Anyway, thanks for sharing!!
@Jacob- thanks for visiting the site and the praise on the list. So Unfortunately they’re not yet hyperlinked but each actor has his own page if you want to dig into them further- you can just search their name and they’ll come up. As for Jim Carrey and Russell Crowe- I do have a page on Crowe here http://thecinemaarchives.com/2018/05/24/the-93rd-best-actor-of-all-time-russell-crowe/ and for Jim Carrey — the resume for Carrey just isn’t there- and I don’t have him on the list– but I think those that want him on would praise his undeniably animated talent. He also showed he can change it up with Eternal Sunshine.
Thanks 🙂
On Philip Seymour Hoffman’s page, you say that there are five to ten truly talented actors who have been able to completely control every aspect of a wide range of character types as well as deeply feel every emotion. On Brando’s you call him the most talented ever so obviously he’d be leading that 5-10 for you (and I’d agree for sure). Who are the rest? I’d hope for De Niro, DDL, Olivier, Heath Ledger (no way to be sure with the premature death, but I he was endlessly talented in what he did do), Gary Oldman, Ralph Fiennes, Orson Welles, Joaquin Phoenix, Anatoly Solonitsyn, and Paul Newman to be at least somewhere in the running, but I think your list will be fairly different than that. That’s not the exact list of most talented actors for me by any means; some of your top actors, like Stewart and Nicholson, don’t have the range of the ones I mentioned but are more talented. Also, I’m not sure if you’re actresses are part of that 5-10 or are on a separate list, but Meryl Streep would be near the very top if you are.
@Graham– Thanks for sharing- great work here. but yes- Brando and PSH would be there. As would DDL. I’m not sure on some of the others without really digging in. Welles is on your list? Hmm. He wouldn’t be on mine. I just rewatched Vertigo a week ago and Stewart can go to some pretty dark places- his range is greater than most give him credit for.
Thanks. I was really just listing actors who I could think of that have successfully played characters who are very different. There are three big parts of acting talent for me: emotional range (Nicholson can play every emotion perfectly, but doesn’t have as much versatility), character versatility (Jimmy Stewart can be introverted or extroverted, light-hearted or dark, but can’t transform his accent), and role transformation (Kinski totally becomes whatever madman he is playing, but doesn’t have the versatility to play someone sane). I was just naming people who are pretty good at all three.
Although Welles lacks the naturalism of Brando and De Niro, I find that his emotional precision is severely underrated. Charles Kane, Harry Lime, and Hank Quinlan are immaculately performed and all wildly different characters. I think he has more talent than actors on your list for sure beginning at 15, and perhaps as high as number 4, but he can’t command an entire movie as well as they can.
How far off the list is Benicio Del Toro? I searched for his page and was actually surprised he wasn’t here. He must be on the best of the year list at least 3 times if not more, no?
@Matt Harris— so I did this project in 2018 I think- when I stopped at 100 I didn’t really keep track of who was 101-110 or anything but Del Toro’s right there with 2 mentions which would put him somewhere between 101-150. I’m sure closer to 101. I have a mention for him in 2000 with Traffic and then 2015 with Sicario. 2003 with 21 Grams is the only other potential year, right? And instead of Del Toro I went with Bill Murray (Lost in Translation), Sean Penn (both 21 Grams and Mystic River), Crowe (Master and Commander) Min-sik Choi, (Oldboy) and Viggo for LOTR
I mean I’d say 1998 perhaps for Del Toro but it’s not a given that I’d mention him. I do think I would though.
Kevin Spacey would crack my top 10 and I’d include Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, otherwise great list and I agree with Robert being #1.
@Harry- appreciate you visiting the site and the comment here. Thanks for sharing.
@Harry– What is the Cillian Murphy performance or two that makes you include him on such a list?
I’d say 28 Days Later, Inception and Peaky Blinders, however if you’re not taking TV work into account and I can understand leaving him off. Thanks for welcoming me to the site too, adding so much to my watchlist from looking at lists so far.
Hey do you think hawkes is a top 120 actor. And what are his best perfomances.
@DWGriffith– John Hawkes? He’s a very good actor- wouldn’t find room for him in the top 120 but he has been exceptional in films like Winter’s Bone and Martha Marcy May Marlene. I think those are pretty clearly his two best performances
no i meant ethan hawkes, sorry for the confusion.
@D.WGriffith– gotcha. Yeah- Ethan’s case is even stronger. I could see him being on the list the next time I update it. He’s in 14 films in the archives below. Certainly the Before trilogy with Linklater, Boyhood, and First Reformed stand out. But it is a deep filmography/resume
1989- Dead Poets Society
1992- A Midnight Clear
1994- Quiz Show
1995- Before Sunrise
1997- Gattaca
1998- Great Expectations
2001- Training Day
2004- Before Sunset
2007- Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
2011- The Woman in the Fifth
2013- Before Midnight
2014- Boyhood
2015- Maggie’s Plan
2017- First Reformed
Even if it were to be towards the very bottom of the list I’m surprised Matthew McConaughey didn’t crack the list
@Matt Fitz- thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I think McConaughey is close- in the next 25 to 50 for sure if not closer. 2014 is really the only year I thought he was one of the best 4-5 actors. I’m sure others will want to throw 2013 (with Dallas Buyers Club and Wolf of Wall Street) in, too- Close– he’s a great actor.
“I love Sidney Poitier– but I think you could argue he isn’t in any of the top 1000 films of all-time. Maybe In the Heat of the Night but even that isn’t a top 100 film of the 1960’s. And Sidney only had one year (1967) where he gave one of the best performances. He’s on the fringe for the top 100 but he really needed to be in some better films to make a dent on the list.”
Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner. Lillies Of The Field and In The Heat Of The Night are all absolutely brilliant films. Porgy And Bess and A Raisin In The Sun, Blackboard Jungle, To Sir With Love, The Defiant Ones, and A Patch Of Blue are excellent.
You are referencing some lame list of popular movies where the original Batman, Snatch, Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, & Dumb And Dumber, are listed in the top 500.
Lillies was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and won 1.
Best Actor. Guess Who?
In The Heat Of The Night was nominated for 7 and won 5.
Best Picture was one of them.
This is a top 100 film of all-time.
Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner was nominated for 10 Academy Awards.
When your formula depends upon the popularity of the movie for the excellence of the acting.
The formula is flawed.
@Kenny H– thanks for the comment. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is an absolutely brilliant film? Not at all. I think there’s much to admire in The Heat of the Night but the rest of these certainly aren’t overly artistically ambitious films. Also- no idea what list of top 500 you are talking about. Certainly those films aren’t from my list.
I apologize if I sound rude, but you clearly have not explored this site at all. You can find Drake’s (the creator of The Cinema Archives) list of the top 500 films of all time at this link: http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/04/10/the-best-500-films-of-all-time/. Here is the link for his top 100 movies of the 1960s: http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/03/05/the-best-films-of-the-decade-the-1960s/. Here is the page for 1967, which he will update soon: http://thecinemaarchives.com/2017/09/25/1967/. Snatch, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Dumb & Dumber are not even in his archives, a collection of about the FOUR THOUSAND best films. It’s fine if you want to share your opinion about an actor, but why make ramdom and false assumptions about other things for no apparent reason? Lastly, your assumption that his “formula depends upon the popularity of the movie for the excellence of the acting” could not be farther from the truth. Drake analyzes real directorial aspects of cinema, such as mise-en-scene, editing, formal structuring, and camera movement as his “formula” for choosing the best movies, He also does not use the Academy Awards as a guide much, if at all.
Why the heck is there no Adam Sandler or Jim Carrey??? I mean… you gotta add them both. They are, in my opinion, the best two actors of all time besides Johnny Depp.
@Jordan M. — thanks for visiting the site and the comment. I like both actors- but the resume of great performances in great films feels a little light for each (maybe 2-3 per actors). And who are you taking off the list below to make room for them?
I think Dennis Hopper is a major exception on the list. He was in Apocalypse Now, Rumble Fish, Blue Velvet, Cool Hand Luke, Easy Rider, True Grit, Rebel Without a Cause, and many other movies that make up a superb filmography. I can only assume you considered to put him somewhere. My guess is that you left him out because you find only one of his performances to be one of the best of a cinema year (the devilish Frank Booth in Blue Velvet, there being at most only a couple other characters I have both hated and loved simultaneously so much). I suppose I agree, but I think that resume, especially the presence of more masterpieces than some of the actors near the top, is at least enough to land him somewhere on this glorious list. He often plays a crazed, drug-addicted train wreck of a character, but this is incredibly difficult to do as well as Dennis Hopper can.
@Graham- interesting — thanks for sharing. Yes so Blue Velvet in 1986 is the only time when I really consider Hopper as one of the best actors of the year and with 100 years of cinema and 4-5 great performances a year- that’s 1 out of a possible 400-500. I love love love that Hopper is in great movies– but like Cool Hand Luke he’s barely in— but I think you could make a case for Hopper over 5-10 actors on my list. I think that’s fair.
How come tom cruise is above Morgan Freeman, tom hanks, Anthony Hopkins, Denzel Washington and phillip Seymour Hoffman?? Clint Eastwood is a better director than an actor. Tom hanks has 2 consecutive Oscars and he is placed below tom cruise. Even Russell Crowe is a better actor than him. Christian bale is the best method actor in the world right now.
In the past, many people have asked about the lack of Gary Oldman on the list, and you have responded that he has not quite been in enough great films, and his best performances often do not align with his best movies. However, that was before Mank, both one of his greatest performances and one of the best works of cinematic art in which he has participated. Does Fincher’s film bring Oldman onto the top 100?
@Graham – I do think so- yes.
Battle of the Somewhat Similar Great Performances: Which is the greatest acting work among each category? Each battle is very close. I’m not sure if there’s a point to such a challenge, but it is entertaining.
The Charismatic and Mysterious Villain of High Intellect: Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner vs. Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs
The Destructive Character with Enough Anger for All Twelve Angry Men Put Together: Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire vs Joe Pesci in Goodfellas vs Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet
The Sympathetic Buffoon Who Endures Many Unfortunate Situations: Giulietta Masina in La Strada vs Charlie Chaplin in City Lights
The Smiley but Sad One Who Always Tries to Help: Setsuko Hara in Late Spring vs Jack Lemmon in The Apartment
The Mysterious Criminal with an Unforgettable Monologue: Orson Welles in The Third Man vs Peter Lorre in M
The Really Lazy Man: Jean-Paul Belmondo in Pierrot le Fou vs Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski
The Weak Bureaucrat: Clive Owen in Children of Men vs Jean-Louis Trintignant in The Conformist vs Jonathan Pryce in Brazil
The Strong and Taciturn Hero Who Ended Up in the Same Movie as an Energetic Antihero: Takashi Shimura in Seven Samurai vs Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Tough Person Who Unsuccessfully Opposes Injustice: Anna Magnani in Rome, Open City vs Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory
Character Whose Location and Setting Leads Them to Insanity (I’ll admit that these two performances are completely different, but they share this similarity): Monica Vitti in Red Desert vs Jack Nicholson in The Shining
How could you leave out Klaus Kinski in Aguirre (haven’t seen the film but this fits the description from what I’ve read), Marlon Brando or Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now, or Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver (thought this would be the obvious one to come to mind) for the last one? Brando also fits the first category quite well too.
Other mentions would be Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange for the third category (Sympathetic Buffoon), though it is debatable there whether he is completely sympathetic given his actions, or Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West in the first category.
Thanks for the additions. All of the performances you have named definitely fit with the categories. However, I think their inclusion would make the choice too easy or would cause some of the selections in each category to be clearly lesser than others (for example, Kinski and De Niro in the movies you mention are clearly better than Vitti and Nicholson in the ones I did). My goal was not to include all of the great performances that align with each description, but rather to create a difficult contest between two performances of equal greatness.
Jack Nicholson should be No. 1. Then De Niro and then Brando. They are the big 3 for me.
Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington are too low on this list. They’re better than Di Caprio and Pitt.
Also, no Mel Gibson?
Ngl, I’ve always felt people massively overrate Tom Hanks. Most people seem to act like he’s a top 10 of all time and that’s absolutely not true. His spot here is pretty accurate imo.
Check out this hilarious clip of “De Niro” and “Pacino” from comedian voice master, Frank Caliendo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfDoDWlSp1o
Close your eyes and try to tell me can tell the difference
@James Trapp- amazing! I had never seen this before- loved every second. thanks for sending
brad pitt 23?
anthony hopkins should be top 10
steiger should be higher
okiver should be higher
where is poitier ?
pter ustinov
why is ray miland always overlooked
clift , cagney spacey should all be higher
Other than that cant argue too much, all legends, thanks to them all for a lifetime of entertainment
Come on man Malcolm McDowell should have landed here somewhere. You can’t have Maria Falconetti at #27 and leave out McDowell here. I’d easily take out Dafoe and put McDowell in at least. Give me one transcendent performance of McDowell over 25 so so performances from Dafoe.
@Malith- I understand your argument here. I see it. But there are two problems with this. The male/female comparison with Falconetti doesn’t work. There were just far more great roles written for men (hopefully that is changing) in cinema’s history. So that’s one problem with your argument. The other is the “25 so so performances from Dafoe”. That just isn’t an accurate description of what Dafoe is doing.
No. I didn’t mean to be harsh on Dafoe .But compared to McDowell’s work on Clockwork Orange his work are very forgettable. So Vivien Leigh has two transcendent performances in Streetcar Named Desire and Gone With the Wind but she is like the 47th best actress but Falconetti is like 27th best actress with one archivable film and truly great performance. Maybe there should be more stock given to male actors who gives the best performance of the year and one of the best of the decade.
@Malith- yeah I don’t think this is an exact science- I see the McDowell argument. Again you’re crossing over here on the female side and it doesn’t line up
@Drake No I said if Falconetti is 20 spots above Vivien Leigh based on only one transcendent performance compared to Vivien Leigh’s two. McDowell should be ahead of Dafoe based on his only one performance. Again I see your reason to leave McDowell out but if someone make a top 50(or probably higher) performances of all time McDowell’s work as Alex DeLarge must be on that. So If you have given a top 50 film performance of all time and still don’t make a top 100 actors of all time list something feels wrong.
@Malith- McDowell’s work is not on par with Falconetti’s work
@Drake-Forget the comparison with Falconetti. You surely believe that McDowell in A Clockwork Orange is at least a top 50 male performance of all time right? So if someone gives a top 50 male acting performance of all time and still doesn’t make a top 100 actors of all time list something feels wrong. At some point you have to acknowledge his work right? You can’t go on forever putting a bunch of actors with good but not transcendent performances ahead of him saying he is a one hit wonder.
@Malith- If it were simply a list of the single best performances- I would agree with you- you have to acknowledge McDowell. This list is not that. I’d have McDowell at the #117 slot here for this list. Unfortunately my list stopped here at 100. #117 feels right.
Could you imagine Mads Mikkelsen entering this list in the future?
@Zane- he feels like he’s one big performance/film away still from being seriously considered. What do you think?
I mean I do think he’s very strong in a MP (Valhalla Rising), he’s quite good in many of his Hollywood projects, notably Casino Royale, one of the best Bond films, and I’ve heard Another Round is supposed to be some of his best work. I haven’t seen too many of his other Danish films though, not The Hunt, the Pusher films or others. Compare him to someone like Gosling, who’s starred in quite a few top 5 quality films up to this point and done nothing but the highest quality work in them, I’m not sure Mikkelsen can quite match his body of work but I definitely think he’s capable of a spot on this list eventually.
@Zane-No offence here but you seem to consider a ton of films as masterpieces(Dogville, Now Valhalla Rising). On the flip side are there any films that are regarded as masterpieces that you don’t think are quite upto that level?
LA Confidential I thought was a MP on a first watch but then downgraded to a MS after a second watch. I could go higher again. Drake had American Hustle as a MP previously (now a MS) and after one watch I didn’t go any higher than a HR. Shoot The Piano Player I thought was a low MP on a first watch (wouldn’t crack my top 200; Drake has it in the top 75), then a second watch I was sure it would enter my top 100 – I thought it was fantastic – before falling into a MS in the last 10 minutes for me. I’ll watch it again since I think I could be wrong on the film. Suspiria too, after one watch months ago I’d give it a HR/MS (leaning MS) though I feel I may be underrating it and could go higher on a second watch. Another is American Psycho, haven’t seen it in a year and thought it was a MS then, which came after a viewing the year before that where I thought it was about an R, so I predict I may give American Psycho a MP rating upon a rewatch. I didn’t think La La Land was anywhere near as good on a rewatch as on my first watch, this was actually incredibly disappointing given that I watched it the second time less than a week after watching Whiplash which I loved, but again I’ll watch La La Land a third time and we’ll see what I think. It took me three whole viewings of La Dolce Vita to quite grasp the film as a top 25 MP, I thought it was indeed a MP each viewing but the film didn’t hit me as being up there with 8 1/2 until the third time.
@Zane- for sure- he’s talented so he’s certainly capable. But even after seeing Another Round I think he’d fall short of this list as of right now. If we ranked his and Goslings best performances together I’m pretty sure 4 out of 5 would go to Gosling. Maybe even 5 out of 6.
Can’t say I really disagree with you here. Gosling is just on another level compared to even the greatest other actors of his generation. Phoenix is probably the only one who can compare to him, and even then I don’t think myself that he’s from the same generation as Gosling is; I’d put him in Pitt’s and DiCaprio’s instead.
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@Graham- thanks- should be fixed
I just found this page. Excellent list. At first, I thought you were way off base, but then your criteria and method became apparent, and so again I say, excellent list.
There are many comments about Gary Oldman, and as far as raw performance power and transformational acting ability, he is nearly in a class by himself. His work in True Romance is just about as absolute a transformation as I have ever seen–but certainly not a top movie. His work in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Darkest Hour is off the charts. In the raw performance power category, Brando is king of the hill. In the transformational category, Daniel Day Lewis gives Oldman some serious competition. But nobody tops him in both categories combined. I realize these are my categories that do not fall into your method of ranking.
But I am very glad to see you rank Jimmy Stewart so highly. During his time, he was properly respected, I am sure. But recent generations fail to credit him for his extraordinary depth, humility and honesty as an actor. Even though he is an old school movie star, he would shine just as brightly in today’s marketplace.
Beautiful stuff. I can’t wait to poke around some more.
Thank you for the work.
@Greg- thank you for visiting the site and the comment here.
Who are the best father-son duo ?
Kirk & Michael Douglas ?
Henry & Peter Fonda ?
The Best Father-Dauthter ?
Henry & Jane Fonda ?
Marcello & Chiara Mastroianni ?
The best siblings ?
The Baldwins ? Haha
@KidCharlemagne – I like Kirk and Michael… Bruce Dern and Laura Dern? keep an eye on Denzel and John David Washington in the future. Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland? But I think Henry and Jane Fonda would be the best still.
Siblings? River and Joaquin Phoenix for sure over the Baldwins, right? Ben and Casey Affleck as well. Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty are brother and sister I believe so that feels like the right answer. But I could be missing some. Janet and Vivian Leigh are not related. I don’t believe Harriet Andersson and Bibi Andersson are either.
Can we factor in directors and other occupations? If so, I must mention the entire Coppola family (a cinema dynasty so to speak) with Francis, Sofia, Roman, Nicolas Cage, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, and many more.
Really good pick. The Huston too (Walter, John, Angelica, Danny & Jack)
Can you see Claude Rains in the top 200 at least in the future?
If TV shows would count, would Bryan Cranston be on the list?
Drake doesn’t watch much television except for a few cinematic miniseries here and there, so I’m not sure if he’ll have an answer to this (though I believe he did see the first season of Breaking Bad years ago). Perhaps Matt Harris would have an opinion.
@RujK – yeah, I asked him about Breaking Bad on the 2019 page in reference to El Camino (aka Breaking Bad Movie) he said he did watch the movie and did watch the 1st Season.
It is tough to compare as TV Shows are structured so differently, it is difficult to compare Breaking Bad which has 62 episodes so about 45 total hours (44 mins per episode so about 0.75 hours per episode). Comparing a performance over 45 hours is a different beast than a performance in a 2 hour film. Some may say acting is acting but I think it’s a tough comparison and it is probably better to compare Bryan Cranston’s performance to other TV actors from multi season shows.
I do love Cranston and Breaking Bad and believe its the greatest TV performance of all time along with James Gandolfini as Tony Sopranos, really a 1a and 1b situation.
Dirk Bogarde on this list at some point? And what about Fernando Rey and Michel Piccoli?
@Zane- all great actors- excited to see how it shakes up for the update.
Will we some day see Oldman, Keaton, Lee, Irons, Buscemi, Cranston, Mikkelsen, Waltz, Cumberbatch, Hurt, Carrey, Downey Jr., Lee Jones, Chaney, R. Williams, E. Harris, H. Jackman, Fassbender, Simmons, McKellen, McAvoy, Gleeson, H. Grant, C. Farrell, S. Carrel, McDowell, Goldblum, Kingsley, Mortensen, Lavant, Firth, M. Douglas, E. Grant, McConaughey, Gyllanhaal,T. Robbins, E. Hawke, S. Rockwell, J. Gandolfini, Del Toro, N. Cage, M. Rourke, E. McGregor, T. Hardy, A. Driver, B. Jordan, B. Ganz, Pryce, Isaac, Kaluuya, Rickman, H. Laurie, Harrelson, Landau, Gambon, K. Russell, A. Perkins, Sandler, Malkovich, O. Sharif, M. Ali, J. Bardem, Hauer, Kang-Ho, W. Allen, J. Travolta, Craig, Karloff, A. Finney, B. Affleck, Neeson, Servillo, T. Spall, J. Foxx, J. Woods, C. Rains, D. Hopper, Caan, Robards, Elba, S. Tracy, Molina, Plummer, E. Josephson, Poitier, F. March, Cheadle, Laughton, G. Pearce, Wahlberg, J. Renner, Giamatti, Shannon, Peck, Yeun, Astaire, Garfield, Morgan, Bogarde, Thewlis, Turturro, Pattinson, Stuhlbarg, Ejiofor, Solonitsyn, R. Harris, Wallach, Colman, Nolte, Borgnine, J. Franco, J. Cobb, G. Wilder, Lloyd, Broadbent, J. Hill, C. Owen, Murray Abraham, Sjostrom, Gould, Costner, Cassel, Hayden, Cassavetes, Marvin?
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@RujK- Great names here– but yeah How many are here? Another 100? Maybe a few will get on the list but for every name you add you have to take one off the other list.
I was just naming some actors that would be nice to see in expansion of the list, maybe top 250,like the directors.
Because the only one that I am missing in this top 100 is Gary Oldman, I agree with mostly everyone else.