Oustanding Acting Performances !!!
"Film will only become an art when its materials are as inexpensive as pencil and paper." - Jean Cocteau
"Every poem is a coat of arms. It must be deciphered." - Jean Cocteau
Each chosen film has the actor//character that, in my opinion, had an outstanding performance in that film, noted below the film title. This list is NOT in any order of perceived ranking.
Each performance was chosen because:
1) It was perceived as a very difficult character to portray, such as a character with a mental defect , or a character with a sexual identity opposite to that of the actor, etc.
AND//OR
2) The nature of the character required portraying extreme changes in emotion and//or personality in the course of the film.
Although this list contains outstanding PERFORMANCES, the rating that I gave the FILM AS A WHOLE may be much less than outstanding. So there may be a film in this list that had an outstanding individual performance but where the film itself was, in my opinion, much less than outstanding.
"Every poem is a coat of arms. It must be deciphered." - Jean Cocteau
Each chosen film has the actor//character that, in my opinion, had an outstanding performance in that film, noted below the film title. This list is NOT in any order of perceived ranking.
Each performance was chosen because:
1) It was perceived as a very difficult character to portray, such as a character with a mental defect , or a character with a sexual identity opposite to that of the actor, etc.
AND//OR
2) The nature of the character required portraying extreme changes in emotion and//or personality in the course of the film.
Although this list contains outstanding PERFORMANCES, the rating that I gave the FILM AS A WHOLE may be much less than outstanding. So there may be a film in this list that had an outstanding individual performance but where the film itself was, in my opinion, much less than outstanding.
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40 titles
- 19641h 35mPG8.4 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Peter Sellers plays 3 very different roles in this one film.
- DirectorRainer Werner FassbinderStarsHanna SchygullaKlaus LöwitschIvan DesnyMaria marries Hermann Braun in the last days of World War II, only for him to go missing in the war. Alone, Maria puts to use her beauty and ambition in order to find prosperity during Germany's "economic miracle" of the 1950s.Hanna Schygulla as Maria Braun.
The transitions in personality & moral character that Hanna Schygulla undergoes in her portrayal of Maria Braun shows a real depth & range of acting ability.
available at Criterion.com/Hulu. - DirectorTed KotcheffStarsIngrid BergmanA monologue of a woman talking on the phone with her longterm lover who is about to marry another girl.Ingrid Bergman as unnamed woman in a one character screenplay.
Available on YouTube-search:
"The Human Voice TV 1996 Ingrid Bergman"
An adaptation of a one character play by the same title written by Jean Cocteau in 1930 & first performed on stage in Paris in 1930.
Ingrid smoothly transitions through an incredible range of emotions & personality changes in this film. Easily Ingrid's best performance, in my opinion. - DirectorGustaf MolanderStarsIngrid BergmanTore SvennbergAnders HenriksonAn embittered woman, leader of a criminal gang, has a change of heart.Ingrid Bergman as Anna Holm aka Anna Paulsson.
Available on Fandor.com.
English subtitles.
In this film, Ingrid's character transitions from a villainous blackmailer who is self conscious about the disfiguring scar on her face, to a warm, loving, caring governess of a little rich boy, after a plastic surgery gives her back a normal looking face. Ingrid portrays this radical transformation of physical appearance, of moral character, & of personality in a smooth, nuanced, & quite convincing manner. This is truly a performance for the ages !!! - DirectorGeorge StevensStarsElizabeth TaylorRock HudsonJames DeanSprawling epic covering the life of a Texas cattle rancher and his family and associates.James Dean as Jett Rink.
Dean portrays a man who has aged about 40 years during the course of the film, transitioning from a simple rural "hayseed" to the rich, ruthless, & powerful alcoholic owner of a financial empire. Dean's portrayal of this radical transition in age, physical appearance, moral character, & personality is very convincing & quite remarkable. - DirectorElia KazanStarsVivien LeighMarlon BrandoKim HunterDisturbed Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her.Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski.
- DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsMarlon BrandoMaria SchneiderMaria MichiA young Parisian woman meets a middle-aged American businessman who demands their clandestine relationship be based only on sex.Marlon Brando as Paul.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone.
- DirectorRoberto RosselliniStarsIngrid BergmanMario VitaleRenzo CesanaKarin, a young woman from the Baltic countries, marries fisherman Antonio to escape from a prison camp. But she cannot get used to the tough life in Antonio's volcano-threatened village, Stromboli.Ingrid Bergman as Karin.
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsDustin HoffmanJessica LangeTeri GarrMichael Dorsey, an unsuccessful actor, disguises himself as a woman in order to get a role on a trashy hospital soap.Dustin Hoffman as Dorothy Michaels.
- DirectorChris ColumbusStarsRobin WilliamsSally FieldPierce BrosnanAfter a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife.Robin Williams as Mrs Doubtfire.
- DirectorRodrigo GarcíaStarsGlenn CloseMia WasikowskaAaron Taylor-JohnsonAlbert Nobbs struggles to survive in late 19th-century Ireland, where women aren't encouraged to be independent. Posing as a man so she can work as a butler in Dublin's most elegant hotel, Albert meets a handsome painter and looks to escape the lie she has been living.Glen Close as Albert Nobbs.
- DirectorFederico FelliniStarsMarcello MastroianniAnita EkbergAnouk AiméeA series of stories following a week in the life of a philandering tabloid journalist living in Rome.Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini.
English subtitles. - DirectorFederico FelliniStarsMarcello MastroianniAnouk AiméeClaudia CardinaleA harried movie director retreats into his memories and fantasies.Marcello Mastroianni as Guido Anselmi.
English subtitles. - DirectorTimothy HuttonStarsEvan Rachel WoodKevin BaconMary Stuart Masterson10 y.o. Harriet's divorced mom owns and runs a motel. Harriet's an outsider and wants to leave. A woman stays there with her adult, disabled son who befriends Harriet.Kevin Bacon as Ricky Schroth.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanTom CruiseValeria GolinoAfter a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt.
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.Dustin Hoffman as Ratso.
- DirectorStephen FrearsStarsDustin HoffmanGeena DavisAndy GarciaA not-so-nice man rescues passengers from a crashed airliner, only to see someone else take credit.Dustin Hoffman as Bernie Laplante.
- DirectorAbel GanceStarsRomuald JoubéMaxime DesjardinsSéverin-MarsThe story of two men, one married, the other the lover of the other's wife, who meet in the trenches of the First World War, and how their tale becomes a microcosm for the horrors of war.Severin-Mars as Francois Laurin.
silent film. Available at Fandor.com.
English subtitles. - DirectorAbel GanceStarsGabriel de GravonePierre MagnierGeorges TérofA railway engineer adopts a young girl orphaned by a train crash. Years later when she starts getting suitors, he grapples with whether or not to tell her the truth about her parentage.Severin-Mars as Sisif.
silent film.
Available on Fandor.com under the French title is La roue.
English subtitles. - DirectorRoberto RosselliniStarsAnna MagnaniFederico FelliniPeparuoloIn part one, a heartbroken woman talks to her ex-lover on the phone. In part two, a pregnant woman believes she is carrying the child of Saint Joseph.Anna Magnani
as unnamed sole character in segment "Una voce unmana" &
as Nannina in segment "Il miracolo". - DirectorRichard BrooksStarsElizabeth TaylorPaul NewmanBurl IvesBrick is an alcoholic ex-football player who drinks his days away and resists the affections of his wife. A reunion with his terminal father jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son.Paul Newman as Brick Pollitt.
- DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsJohn TravoltaDustin HoffmanAlan AldaA distraught man inadvertently takes a group of children hostage in a museum while a hungry, seasoned reporter tries to resurrect his career covering the story.John Travolta as Sam.
- DirectorTim RobbinsStarsSusan SarandonSean PennRobert ProskyA nun, while comforting a convicted killer on death row, empathizes with both the killer and his victim's families.Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen Prejean.
- DirectorCraig GillespieStarsRyan GoslingEmily MortimerPaul SchneiderA delusional young man strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet.Ryan Gosling as Lars.
- DirectorHenry BeanStarsRyan GoslingSummer PhoenixPeter MeadowsA young Jewish man develops a fiercely anti-Semitic philosophy. Based on the factual story of a K.K.K. member in the 1960s who was revealed to be Jewish by a New York Times reporter.Ryan Gosling as Danny Balint.
- DirectorMike BinderStarsAdam SandlerDon CheadleJada Pinkett SmithA man who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate. Rekindling the friendship is the one thing that appears able to help the man recover from his grief.Adam Sandler as Charlie Fineman.
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenDorothy ComingoreFollowing the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'Orson Welles as Kane.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonJack NicholsonKim BasingerThe Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.Jack Nicholson as Joker.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsJack NicholsonMichelle PfeifferJames SpaderPublisher Will Randall becomes a demon wolf and has to fight to keep his job.Jack Nicholson as Will Randall.
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsJack NicholsonHope DavisDermot MulroneyA recently retired man embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding, only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected.Jack Nicholson as Warren Schmidt.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsJames CaanKathy BatesRichard FarnsworthAfter a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes.
- DirectorJean RenoirStarsJean GabinJulien CaretteSimone SimonIn this classic adaptation of Emile Zola's novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.Jean Garbin as Jacques Lantier.
English subtitles. - DirectorRoberto AndòStarsToni ServilloValerio MastandreaValeria Bruni TedeschiWhen a politician disappears, his (mad) twin brother is brought to replace him.Toni Servillo
as identical twin brother Enrico Oliveri AND
as identical twin brother Giovanni Oliveri.
English subtitles.
Available on Netflix streaming under the title Viva La Libertad. - DirectorAleksandr SokurovStarsJohannes ZeilerAnton AdasinskyIsolda DychaukA despairing scholar sells his soul to Satan in exchange for one night with a beautiful young woman.Johannes Zeller as Heinrich Faust.
English subtitles. - DirectorFritz LangStarsRudolf Klein-RoggeAud Egede-NissenGertrude WelckerArch-criminal Dr. Mabuse sets out to make a fortune and run Berlin. Detective Wenk sets out to stop him.Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Dr Mabuse.
silent film.
Available on Fandor.com under the title of Dr Mabuse: The Gambler.
English subtitles. - DirectorFritz LangStarsRudolf Klein-RoggeGerda MaurusWilly FritschThe mastermind behind a ubiquitous spy operation learns of a dangerous romance between a Russian lady in his employ and a dashing agent from the government's secret service.Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Haghi.
silent film.
Available on Fandor.com under the title of Spies.
English subtitles. - DirectorFritz LangStarsBernhard GoetzkeLil DagoverWalter JanssenWhen a woman's fiancé disappears, Death gives her three chances to save him from his fate.Lil Dagover
as unnamed young woman &
as Zobeide &
as Monna Flametta &
as Tiao Tsien
in a multi-segment film.
silent film.
Available on YouTube.com--search: "Fritz Lang movie Destiny"
English subtitles. - DirectorJean CocteauStarsJean MaraisFrançois PérierMaría CasaresA poet in love with Death follows his unhappy wife into the underworld.Jean Marais as Orphee.
English subtitles.