Greatest Screen Peformance

[thedude]

Not the greatest actor, or script, greatest performance. It doesnt even have to be an amazing performance, it could just be a performance that fits; Harrison Ford in Raiders for example, its not a master class in acting, far from it, but he is perfect as Indy. So, what do you esteemed TFers think? What do you think is the greatest screen performance of all time?

[Jonesy]

Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind takes some beating.

[Ancient One]

Lots to choose from

Robert Carlyle as Begbie in Trainspotting.
Peter O Toole as Lawrence in Lawrence Of Arabia.
Michael Caine as Jack Carter in Get Carter.

Many many more.

[jaykays hat]

Steve McQueen - Bullitt
Dustin Hoffman - Papillon
Al Pacino - Dog day afternoon & Scarface
John Mills - Ryans Daughter
Heath Ledger - Dark Knight

To name a few.

[CastroGiovanni]

The trouble with this question is that everyone secretly wants to come up with something obscure to look like a true cinephile, yet often the ones that have been talked about endlessly are the ones that are worthy of such attention.

Robert De Niro's interpretation of Travis Bickle is pitch perfect, chillingly believable as a poorly educated, socially awkward working stiff that has just had enough. I mean, at points it could make you cringe like something from The Office (taking a hot date to some weird porn / exploitation movie) but the lack of understanding in Bickle's eyes as Cybill Shepherd storms out shows how completely disconnected he's become. I went back and rewatched it recently after the Raoul Moat thing and I honestly can't see how it could have been anymore shockingly realistic.

Then you've got Rupert Pupkin in King of Comedy, again a performance that is so well crafted it's hard to believe it's De Niro.

Same for his take Jake La Motta in Raging Bull. That's all the more incredible because the emotional trainwreck he's portraying was a real person and all who knew La Motta remarked at how uncannily accurate it was. It's not just the physical transformation De Niro went through - everyone talks about that and frankly I find it a little boring - but the little things he does to portray the turmoil and self loathing. Even when the times are good you can see things ticking over, the fuse slowly burning before the next explosive outburst.

Not that I'm a huge De Niro fan-boy (he used to say "the talent is in the choices" and if that's the case his talent waned decades ago) but when I think of great performances all three of those leap out to me and they were all put together by one guy.

[snakeplissken]

Good point Castro,

It truly is the mark of a fine actor if they can make you suspend your disbelief and see past they fact that they are acting.

The culture of the star vehicle is all too common these days, and I would say Tom Cruise is probably the worst offender - all his characters are the same, it's just Tom Cruise saving the world again!

As actors become more famous obviously this becomes more difficult, but Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone and Jeff Bridges as The Dude managed to overcome the audience's preconceptions superbly.

The Dude - Great shout with Indy too...

[johnnysam]

wow....so many, but here are the best..

Daniel Day Lewis, "My Left Foot"
Jessica Lange, "Frances"
Ellen Burstyn, "Alice doesn't live here anymore"
Hilary Swank, "Boys don't cry"
Sally Field, "Norma Rae"
Gregory Peck, "To Kill A Mockingbird"

[giovannisorta]

The whole concept of best performance ever just seems hyperbolic by it's nature, but in recent years one of the actors who's impressed me was Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James , he's so creepy & just conveys the whole obsessive stalker aspect of the character perfectly without ever devolving into a cackling parody.

[jjay691]

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector in Silence of The Lambs really does take some beating.

Perhaps oddly, I also found Donald Pleasence as Ernst Blofeld in the Bond movies absolutely incredible. Though maybe that's just me...

[SimonFJ]

Talking of Bond, how about Daniel Craigs' self loathing incarnation of 007? or to change tack completely... Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump... A masterful piece of work especially when you look at his other roles, Hanratty, Lovell and Woody! Yes, he does have that 'Big Star' ne size fits all to some of his work but Forrest stands out in my mind... and he didn't go the full retard!