Best perfomance by these actors?

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

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

Thanks to anyone who finds the time to do this

There are a lot of movies each actor you listed have been in that I haven’t seen yet or else I saw them so long ago they’re due for a re-watch...


Marlon Brando - The Godfather (followed very closely by Apocalypse Now)
Peter Sellers - The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction
Gary Oldman - Leon: The Professional
Robert Carlyle - Trainspotting (followed very closely by Plunkett and Macleane)
James Stewart - Rear Window
Sean Penn - The Thin Red Line
Robert De Niro - Cape Fear
Clint Eastwood - The Outlaw Josey Wales
Steve Buscemi - Desperado

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MARLON BRANDO : One-Eyed Jacks
Because he was still lean and mean and the star of the show.

PETER SELLERS : Being There
Because his other characters made me like him, this character made me love him.

SAMUEL L. JACKSON : Changing Lanes
Because he was not as sure of himself as in other roles, he struggled to find who he was.

GARY OLDMAN : Léon
Need I say?

ROBERT CARLYLE : Angela's Ashes
He was a good man that did bad things, I could relate.

JIMMY STEWART : The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Because it was his deepest character performance.

SEAN PENN : Carlito's Way
It broke him out of a mold and set a standard for his abilities.

ROBERT DE NIRO : Raging Bull
Aside from Taxi Driver, this movie defined him as the bad ass in American cinema.

CLINT EASTWOOD : Unforgiven
Because I was sure he was not strong enough, then he got pissed!

Steve Buscemi : Ghost World
Because this role was his finest to date, easily.


Let's see who has to add more actors than was requested first, happens all the time...

__________________
"Today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Marlon Brando - Burn!
Peter Sellers - Hoffman
Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction
Gary Oldman - The Fifth Element
Robert Carlyle - The World is Not Enough (I haven't seen very much of him)
James Stewart - Anatomy of a Murder
Sean Penn - I am Sam
Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver
Clint Eastwood - Dirty Harry
Steve Buscemi - Fargo

Cary Grant - North by Northwest
Anthony Hopkins - Instinct
Jack Nicholson - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Eddie Murphy - Beverly Hills Cop
Glenn Close - Fatal Attraction
Kevin Spacey - The Usual Suspects
Russell Crowe - A Beautiful Mind
Sigourney Weaver - Alien
Denzel Washington - Malcolm X

Marlon Brando - On The Waterfront

Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove

Samuel L. Jackson - Jackie Brown (Truly scary)

Gary Oldman - Sid and Nancy

Robert Carlyle - Trainspotting

James Stewart - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Sean Penn - Dead Man Walking

Robert De Niro - Raging Bull

Clint Eastwood - Unforgiven

Steve Buscemi - Ghost World

Cary Grant - North by Northwest

Anthony Hopkins - Silence of The Lambs

Jack Nicholson - One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

Eddie Murphy - Coming To America

Kevin Spacey - American Beauty

Russell Crowe - L.A. Confidential

Sigourney Weaver - Ghostbusters

Denzel Washington - Training Day

__________________
"You, me, everyone...we are all made of star stuff." - Neil Degrasse Tyson

https://shawnsmovienight.blogspot.com/

DOH!!!

CARY GRANT : Bringing Up Baby
I love it when he's funny.

ANTHONY HOPKINS : Silence of the Lambs
Of course it is!

JACK NICHOLSON : As Good as it Gets
I can't think of another movie where his acting was better.

EDDIE MURPHY : Mulan
So sue me! That's one funny lizard! That's it! Dishonor! Dishonor on your whole family! Make a note of this. Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow!

GLENN CLOSE : Hamlet
Wow! That woman can act!

KEVIN SPACEY : Swimming with Sharks
This is easily his defining moment as an actor.

RUSSELL CROWE : A Beautiful Mind
I just love this movie, no other reason. Well, maybe one, he rocks!

SIGOURNEY WEAVER : Gorillas in the Mist
It broke my heart.

DENZEL WASHINGTON : Training Day
King Kong ain't got nuttin on me!. 'Nuff said.

BTW OptimalDelusion, if you do that again, I'll, I'll, I'll...whimper?

MARLON BRANDO - ON THE WATERFRONT.

PETER SELLERS - DR STRANGELOVE.

SAMUEL L. JACKSON - JUNGLE FEVER. (PULP WAS CLOSE.)

GARY OLDMAN - STATE OF GRACE.

ROBERT CARLYLE - TRAINSPOTTING. (HE SUCKED IN 007).

JAMES STEWART - (HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH TO JUDGE).

SEAN PENN - BEFORE NIGHT FALLS.

ROBERT DENIRO - RAGING BULL. (POSSIBLY THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE EVER).

CLINT EASTWOOD - UNFORGIVEN.

STEVE BUSCEMI - RESERVOIR DOGS.

CARY GRANT - (HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH TO JUDGE).

ANTHONY HOPKINS - THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

JACK NICHOLSON - ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST.

EDDIE MURPHY - TRADING PLACES.

KEVIN SPACEY - SE7EN.

RUSSEL CROWE - THE INSIDER.

SIGORNEY WEAVER - ALIENS.

DENZEL WASHINGTON - GLORY.

PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT.

__________________
"I know a man who was born with his heart on the outside. Every man's worst fear, he also had heavy hands. he couldn't touch his lovers face, he couldn't hold a baby." - Buck 65

You may want to check out THIS older thread too, since many folks here seem to be only making lists without comment anyway.

• Marlon Brando: One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
  Also the only film Brando directed, his performance as Johnny Ringo, the carefree robber turned vengeful force turned true lover, is one of the best performances in a Western of that era. While not one of Brando's most well-known iconic portrayals, it's definitely a favorite and too often forgotten.
  
• Peter Sellers: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
  Not the only film where Sellers played multiple roles or characters, but I think the best example at showcasing his enormous range and wit. Equally briliant as Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley and of course Doctor Strangelove, from the most subtle deadpan to the most bizarre over-the-top camp: magnificent.
  
• Samuel L. Jackson: The Caveman's Valentine (2001)
  The best lead role of his career that nobody has seen, showcasing his range from quiet introspection to bursting energy, moving with ease from extreme to extreme and everything inbetween.
  
• Gary Oldman: Leon: The Professional (1994)
  Over-the-top, scary, funny, and still manages to have an emotional truth and resonance to it. Close call for me between this and Romeo is Bleeding where he also shows vulnerability and some real fear and regret, but Stansfield accomplishes so much with relatively little screentime, which is impressive in a different way, so I gave it the edge.
  
• Jimmy Stewart: Harvey (1950)
  Stewart is Elwood P. Dowd, the man who is so very happily a delusional alcoholic, and wants only to be left alone to enjoy it. Been there, done that, Man!
  
• Sean Penn: Carlito's Way (1993)
  While not a lead, a perfect example of his chameleon-like ability to disappear into a role, and also his fearlessness in playing totally dispicable pricks with glee and depth.
  
• Robert DeNiro: Taxi Driver (1976)
  God's lonely man. Lesser actors might have made him a simple wide-eyed psychopath, but Travis Bickle is such an honest if frightning character, made so credibly empathetic and horrific by DeNiro.
  
• Clint Eastwood: Unforgiven (1992)
  Fitting that Clint's best work as an actor should come in his masterpiece as a director. He's an icon on the screen of course, but also a much better actor then most give him credit for. William Munny plays against and ultimately with his iconic image, while also showing the range he's capable of.
  
• Steve Buscemi: Ghost World (2001)
  There's an emotional resonance behind this funny-lookin' loner that is absent from some of the more comedic supporting roles of his career. Seymour's rages, quirks and insecurities are funny, but they're much more than punchlines and gags here.

__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Wow, I don't want to scare you, but we think a lot alike sometimes. Only your more better at it.

I was so close to choosing this, but I really love Being There.

I must rent this...SOON!!

Good choice, we just have a little different taste on this one.

It was a toss up for me.

One main difference between our choices, is that you are more eloquent.

BTW, you forgot Robert carlyle. Shame on you.

Yeah, Being There would be my alternate Sellers choice, but he does so much so very well in Strangelove, it was an easy call for me.

As for Jimmy Stewart, I'd put Anatomy of a Murder, Rear Window, The Philadelphia Story, Destry Rides Again and even It's a Wonderful Life ahead of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, though it is still among my favorites from him (and one of the very, very few John Wayne flicks I can stand). But Harvey is just too iconically Jimmy Stewart for me to name anything but as my first choice.


And I didn't forget Robert Carlyle, but I'm not a huge fan of his thus far either. He's been quite good as support in a few movies, but I don't think there's enough of a body of work to single anything out over the others. If pressed I'd probably go for The Full Monty, if only because it shows another side of him than the psychotic type of character he's best known for to date (Trainspotting, Ravenous, The World is not Enough).

Eh.



And just to get nitpicky on you all (as is my want), so many people (not just on this board) often incorrectly call Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winning masterpiece THE Unforgiven. It's simply Unforgiven, no "the". The Unforgiven is a John Huston movie from the '60s starring Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn. I know it's only a little thing, but as a rabid fan of all things Eastwoodian, it does drive me a little nuts....not that it's a long trip to get there.

*URP*

I'll remember that.

Well it's too bad then, because he's shown unother side of him more than once. For example "Go Now", which was about man's struggle to cope with the debilitating affects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). It's a opportunity to see him do a complete person, from laughter to tears, with terrible physical failings and equally terrible emotional struggles. He was dead on with his portreyal.
Then there's Ken Loach's "Riff Raff", what was so true to life, it's scary.
Not to mention Angela's Ashes, Trainspotting, Ravenous, Full Monty but of course you already mentioned those.
I think he has more versatility to him than people give him credit for, because it's sad to see such a wonderful actor get stuck in the villain or psycho category by American casting agents.

I haven't seen Go Now or Black and White, Once Upon A Time in the Midlands, To End All Wars, Formula 51, There's Only One Jimmy Grimble, Face, Riff-Raff or Carla's Song. So let me amend my first statement: of his work that I've seen, there isn't one performance I would single out over the others.

I'll catch up with Carla's Song and Riff-Raff sometime, because I've liked Ken Loach's work over the years. I may get around to seeing Go Now too, for Winterbottom. So whenever I get a peek at those, I'll let you know what I think of Carlyle's more complete range. I simply haven't witnessed it yet.

Marlon Brando - The Godfather
Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove
Samuel L Jackson - The Negotiator
Gary Oldman - Murder in the First
Robert Carlyle - The World is not enough
James Stewart - Mr. Smith goes to washington
Sean Penn - I am sam
Robert Deniro - Awakenings
Clint Eastwood - In The line of fire
Steve Buscemi - Resvior Dogs
Cary Grant - Bringing Up Baby
Anthony Hopkins - The Mask of Zorro
Jack Nicholson - One flew over the cuckoos nest
Eddie Murphy - Beverly hills cop
Kevin Spacey - The ref
Russell Crowe - a beautiful mind
Sigourney weaver - Aliens
Denzel Washington - Glory

__________________
...The whole world is on fire...

Marlon Brando - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Peter Sellers - BEING THERE

Samuel L. Jackson - PULP FICTION

Gary Oldman - SID AND NANCY

Robert Carlyle - I have no idea who Robert Carlyle is

James Stewart - ANATOMY OF A MURDER

Sean Penn - THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON

Robert De Niro - THE KING OF COMEDY

Clint Eastwood - GRAN TORINO

Steve Buscemi - FARGO

Buscemi's foot was quite expressive in Fargo.

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