I like the way you stated that...as 'cookie cutter' 'barbie doll' actresses are a dime a dozen, so it's not about the looks per say.
It's more about the look behind the eyes, meaning the personality of the character and sometimes the actress too. Though I've found that I can watch an actress in one movie and sense that Je ne sais quoi, but then in other films they just blend into the scenery and I wonder what was special about them in the first place.
Some of that has to do with the script, the cinematography and direction and even lighting and editing. Still you can't get a spark out of a wet match, so in the end it's down to the actress to make what she's doing on the screen come across as envibed.
Well said - I can't add much more.. I do notice that with the first three I mentioned in the OP, that I felt sorry for their predicament in life, some more than others. But how the women dealt with circumstances, trucking on despite receiving no love, was a big reason I felt so much for these women. Their looks have very little (if anything) to do with my heart going out to them. Obviously 99% of leading ladies are going to be somewhat attractive, and all of them are, but yeah, I have very different tastes in women compared to everyone I know. It's to the point that people I know want my opinion, thinking they'll have the opposite view of my own (which is why they ask for my opinion first).
Which reminds me of "Wanda" - a movie you recommended for me. Very sad her life was cut short. She wrote, directed, and starred, and in the movie was treated very unfairly. I think the injustice and how they react was why I selected the women... As for Setsuko Hara (The Eternal Virgin), her sunny aura (regardless of the movie) was very likable. She's in many of Ozu's movies, which to me are very similar; actors playing the same roles throughout many of his movies, except for "Saturday Morning"
Even in the movie, "Marty", Betsy Blair was referred to as a dog in the movie, but of course Hollywood wasn't going to take a chance, and they put a pretty woman as Marty's love interest, anyway. I think "they" was Lancaster-Hecht-and someone else. Speaking of Lancaster, I think he was the star that was in the most amount of great movies, despite me not thinking he was a great actor (but a great presence).
Who is this?