What do you think is the best acting performace of all time is?

This is extremely tough, but I'm going to have to say Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather part 2 by a hair over Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull.

Al Pacino in The Godfather.
Especially in the scene where Pacino says "today I settle all family business".
Close second would be Brando in "Look how they massacred my boy".

Klaus Kinski in Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes/Aguirre, Wrath of God (1972).

Mick

That would be mine. When I try to show how food is great when I'm at my mom's aunt's.

For an actor, it's a tossup between Brando in "Streetcar" and DeNiro in "Raging Bull."
For an actress, it's Streep in all of her "Angels in America" roles, although the rest of the cast are close contenduhs.

I'm being torn between several great great roles.

Humphery Bogart as Rick Blane in "Casablanca"
or
Humphery Bogart as Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon".
or
James Stewart as John Ferguson in "Vertigo"
or
Peter Lorre as Hans Beckert in "M"

Ben Johnson in "The Last Picture Show".

A Few:

Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc
Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Peter Sellers in Being There
Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk in A Woman Under the Influence

Keanu Reeves in Speed. :p

Pacino

Scarface

wow tough choice. i think al in scarce was the best then al in godfather 1 then boby d in rafing bull

Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice.

Vivian Leigh in Streetcar Named Desire.

Sean Penn in I Am Sam.

Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy.

I can't pick one actor.

What comes to mind in no order. I am probably forgetting some.
-----
Robert DeNiro in Raigng Bull and Taxi Driver
Al Pacino in The Godfather part II
Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces
Anthony Hopkins in Silence in the Lambs
Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now and On the Waterfront

You think Brando was better in those 2 movies than in the Godfather?

Interesting.

I just watched Apocalypse Now for the 3rd time last night, and I just realized how incredible Brando was in the movie. So disturbing. So believable. WOW. But I think his performces in The Godfather and On the Waterfront were equal to that.

Yes. Brando was excellent in all three of those roles, but those other two stand out above his role in The Godfather.

Why do you think that?

Sorry if I'm being annoying with my questions. LOL. I just don't see any flaws in his Godfather role.

Nor do I but then again I can easily make the case that it was a bit over-acted at times, can't I?

Personally, Terry Malloy is about as great as it got with Brando. He really tore my heart out in that immortal scene in the back of the car with Charlie.

I simply think the other two were roles that displayed his versatility much better. Those monologues are classic, and the same can be said for all of his scenes in On the Waterfront. Hell, it can be said for Don Vito Corleone, but that role didn't display a wider view of his acting.

That scene wasn't even Brando's best acting in the movie. I think when he was in the bar and Father Barry was trying to take the gun out of his hands was phenomenal and gave me chills. "IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

Also when Brando was outside Johnny Friendly's place yelling out, "HEY FRIENDLY!!! I'M GLAD WHAT I DONE TO YOU!!" Unreal. In fact, I think I'm gonna watch that movie again.

Too many to mention....

anyway....I'm going to list them as they come to my mind.

Hopkins in The remains of the day
Brando in A streetcar named desire and Apocalypse now
Pacino in GF, GF2 and Scarface
DeNiro in Raging bull and The deer hunter
Bogart in Casablanca
Hoffmann in Death of a Salesman, Kramer vs Kramer and Tootsie

Streep in Kramer vs Kramer
Gloria Swanson in Sunset Bdv
Vivian Leigh in GWTW and A streetcar named desire.

Apart from the Penn, I have all these films, as well as Death of a Salesman in my room ready to watch. Watch this space to see how I feel about them...

Mick

I saw Death of a Salesman a few months back in school and never posted a proview. I liked it, although at times it seemed overacted by other cast members. The film is made to look like a play wit the fake backgrounds in outside sets. At least that's what it looked like from a distance on a shitty TV in the cieling. I would also love to see Lee J. Cobb's acting in the older Death of a Salesman.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0187806/

DeNiro in Taxi Driver, and Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice. There are no other options.

It's tough to pick just one when there are so many great performances.

Not that my picks are in any particular order, but here's my favs :

Kirk Douglas in SPARTACUS
Charleton Heston in BEN HUR
Marlon Brando in ON THE WATERFRONT
Robert DeNiro in RAGING BULL
Al Pacino in THE GODFATHER

Hattie McDaniel in GONE WITH THE WIND
Sally Field in SYBIL
Shelly Winters in A PATCH OF BLUE

and honorable mention goes to Jamie Fox for his portrayal of Ray Charles. Magnificent!


Don Cardi