My current Top 5

My current Top 5

6/20/2015

Best Actress Ranking - Update

Here is a new update. The newly added performance is highlighted in bold. 

1. Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939)
2. Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard (1950)
3. Olivia de Havilland in The Heiress (1949)
4. Anne Bancroft in The Graduate (1967)
5. Janet Gaynor in Seventh Heaven (1927-1928)   
6. Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
7. Edith Evans in The Whisperers (1967)
8. Greta Garbo in Ninotchka (1939)
9. Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
10. Bette Davis in The Little Foxes (1941)

11. Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music (1965)
12. Glenda Jackson in Women in Love (1970)
13. Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (1941)
14. Shelley Winters in A Place in the Sun (1951)
15. Ingrid Bergman in The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
16. Greer Garson in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
17. Meryl Streep in One True Thing (1998)
18. Katharine Hepburn in Guess who’s coming to dinner (1967)
19. Teresa Wright in The Pride of the Yankees (1942) 
20. Jennifer Jones in Love Letters (1945)

21. Ellen Burstyn in Same Time, Next Year (1978)
22. Loretta Young in Come to the Stable (1949)  
23. Shirley MacLaine in The Turning Point (1977)
24. Irene Dunne in Cimarron (1930-1931)
25. Diana Wynyard in Cavalcade (1932-1933)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can I have some brief thoughts on Glenda's perf? Just curious to know why she hasn't a higher grade than a 4, I know many people who kinda love her.

Fritz said...

Hi Ano, thanks for commenting.

Well, first of all: Glenda's performance was the most difficult I had to rank so far. The reason is that I love Glenda as an actress and really wanted her to end up extremely high for this performance and so I started comparing her to Edith Evans at first and thought that I would put her above her. But then I thought I should be fair to those performances below and compared her to Greta Garbo - only to realise that I thought that Greta was better. Then I finally realised that I also consider Edith better and that I only talked myself into thinking that Glenda was better. Well, then Glenda dropped down one position after another until she finally landed between Julie and Barbara.

The reason for all of this: I think that Glenda is extremely fascinating but to be honest, there is not much character to play here. It's a very abstract performance and character that benefits from Glenda's personality but also holds her back a bit. Also, I never really understood the part and so I began to read a bit about Gudrun. Apparently, Gudrun is actually the younger sister and I began to realize that there is a certain point about that performance that has been bothering me all along but I did not recognise it: Glenda is a bit too mature in the role. As I said, the is really fascinating and does a lot but I think that a younger actress who was able to show how Gudrun is still experienicing with her own sexuality and slowly discovers her desire to dominate and destroy and is a bit more playful in certain scenes but might have gotten more out of the role. With Glenda, you always feel that she is 100% certain about everything she does and already completely established as a personality. I now always look at this performance and imagine certain scenes played with less self-assurance and more curiosity and awakening and begin to think that this might have been more interesting. Still, Glenda's own personality and talent made this a very intriguing and fascinating character study nonetheless.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for answering, I understand now, I personally haven't seen the movie yet. Also, if I may ask, what are your thoughts on the nominated supporting ladies of the same year (1970)? I'm interested because I only liked Karen Black - the others, not so much.

Fritz said...

I have to be honest that I am not very familiar with the supporting actress line-up that year. Between the two Airport ladies, I prefer Helen Hayes but neither strikes me as truly Oscar-worthy...

Anonymous said...

Louis why are the reviews for the 1978 nominated ladies missing? Because I can only see the first post and the poll, and not the reviews nor your ranking.

Fritz said...

Hi Ano, I removed them some time ago when I planned to re-do that year...I see if I can put them back again.

Anonymous said...

thank you very much Fritz, that was very kind of you.