A collection of an actor's or actresse's greatest work

[Kaleva]

If one had the money and inclination to put together a dvd/blue ray movie collection which showcased the great actors and actresses, past and present, best work, which movies would you all recommend?

As an example, in the John Wayne thread, fellow member wysimdnwyg gave this list of movies he'd recommend along with reasons why:

"Stagecoach - Wayne as a young man, this set the mold for many of his later roles as the strong, but vulnerable type.
Rio Bravo - This is Wayne in his prototypical role as good man in a bad situation. Strong, unwilling to compromise and the classic "man's man".
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - Widely considered one of Wayne's best performances. Showing emotion and leadership, while giving the screen presence over to others frequently, which is something Wayne did not do in many of his movies (he liked to be center-screen at the focus of attention at all times)
Red River - Wayne as good man turned bad, then finally redeemed. The maliciousness Wayne showed in Red River is almost disturbing.
The Searchers - This is likely Wayne's best role and best performance. While the range of emotions is most noticeable, the small touches are most important to those "in the know". (An example of the latter is Wayne's pose at the end of the movie, standing alone with his right hand on his left arm, is a tribute to his old friend Harry Carey Sr.)
True Grit - Wayne's last, "great" role shows his as the aging hero. Wayne's only Oscar winning performance, this showed him coping with getting old, while learning to care about other people instead of only himself."

[pepperbear]

1. Humphrey Bogart

1. petrified forest-the role that got him noticed. leslie howard lobbied for bogart. he steals every scene he's in. bogie plays a desperado who holds the patrons of a desert cafe hostage.

2. high sierra-the role that made him a star. in the late 30s, he played the second banana goon who takes over after the boss (edward g or cagney) goes straight or goes to jail. he usually died in the last reel. not anymore after this searing performance opposite ida lupino.

3. casablanca-the role that made him a legend. beautifully shot by michael curtiz and cinematographer arthur edeson. timeless and eminently quotable.

4. african queen-paired with Kat hepburn for a tour de force, a must see.

5. the caine mutiny-directed by blacklisted edward dymytrk, a fantastic sea adventure and military courtroom drama.

6. maltese falcon-the trench coat and cigarette? here it is.

7. to have and have not - lauren bacall first teams with bogart. "you know how to whistle, don't you steve?"

8. key largo-hostage suspense with edward g. great performance.

9. in a lonely place-opposite gloria graham. classic.

10. the enforcer-plays a DA.

11. black legion-a shockingly frank film about the consequences of bigotry. one of his best.

12. they drive by night- with george raft. under appreciated classic casts bogie and raft as independent truckers against corruption.

13. the big sleep-strange and compelling. bacall and bogie light the screen on fire.

14. treasure of the sierra madre-bogie as gold hunter in mexico. among john and walter huston's best too.

[flying rabbit]

4. well done

:applause:

[Robeson]

10. I was going to post about Bogie....

...thanks for saving me the work. Best actor ever.

on edit: he was a method actor before the term was invented.

[pepperbear]

2. cagney....

white heat
public enemy
yankee doodle dandy
angels with dirty faces
lady killer
mayor of hell
city for conquest

cooper

sgt york
springfield rifle
cloak and dagger
friendly persuasion
high noon

paul muni

the life of emile zola
i am a fugitive from a chain gang
scarface

flynn

the seahawk
the adventures of robin hood
captain blood
private life of elizabeth and essex
dodge city
va city
don juan

jimmy stewart

mr smith goes to washington
harvey
it's a wonderful life
the mann westerns
the man who shot liberty valance
rope
vertigo
the stratton story
the man who knew too much
call northside 777

[pepperbear]

3. crawford......

mildred pierce
grand hotel
the women
the damned don't cry
johnny guitar
sudden fear
whatever happened to baby jane

davis

now voyager
jezebel
dark passage
of human bondage
private life of elizabeth and essex
little foxes
mr skeffington
the petrified forest

hepburn

little women
stage door
on golden pond
philadelphia story
bringing up baby
african queen
rooster cogburn

[muffin1]

5. Great lists!

I was going post a reply with Bette Davis, so I'll just add one of her movies to your list...All About Eve. That is the first movie of her I ever saw, and it prompted me to watch pretty much everything she ever made.

Love her!

[sarge43]

6. Hepburn: The Lion in Winter. Born to play that role. n/t

[KG]

7. Ginger Lynn Allen

On Golden Blonde
Night of Loving Dangerously
Pretty As You Feel
Sister Dearest
I Dream of Ginger

[pepperbear]

8. henry fonda...

young mr lincoln
grapes of wrath
the wrong man
on golden pond
my darling clementine

cary grant

bringing up baby
philadelphia story
north by northwest
to catch a thief
suspicion

gable

it happened one night
the misfits
run silent run deep
gone with the wind
call of the wild
soldier of fortune

brando

on the waterfront
a streetcar named desire
the godfather
last tango in paris

peck

to kill a mockingbird
guns of navarone
gentlemen's agreement
the man in the gray flannel suit
cape fear

lancaster

brute force
judgement at nuremburg
the birdman of alcatraz
run silent run deep

[Kaleva]

9. I'd add "Twelve O'Clock High" to Peck's list for which he was nominated for an Oscar.

[mitchum]

11. Robert Mitchum...

Out of the Past (1947)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)
Thunder Road (1958)
The Sundowners (1960)
Cape Fear (1962)
Ryan's Daughter (1970)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
A Killer In the Family (1983)

[dysfunctional press]

12. james dean

rebel without a cause
east of eden
giant

[Mendocino]

13. Paul Newman

The Hustler
Cool Hand Luke
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
The Sting
Slapshot
The Verdict

[pepperbear]

14. spencer tracy...

captains courageous
fury
boystown
adam's rib
state of the union
bad day at black rock
inherit the wind
judgement at nuremburg
guess who's coming to dinner

tyrone power

in old chicago
the mark of zorro
blood and sand
nightmare alley
captain from castille

robert de niro

mean streets
taxi driver
the deer hunter
the king of comedy
once upon a time in america
raging bull
the untouchables
godfather 2
goodfellas
cape fear

pacino

serpico
godfather
godfather 2
dog day afternoon
and justice for all
scarface
glengarry glen ross
looking for richard
scent of a woman
carlito's way
the devil's advocate
insomnia

[Kat45]

15. And 6 on your DeNiro list are Scorsese films.

No surprise; two great talents who worked very well together.

[Kaleva]

16. Peter O'Toole

Lawrence of Arabia

The Lion in Winter

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

The Stunt Man

My Favorite Year

Venus

[pepperbear]

17. charlie chaplin

city lights
the great dictator
modern times
the gold rush
monsieur verdoux

woody allen

bananas
sleeper
annie hall
play it again sam
take the money and run
deconstructing harry
zelig
manhattan
manhattan murder mystery