Top 10 performances directed by Robert Altman?

Susannah York, Images
Philip Baker Hall, Secret Honor
Elliott Gould, The Long Goodbye
Tim Robbins, The Player
Julie Christie & Warren Beatty, McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Lily Tomlin & Keith Carradine, Nashville
Shelly Duvall & Sissy Spacek, 3 Women
Elliott Gould & George Segal, California Split
Sam Shepard & Kim Basinger, Fool for Love
Paul Newman, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

1. Julie Christie, McCabe & Mrs. Miller
2. Sandy Dennis, Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmie Dean, Jimmie Dean
3. Warren Beatty, McCabe & Mrs. Miller
4. Tim Roth, Vincent & Theo
5. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kansas City
6. Keith Carradine, Thieves Like Us
7. Elliott Gould, The Long Goodbye
8. Shelley Duvall, 3 Women
9. Miranda Richardson, Kansas City
10. Karen Black, Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmie Dean, Jimmie Dean
11. Susannah York, Images
12. Jack Lemmon, Short Cuts
13. George Segal, California Split
14. Julianne Moore, Short Cuts
15. Sissy Spacek, 3 Women

(Cheating a bit!)

OH YES.  Now this is a thread where I feel like I need to chime in and show them how it's done.




1. Sandy Dennis - Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

By far.  Sandy Dennis is a goddess, this movie cemented her as one of my favorites.  She has one of the most beautiful gazes.   Too bad 1982 is the best Lead Actress year of all time, and she's merely #3 in that lineup, yet Top 10 of all time.  My #7 in that Lineup could be my winner...... just jawdroppingly gorgeous.




2. Shelley Duvall - 3 Women

Her breakout.  Lived up to expectations.  Previously her filmography consisted solely of small Altman roles and a brief cameo in Annie Hall.  Her first lead role that Altman gave her, and she knocked it out.  Good job, on her.   Altman is a good actor's trainer.



3. Karen Black - Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

As brilliant.  The complimentary image to Sandy Dennis.



4. Emily Watson - Gosford Park

Love Emily.  This is trademark Emily Watson.  Biting, comedic, upper-lipped, condescending.   She shows here she's worthy of the sizzling praise she got in the 90s.



5. Maggie Smith - Gosford Park

I've always imparted sycophantic praise for Maggie Smith.  Here she proves the thespian we've grown and loved all this time.  Hilarious.




6.  Sam Shepard - Fool for Love

Underrated guy.  The only dude on my list.   I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here, for being the only guy... I'll rank him higher than I would've otherwise.


7. Cher - Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean 

Well, she walked onto a set destined for thespian greatness, so she had an advantage.... but still doesn't take away from the fact that she glowed.  That glowingly beautiful movie captured my heart in the first 10 minutes, and the actors were the sight to see.  I think she became mostly a star after this movie, but you can see which movie brought her out.... clearly this one.


8. Sissy Spacek - 3 Women

Good stuff, very good lineup Supporting Actress 1977.  She was strong, and she had that intrinsically introverted aspect that fits well here.


9. Kim Basinger - Fool for Love

Well..... The Natural was her star breaking role, and rightfully so, but this was a good sophomore role for her.  Country gal is probably her thing.


10. Sandy Dennis - That Cold Day in the Park

Good Sandy Dennis performance... once again.  This time she played more of a average girl/average librarian dealing with her simple feelings.  A outlier of her usual heightened thespian roles that she does.



(snubbed Beatty, York, Christie, and a few others.  But enough said here on this topic.)