“THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT ACTOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE CINEMA.” This review essay by Benjamin Schwarz quotes David Thompson’s entry on Cary Grant in A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF FILM: “the best and most important actor in the history of the cinema.†Based on the movies I have seen, I agree.
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I always find declarations of someone as the “best” this or that interesting. Certainly, Grant was both very prolific and very good and the type of actor that stood apart from other actors of his time. I’m in my 30’s so I came to many of these movies late, but Philadelphia Story, North by Northwest, and Bringing up Baby are all classics and still hold up today (though Philadelphia Story less so, but what a cast). I find it difficult, however, to compare Grant and his era of film to what would follow. Movies and acting have certainly evolved in the years since and actors are not as prolific today as they were in Grant’s time. I think any discussion of the best of all time has to include Brando, Nicholson, Deniro, and Hanks. I would also like to see an article comparing the careers of Grant and Stewart (who I actually slightly prefer to Grant). Stewart had quite a string of movies too with Rear Window, Vertigo, Its a Wonderful Life, Havey, and the aforementioned Philadelphia Story. Food for thought.
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