“…THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT…”

“…THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT…” I remembered the phrase “the best and most important actor in the history of the cinema” for Cary Grant because Grant is vastly underrated and because when I saw the phase, I changed my mind. I would have said De Niro for best actor until then. Rob Gallo lists Brando, Nicholson, De Niro and Hanks as other candidates. I would substitute Michael Caine for Nicholson. I think that those actors would be on most lists—but Cary Grant might not be. As for most influential, I think it has to be Brando. People think of great acting now as method acting—and Brando was as responsible as anybody for that change in thinking.