10.20.09 | Ed Weiss | Staff NotesPrint this Post
What makes a good actor? In my opinion it is the ability to play many varied roles in a convincing manner. Dustin Hoffman—my favorite actor--used to be my choice for the best actor in my lifetime. He certainly had the varied roles: comedy (“The Graduate”, “Tootsie”), drama (“Kramer vs. Kramer”, “All The President’s Men”), suspense (“Marathon Man”, “Straw Dogs”), offbeat (“Midnight Cowboy”, “Rain Man”), farcical (“Hook”, “Dick Tracy”). Nominated for seven Academy Awards (winning two), Hoffman truly can be considered one of the greatest actors of our time. Problem is his later efforts leave a lot to be desired (see "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" or "Last Chance Harvey").
Tom Hanks has a similar resume when it comes to varying film roles: comedy (“Big”, “Splash”), drama (“Philadelphia”, “The Green Mile”), suspense (“The Da Vinci Code”), offbeat (“Forrest Gump”), not as much farcical unless you count the animated stuff (“Toy Story”, “Cars”). Also a winner of two Academy Awards (5 nominations) Hanks has to also be considered among the greatest actors ever. At this point, he gets my vote.
Whether it’s comedy, drama, war or voiceovers, Hanks has proven much more consistent in his acting than Hoffman through the years even though Dustin has been at it 15 or so years longer. He's also a little more choosy with his roles. Hanks' best are probably from the late ‘90s to the early 2000s with “Saving Private Ryan”, “Cast Away” and “Road to Perdition”, but two of his most recent “Charlie Wilson’s War” and the prequel to “The Da Vinci Code," “Angels and Demons”, still offered good vehicles for his ability.
Others that might get consideration for best actor, including Russell Crowe, Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington, Kevin Spacey, and Al Pacino to name a few, haven’t really embraced the breadth of different roles that both Hanks and Hoffman have. Either could be considered the best actor of our time. As great as Hoffman is, I feel that Hanks has the edge. He is simply the most muti-faceted (and consistently good) actor around.
You really made it a hard choice. I would almost have to say a "tie" between these two.
I have enjoyed both of these men's films and would be hard pressed to say who is best.
I've always been partial to Pacino but he does tend to land the same roles, especially lately with his string of edgy cop movies.. I'd have to go with Hanks out of these two, only because more of his films are on my personal list of faves..
I think Hoffman outshines Hanks by a very long way. Hanks can only hope to be as good some day.
Hoffman
It's hard to decide between these two. Saving Private Ryan was the best movie I have ever seen, however Tootsie ranks right up there. Sorry, I can make a decesion!!!
Glenda
I don't know why you don't mention the GREATEST ROBERT DE NIRO, my all time fave.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR HAS THEM ALL BEAT, JOHNNY DEPP IS NEXT,AND MY THIRD PICK IS TONY GOLDWYN, SUPRISE, SUPRISE.
If I have to choose between the ones mentioned, I'd chose HANKS, DUVALL,WASHINGTON,NICHOLSON, oh yes I don't want to forget SEAN PATRICK FLANERY. "As it is most of the movie going public go to the movies mindlessly, just to have something to do, not careing what it is, or who is in it.
And that is the truth.
Neither one of them. As movie critic for over 35 years, I select Robert de Niro.
Come on guys ... everyone knows it's Homer Simpson !!
anthony hopkins is the greatest actor of our times.
My vite goes to Gregory Peck. His career has spanned so many years and produced so many wonderful portrayals. I immediately think of Atticus Finch from "To Kill A MOckingbird" and of the hated Nazi Doctor Mengele in "The Boys From Brazil". His films are always excellent and thought provoking.
Hard to choose between, Tom HANKS,[1], Anthony Hopkins,[2],Keanu Reaves,[3]Gregory Peck.[Cape Fear, best version].Tom Hanks can turn his hand at anything and make it a success.A walk in the clouds,Keanu Reaves, is the best love story sinceThe King and I.Anthony---Hannibal,what can i say.
This question is like asking which raindrop is the best in any given rain storm. We are blessed with having a bumper crop of talented and dedicated actors. I think it really comes down to just favorites. I'd have to start with Denzel (he studies you with those intense eyes and then he slays you when he whips out that killer smile!) Johnny Depp (this guy can be an amusing pirate or a dead serious undercover cop; his range is amazing; he is a premier actor in spite of his good looks... and that's saying something!). What about Gene Hackman? (He's America's answer to Tony Hopkins and is a premier actor or the first order.) I love Anthony LaPaglia (cop or Barry "The Blade" Muldano.) Morgan Freeman (who has the unique ability to take the most mundane characters and infuse them with a commanding dignity; this is a special gift for an actor.) Let us not forget the ladies: Holly Hunter in The Piano... (the finger scene) you can't touch that (and her secretary in The Firm). Ashley Judd (beautiful, versitile, intense.) Susan Sarandon (this lady hammerers it home; love her Reggie Love.) We are so lucky to have all this talent, and so cursed to be living in an age of budget cutting reality shows!!!
Well I sit here with my mouth agape after having just returned from working opposite another one of our greatest actors. I'm so very surprised not to see him listed here after watching his work for well over four decades in a great variety of roles. I speak of none other than Donald Sutherland. Comedy("MASH","Start The Revolution Without Me"),Drama("Ordinary People","Klute"),Suspense("Don't Look Now","Eye of the Needle"),Offbeat("The Day of the Locust","Alex in Wonderland") I also have to add two of his WWII Offbeat roles. That of Vernon Pinkley in "The Dirty Dozen" and Sgt. Oddball (tank commander) in "Kelly's Heroes". He has given us many other great leading and character studies in a film list that consists of over 130 movies. C'mon folks he's one of the best.
I think Nicholson is the greatest. Not because of his diversity--he's always Jack--but because he can adapt his perosnna into any role,
You have all missed the Greatest Actor of all time....Sir Alec Guiness. He "became" the character. He blends into each role so perfectly that I am surprized, every time he pops up......in roles as varied as an Arabian Prince, a Bolshevik Policeman, a space-faring Mystic, and dozens of other roles, including females (in Kind Hearts and Coronets he plays 8 different roles. No one had or has the range and command of talent of Sir Alec.
But for someone more contemporary.....still alive, that is, I would like to put Alan Rickman on the list....he is the King of the oddly placed pause.
Robert de Niro would never get my vote. So I certainly don't agree with some of the comments.
Hanks would rank above Hoffman but Hoffman is a good
actor. I just don't like some of the films he has
made. Sir Alec Guiness was a great actor in his era,
yes, and you can't rank Hoffman and Hanks in his
category. Yes, there are categories for actors and
it is about time they stopped lumping them all together. That is ridiculous!
from yourlist i choose hanks but the greatest actor of our time was definitely Paul Newman
six of one,half dozen of the other.for suspence
hoffman,boys from brazil.is it safe?
my bad.mixed review.hoffman-marathon man
gregory peck,boys from brazil
anybody ever heard of Spencer Tracy?
Hoffman hands down. Only cause hes been around longer. Can u compare "Midnite Cowboy" 2 "Forrest Gump"? NO COMPARISON! Both great movies, its like apples 2 oranges!
I really like Tom Hanks, but it's Dustin Hoffman hands down for me.
james stewart, henry fonda, lon chaney, claude reins, best supporting and more movies than any of them john caradine
Three of the best actors ever on screen: Charles Laughton, Paul Muni, and Spencer Tracy. Hanks is no Hoffman, and Tracy could have stolen scenes from any of today's living actors.
Jack Nicholson is the best actor of his generation. Dustin Hoffman is way up there among the best; Tom Hanks is charming and a good actor.
Anybody ever hear of Donald Crisp?
Tie...they're both great actors...hard to choose
Memories dim and current actors seem a lot better than they are — especially with new digital technology to essentially act for them. Give me Charles Laughton.
Current actors: Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges tie, and Joe Don Baker is the most underrated.
To restrict myself to the living, John Cusack. There are moments in 'The thin red line' when his stillness in the face of Nick Nolte's mayhem reveal a bravery that makes me wish he might have worked with Jean-Pierre Melville. To admit the dead, Lee Marvin, Richard Boone.
I like them both, but only Hoffman is on my list of great actors. Tom is good, but Dustin's been around the block a few more times.
When you said Hoffman, I immediately thought of Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I go with Tracy, Hoffman, and Hoffman.
I really think Marlon Branflakes (er Brando) is outstanding. I also like the diversity of Burt Lancaster.
Does the name Robert DeNiro ever come to mind? He is the best living actor period !
While it is awfully tough to pick just one, my first choice is Clint Eastwood because he has been at it for so long and has deliberately sought out such a wide variety of roles and has handled nearly all of them very well. He would also be a top choice for best movie maker. After him it's Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, & Morgan Freeman. I'm considering only actors still living.
I like the old goofy Tom Hanks of The Bachelor Party and The Money Pit. As he got older, he seemed to become a SERIOUS ACTOR and lost his appeal for me. His more dramatic roles seemed too studied although he did stretch himself in some films like Philadelphia. I thought he was absolutely horrible in two horrible movies, The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons.
Hoffman reminds me of both Pacino and DeNiro, just too intense and overbearing in far too many movies. All of them were great in their early movies, but then became mannered and made bad acting decisions as they matured.
Not quite certain of what constitutes 'of our time' but it's a very subjective debate anyway. What amuses me is the general presumption that to be great, the actor must be a native English speaker and be paid $20mill. per movie. There are many actors and film industries worldwide and in terms of versatility and sheer brilliance, Hanks and Hoffmann would be well down the list. But if the discussion must be confined to such narrow criteria, I'd like to throw Brad Pitt's name into the mix. Like Johnny Depp, there is an intelligence and increasingly capable acting talent behind the looks- I think his body of work will be much respected once his career is over, much like Robert Redford. Fortunately, neither of them has squandered their talent like Brando, who remained compelling in the same way that a car crash is but who gave up trying very early in his career.
You have not defined "our time," of course, but neither Hanks nor Hoffman would be in my list of the top dozen actors of the past twenty years; probably not in the top forty or fifty, if you go for the past fifty years. They are talented performers, but certainly not great.
Neither one has ever made a movie that can touch the power of one of the performances of say an Anthony Hopkins.
No one has mentioned Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier, Peter O'Toole, Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogart, and Claude Rains. And one can't forget Marlon Brando and many of the actors previously mentioned by others. There is a difference between a great actor and a great leading man. Not always the same thing. Between only Hanks and Hoffman, I think Dustin Hoffman would get my vote.
Robert De Niro without peer!! Actors say "stay away from kids and dogs in your scenes". With this gentleman in the frame everyone around is diminished a wee bit. He took the "roll" and ate it all up ! God bless him.
Hanks tops them...he displays characters that you will fal in love with, whether good or bad...he makes you want to see the movie...he could open a movie without even showing us a trailer...his name alone makes people interested in what he does. Forres Gump was his best, but he was also great in...Splash, Big, Bachelor Party(yes, it's included), even his silly movies with Candy, Ackroid and the mutt from Turner and Hooch...he will tackle any role and make it a blockbuster performance...just ask DiCaprio, the volleyball from CastAway and Sally...Hamks is the best.
Hanks...not Hamks
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO COMPARE TALENTS, BUT IF YOU WERE SAYING DUSTIN (HOFFMAN) OR TOM (HANKS)IS THE BEST OVER ALL OTHERS, THEN I WOULD SAY IT'S OK TO MAKE THAT COMMENT, MY ANSWER IS THESE TWO ARE AMONG THE BEST, BUT NITHER ARE THE BEST.I HAVE A LIST OF WHO MY BEST ACTOR IS.