With these polls it all depends on the wording. What is meant by "best remale screen actor"? It may mean the greatest performance, it may mean the most memorable, it may mean the most popular - each of these three will produce different results. In terms of greatest I think of Falconetti in Dreyer's Joan of Arc (I can't see that appearing in many polls), the most memorable is vaguer as it depends on what I remember at the time, and the most popular is the only one which appears in both of the above polls and not surprisingly Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

No Gena Rowlands?  

Mine would have to include Vivien Leigh for Gone With the Wind

So, Women like watching actresses in musicals and chick flicks, whereas Men like watching actresses performing in action, sci-fi... and chick flicks!

I would have Meryl Streep at the top of my female list and Robert de Niro and Al Pacino at the top of the male list

I thought our very own Kate made a pretty decent fist of lead role in The Reader. Didn't like her in anything else really.

linsey lohan in parent trap. at fust a fort ther were twin actresses but then sum1 told me it was the same lass so frigin hell man she was playin 2 roles in the same seen thats talent man defo the best

i agree with the men's list

chick flicks aint my thing lol

It makes a difference that the results are based on one particular performance.
If I reminisce I may have had more overall pleasure from a number of performances than I have had from just one.
For instance. I agree that Audrey Hepburn was great in Breakfast at Tiffany's and that Julie Andrews was very good in The Sound of Music. But perhaps I have more overall, long-term pleasure from say Doris Day in a whole series of musical films - none of them major but giving consistent pleasure.
Likewise film after film of Bette Davis may have pleased me more than just one from the above list.
Katherine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Deborah Kerr, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Susan Hayward, have probably given me more combined pleasure than a particular single performance.

Me too
Glad to see Julie Andrews did well

I agree with all all those Brisket...

Julia Roberts? Are they having a laugh? Yes I love Pretty Woman, but that, including anything I've seen her in since is hardly worthy of that kind of recognition. She's never believable in any characters I've seen her play. She's just like Julia Roberts reading a script. Quite deadpan. If I know there is a film coming on with her in it I know it's not gonna be an ecucation or an escapism, more like popcorn and jelly and a chance to multitask with a crossword.

Jodie Foster - The Accused. In fact Jodie Foster in a lot of things.

Agree with Sigourney Weaver.  Angela Bissett in What's Love Got to do With It. Suppose it depends on what floats your boat really.

Yea. I suppose it does Karma. I agree with you about Julia Roberts - I am surprised to see her in the list.

My heroine..



I wouldn't have chosen any of the top five, and I can't stand Pretty Woman. Someone once described it as "Top Gun for hookers". I agree - it's utter trash.

My Top 5 would have to contain the following actress/movie:


Julie Christie (Dr Zhivago)

Any actress whose name begins with 'Ju'.

June Allyson
June Haver
June Havoc (who died the other day)
Judy Holliday

Jude Law - ummm, oops..
Do big girls' blouses count?

What about Ava Gardner and Jane Russell.