A twenty favorite actress meme, the brain-child of Nathaniel R., in the order they came to me.
Juliette Binoche
Naomi Watts
Natalie Wood
Maggie Cheung
Katherine Hepburn
Kate Winslet
Setsuko Hara
Zhang Ziyi
Faye Wong
Gong Li
Claudette Colbert
Maria de Medeiros
Rachel Weisz
Ingrid Bergman
Liv Ullmann
Michelle Pfeiffer
Faye Dunaway
Catherine Deneuve
Claudia Cardinale
Giulietta Masina
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Uh… I thought this was 20 favorite “actresses”, not PIN-UPs!
Oh, I’m just joshing with ya! Settle down!
You mean . . . it wasn’t “20 favorite actresses that make me do things only Jimmy Carter would admit to?”
God, I’ll make a brand new list right now.
Hi! Rick,
What a nice list of 20….actresses that you have compiled here…especially, “The Great Kate….actress Katherine Hepburn and actress Faye Dunaway, whom would go on to portray “Mommy Dearest to perfection!
Giulietta Masina,Claudia Cardinale, Catherine Deneuve, Michelle Pfeiffer, Liv Ullmann, Ingrid Bergman of (Casablanca, Gaslight, Intermezzo and For Whom the Bell Toll fame,etc,etc, etc…) Rachel Weisz,(I must admit that I have to thank, Dean as in Treadway, for introducing me to her work on film. Especially, in a film called The Fountain) Claudette Colbert, (and her wonderful turn in “It Happen One Night”…) Kate Winslet, (Titanic) Natalie Wood (Splendor in the Grass) Naomi Watts, Juliette Binoche,(Chocolat).
Rick, I truly “hate” to admit this, but I am not familiar with the Asian actresses that you have listed here on your list yet!…
dcd
dcd, may I recommend films from the Asian actresses I mentioned?
Zhang Ziyi: House of Flying Daggers (Zhang Yimou)
Faye Wong: Chunking Express (Wong Kar-Wai)
Gong Li : Raise the Red Lantern (Zhang Yimou)
Setsuko Hara: Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu)
Maggie Cheung: In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-Wai)
This is a meme tag I’ll accept because I didn’t do the last one and I like Nathaniel so much. Later this week I’ll put it up. Thanks.
I’ll probably do this one, too, and one thing about it – Katharine Hepburn will NOT be on it. I like and agree with Dorothy Parker’s assessment of her, “She spanned the emotions from A to B.” It will also not be a pin-up post. Michelle Pfeiffer? Really, Rick…
I actually knew 4 of the five Asian actresses (didn’t know Faye Wong).
Jonathan, you’re welcome. Given your scanning abilities, I’m looking forward to it.
But I’m hurt that you’re not doing it because you like ME so much …
Marilyn,
Nathaniel doesn’t define what he means by “all-time actress love,” and I’ve had a crush on Pfeiffer since I was a kid.
So she’s not the greatest actress. So Hepburn’s not either, but look at the planes of that face.
So sue me.
Tbe Asian actresses are not the more obscure (to us Americans) Thai actresses like on Peter Nellhaus’ site (great list, by the way). They’re all major stars, or have been that way.
I love Faye Wong. Check out Chungking Express (especially) but also 2046
I hate Hepburn’s face, her voice, pretty much everything about her. She’s one of those horsy WASPs that get on my nerves.
And point taken. If you’ve got a thing for these women (and yes, they are very attractive), that’s a good enough reason to put them on.
Marilyn’s a self-hating WASP.
I’ll try to lay off the Sexy Lady pictures when I do mine, but there will be some overlap between our lists, Rick.
Marilyn is full of hate.
Rick-
This is by far the hottest post you’ve ever had. Keep up the good work!
That’s self-hating JAP.
Wait! I don’t hate myself… This is a Gaslight thing, isn’t it?
A Gaslight thing? Marilyn, that’s not even a word! You’re not losing your mind…are you??
JAP? = Jewish Agnostic Protestant?
Cuz if you meant “Japanese” then I think I’m in love. (Though, I favor Korean women, Asians of all kind are magnificent)
Fox, I’m sure Asians of all kind are very happy to hear that.
I’ll be the Joseph Cotten character that believes Marilyn is telling the truth and come in just before you guys drive her insane for good.
I’m full of love by the way. I love everyone. I love flowers and trees and all the little fishies in the sea. And I love you too Rick. Everyone now: Awwwwwww.
And I like Hepburn. But I must be honest, I can’t stand most of her performances in the thirties. By the forties she was becoming a little more natural with it. And even though I do like Hepburn as an actress, more than apparently Rick and way more than Marilyn, I am with Marilyn in that as a person Hepburn has always bugged me. I read that “Kate and Me” book and saw her interview with Dick Cavitt and her opinions are so utterly baseless it’s clear they are coming from someone who was never challenged by anyone. And that bugs the shit out of me. Also, in the book she talks about her early morning swims in frigidly cold water and talks about how it’s important for people to suffer and I thought, “Screw you! You don’t know the first damn thing about suffering. While you’re swimming in your frigid lake by your Cape Cod house there are children in every major city and town in America living in poverty and subsisting off of government cheese. ” Man that passage in the book pissed me off.
And I think Rick has done a wonderful service for humankind with this post, and that Marilyn is a doody-head.
Dude, Asians love me. In fact, I’m a cultural chameleon. I can ease into in social clas/racial circles and fit right in.
TRUE STORY: When I worked at Dell, I was talking with a black female customer, and she said to me, “I mean, you know what it’s like, cuz you’re a brother.” I was flattered, but told her I was just a whitey. But see, my ability to blend in so well made her think I was just any other African-American you’d see on the street on an average day.
… you’ll never know who I am, and you’ll never know when I might be right next to you …
That should be “are you that weird guy” – Stupid wordpress doesn’t let you delete comments – Rip off!
Yes, Jonathan, it DOES allow me to delete and edit and do any thing I damn well please with my comments!!!
(it’s deleted)
JAP stands for Just About Perfect. Which I am.
BTW… is Maria de Medeiros that girl who les’d up with Uma Thurman in Henry & June? That’s a softcore classic.
Marilyn:
While I’ll concede Pfeiffer and even Hepburn, most of the others on my list are pretty fine actresses. And they have the fine, undeniably extra bonus, of being hot.
As my mama always told me, talent is important, but talent and hotness . . . what can it hurt? You can have ugly women with talent, or hot women with talent. Which would you prefer? (my mama was a little, er, strange . . .)
And by the way, Marilyn, did you notice that Fox called you a PROTESTANT???
Joe, how the HELL am I going to keep my hard-earned reputation of being a SDC (Serious Discerning Cinephile) while all around me judge things on such a base level? I am surrounded by Philistines.
I’ll try to lay off the Sexy Lady pictures when I do mine, but there will be some overlap between our lists, Rick.
Bill, as one SDC to another, I look forward to your discerning, high-minded, serious post where the qualities of the women in question as actors are carefully weighed in making their choice.
Marilyn is “practically perfect in every way” (ppiew, of course). Just like Mary Poppins.
And she’s a self-hating Jewish American Princess. Come in from the cold! Embrace your cultural heritage! Either the Jewish part or the American part or both!!
Fox, if I were an Asian woman — hell, even an Asian man — I would be very, very afraid.
And, you’re liable to set White-Black relations in this country back decades with that story . . . trying to pass for black like that.
Fox said BTW… is Maria de Medeiros that girl who les’d up with Uma Thurman in Henry & June? That’s a softcore classic.
Yes. Yes she is. And yes, yes it is . . . but it’s a softcore classic with a message
Rick – Do I have to? Labels are so … easy to tear off your clothes.
Test, test. Hey this works. It’s JAP, too.
Marilyn, No of course not . . . that’s what makes America so great . . . you can be nothing if you want, or everything . . . and a humble boy from Wichita can rule a great blog, and put up pin-ups in his posts if he wants.
Thus ends the patriotic moment of our program
Did you notice the comment editing thing I put in just for Jonathan? Although WordPress has comment editing for the owner built in, now you, the comment-leaver, can edit your own comments.
Is WordPress great or what?
Leave another comment, Lapper, I dare ya’.
“but it’s a softcore classic with a message“
To be honest, I don’t even remember what it was about. I just FF’d to the sex scenes. I never knew Henry Ford was so naughty!
And, you’re liable to set White-Black relations in this country back decades with that story . . . trying to pass for black like that.
But I can’t help it! Whenever I’m around a different culture or different group of friends my shell just changes to fit in. I’m a walking melting pot of multi-culti tolerance and assimilation.
Fox, you sound like one of them changeling thingies, or maybe a Terminator. Are you a Terminator?
You deleted the wrong comment. I would have deleted the second and inserted the word “you” in the first. But then I know what I’m doing. In other words, had I had the power to delete, I would have deleted the first and re-typed it with the missing word. Since I did not I merely updated it in the next comment. By deleting the first and leaving the update which makes no sense without the first you have publicly embarrassed yourself.
[Jonathan shakes head and rolls eyes, then mumbles, "Poor Rick. He probably thought he was being clever. I should finish this with something nice to make him feel better."]
Great post! Great blog you have here!
Aha! That’s where you’re wrong! I don’t have a great post or a great blog or a . . .
(Oh, wrong part . . . uh, here it is . . .)
“I thought the FIRST comment was the bad one! NONE of it makes any sense!”
Oh, SNAP!
I’m humbled.
Wow, I can’t keep up wih you guys! (Unfortunately, I’ve been off in meetings all afternoon.)
Fun meme, can’t wait to post my list. And then, I think we need a 20 Favorite ACTOR meme so I can post pics of all the ones I think are hot! (and talented too, of course.)
Jonathan, you’re dealing with the mister . . . uh, master.
Do it, Pat, the favorite actor meme. Then Fox can make crude gay jokes.
I enjoyed seeing your list of favorite actresses, Rick and we even share a couple in common. Even though I didn’t put Giulietta Masina, Giulietta Masina, Ingrid Bergman and Maggie Cheung on my own list, I really like them all as well as the fabulous Katherine Hepburn!
I don’t know what’s wrong with Marilyn or Jonathan (sticks my tongue out at them both
) because not only is she one of my favorites and would easily appear on a Top 30 list if I put one together, but I also prefer her early films. My favorite Hepburn films were all made before 1941 (Christopher Strong, Sylvia Scarlett, Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story ). Her gender-bending early roles are just too wonderful for words. She also looks like David Bowie in drag to me and I love David Bowie. I think she’s gorgeous.
O! Great Mister, I have put up my list. If you deign to read it, it is here.
Kimberly. I think Hepburn is very good in The Philadelphia Story and, especially, Bringing Up Baby. Her chemistry with Cary Grant in the latter is fabulous. David Bowie just wishes he looked as good as Kate in drag.
Jonathan and Marilyn are doody-heads.
Jonathan, I shall go there anon. Never mind that last comment to Kimberly.
Beautiful pics… That make me really want to add some of my favourites in the list, just for the sake of posting a few more gorgeous photos; but I’ll leave that for some other day…
Jonathan and Marilyn are doody-heads.
Agreed! (sticks my tounge out at them again
) I did want to add that I find it funny that anyone would call you out for posting “glamour” photos. We are talking about the fantasy world of movies right?
My own blog is full of glamour shots of lovely ladies ( by it’s very nature glamour photography can make a toad look like a princess) but I love those photos! Due to my love for fantasy films and art films I rarely watch a film expecting to see “real life” represented on screen and many of my favorite actresses embody a sort of other-worldness. I don’t judge a woman by her appearance, but I’m not afraid to say I love looking at beautiful people – women AND men – on screen.
Kimberly, those are my thoughts as well. I try not to judge anybody on their appearances, though sometimes it’s hard not to in our looks-obsessed culture.
But I think my estimable fellow-bloggers were just screwing with me. After all, they are doody-heads.
I don’t know what’s wrong with Marilyn or Jonathan (sticks my tongue out at them both
) Hey, I said I liked Hepburn, the actress, not just as much the person. And she is to me, very mannered in her earlier performances but I think she’s great in almost all of her later ones.
And by the way, I couldn’t have found a glamour shot of Margaret Hamilton if I tried.
Jonathan, what you said was:
And I like Hepburn. But I must be honest, I can’t stand most of her performances in the thirties.
Which I completely and totally disagree with and that’s why I stuck my tongue out at you and agreed you were a “doody head” all in fun. As I made clear above, all my favorite Hepburn films were basically made in the ’30s.
As for Margaret Hamilton glamour photography, well maybe, but I’ve come across glamour shots of some unlikely candidates before. If I come across one I’ll be sure to send it to you!
I’d like to see that, a glamour shot of Margaret Hamilton. Which old witch? The wicked witch.
Rick, I think this thread deserves a prize. Especially considering that it’s close to the end of the year.
It made me laugh my ass off several times over. All I can say is, y’all must love each other a great deal. That’s always wonderful. But it was sensationally entertaining to peruse.
I know a few of these lovely individuals slightly. Some not at all. Fox vists my site now and then. Who knew that Marilyn – besides her formidable intellect – had such a thoroughly wicked wit?
NOT I.
I had actually seen this meme around. Didn’t know that it originated with Nathaniel. Though that actually does makes sense. He does champion female actors passionately at his site. I think it’s fabulous. As a group, (well known or not) we need all the help we can get.
Rick, I think your list is bloody impressive. There are quite a number of women on there who would’ve just missed my Top 20. We’re even on the same page (precisely) regarding a few.
For the record, I do agree wholeheartedly with Kimberly. I’m a straight girl and a committed feminist. But I have a full on adoration of glamour and fashion. I don’t feel that there’s anything inherently wrong with admiring another person’s beauty in the abstract sense – whether there’s a physical attraction or not.
Besides, it makes up for all the times I’ve posted pics of Daniel Craig with his shirt off.
Now, if only someone would tag me for this meme.
Hmmmm….
Miranda, thanks, we do indeed have a core group of crazed film-lovers. They often hang out over at Lapper’s place, cinemastyles.blogspot.com. He often has the most entertaining comment streams around.
And consider yourself tagged — with your predilection for glamor and etc, I don’t know why you haven’t been already!