Greatest performances in history

[Shaun]

We all know how magnificent Kate was. Which of her performances would make it on the list of greatest perfromances by an actress to be captured on film? I nominate Tracy Lord and Mary Tyrone.

[karina]

Well Kate was a great performer, no matter what role she was playing, but out of them all I guess I'd plump for her performance as the quintessential Jo March.

She also gave excellent character renditions of Eleanor of Acquitaine, Jane Hudson, Rose Sayer,
Violet Venable and Mary Tyrone

[Hepburner]

The major pro-lem with this question is that generally when "they" - AFI, or some other "authority" in compiling best of lists like these - compile them, they rarely include lighter films.
As an example, Adam's Rib is a brilliant performance. As are The African Queen, Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, Woman Of The Year, On Golden Pond...well, all of these and other films that I havent seen of Kate's but that you all know are in the same boat...as brilliant as these are, they wouldn't really be in the running.
I feel they are brilliant, and should be in the running. In fact, the greatest performances in history list would ultimately be the Katharine Hepburn filmography, if I had much to do with it. But the "authorities" seem not to class a performance from a comedy, or lighter movie, as high quality, as something from a drama.

Agreed? I mean generally, a comedy isnt considered challenging. Which is not really right, but it is commonly how this is viewed by some.
Kate's comedies - the above mentioned- should be on this list. But as mostly serious dramatic roles are most likely to be considered, I nominate:

- Long Day's Journey Into Night
- The Lion In Winter
- Suddenly, Last Summer

What other performances - Kate's and not Kate's - would you all class in the same league?

Vivien Leigh/Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire would probably be considered by many. At least on a thread on imdb.com they were. And I must admit ...they did give stella (pun shamefully intended) performances.
I myself would class Rita Hayworth's Gilda as being up there, but I doubt many other people would.

I dunno. This is a very interesting question. It in itself brings many other riddles into the picture.