by Sam Juliano
So here we go with the lovely ladies. The task was again as challenging as ever, and I widened the horizons with a final round-up of the 68 performances by an actress-in-a-leading role that I rate above all others. The scroll goes from the silent era to 2010, and unlike the Best Actor listing there are several women who appear twice here: Hideko Takamine, Vivien Leigh, Katherine Hepburn, Lillian Gish, Bette Davis, Harriet Andersson and Judy Garland. As was the case with the actors, this list is not presented in any particular order, meaning essentially the last ten listed are as great as the first ten. Sure everyone will find some important names missing, but this is what I came up with during my Sunday research. All visitors are encouraged to come up with their own choices.

Renee Falconetti in Dreyer's "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928; France)
- Gloria Swanson in Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard” (1950)
- Vivien Leigh in “Gone With the Wind” (1939)
- Lili Darvas in Karoly Makk’s “Love” (1971, Hungary)
- Harriet Andersson in Bergman’s “Cries and Whispers” (1972; Sweden)
- Maggie Smith in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” (1969. UK)