Three actors missing from the list that immediately comes to mind are Jack Lemmon, Walther Matthau and Shirley MacLaine. Superb actors each one of them and simply fantastic when paired together.
Kate Winslet? Surely you jest.
About the discussion on DeNiro and Pacino and the fact that some of you feel they need to be leading the pack:
--> I disagree: DeNiro and Pacino are very similar character actors and have dominated the roles that they undertake. They have appeared in unforgettable movies.
However, I rate actors such as Laurence Olivier, Sir John Geilgud and Sir Alec Guiness above these two. Why?
Couple reasons: a) I think when one is watching a DeNiro performance, we are seeing DeNiro and not the character he is playing --> meaning say DeNiro were to act as Napolean, in the end we would see him as DeNiro and not Napolean. This is because they dont really meld into the role - they act as themselves virtually all the time. Contrast this to Sir Laurence Olivier - that guy is a chameleon and he literally breathes the role - we feel certain that we are watching Napolean and not Olivier
b) Breadth of characters played - compared to the other three actors that I mentioned, these two havent played that wide a variety of roles. c) Subtlety - I doubt the Niro and Pacino can pull this off in a role - they do so well when they are burning with rage and passion.
You really need to see their movies first before blasting me for blasphemy.
I think DeNiro, Nicholson and Pacino are certainly deserving a top 10 spot but not #1.