11. Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson
1951 was a highly controversial year for the Best Actress prize. The award went to Judy Holliday for her performance as an uncouth young woman in Born Yesterday. The film and her role in it have not aged well. Two parts that went overlooked, however, are still widely considered two of the best female performances in film history. Bette Davis’ performance as a scheming, aging Broadway star in All About Eve and Gloria Swanson’s sad portrayal of a silent film star in Sunset Boulevard would both have been far better choices.