8. Henry Fonda - The Lady Eve
Henry Fonda was known and loved by audiences for his portrayals of the ideal everyman. While Jimmy Stewart was bumbling, Fonda was the strong type who stood up for his ideals, from Juror #8 in 12 Angry Men to Tom Joad in Grapes of Wrath. That is why when he took on the role of Charles Pike in Preston Sturgess The Lady Eve, his subversion of his onscreen persona provided more laughs. He is able to subvert his persona by playing a man who falls head over heels to the con artist, femme fatale played by Barbara Stanwyck. What is extraordinary is the physicality of the performance for Henry Fonda. Once again, he had no previous comedic background and does not come from the vaudevillian stage like some of the great slapstick comedians. Each time he falls, thanks to Preston Sturgess unique sense of humor, it represents the fall of man by the hands of the woman thus the title of the film. His performance is usually outshined by the one Stanwyck gives, but he gives his role the conviction and sympathy it needs for a tale about two bad people. You never want anything bad to happen to Henry Fonda.