6. Peter Finch - Network
Perhaps the most famous part of Sidney Lumet's 70's masterpiece, Network, is Peter Finch's performance as raving TV anchor, Howard Beale. His superbly ranting performance earned him an Oscar, though he sadly died shortly after filming on the picture was completed. Even those that haven't seen Network would probably recognise Beale's iconic rant and his roaring of "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" as it is one of the finest scenes in cinema and long ago entered the pop culture pantheon. Finch's performance is pure fire and genuinely worthy of the word 'powerhouse'. It's not just a wonderfully over-the-top performance, it's a great acting performance and tonally perfect for Lumet's masterpiece. Nobody quite rants and raves quite like Peter Finch.