Retirement of Daniel Day-Lewis: World’s best actor bows out

WALTER Matthau, Peter Finch, Gary Oldman, and John Malkovich. 

Each one, undoubtedly, a fine actor but hardly of the calibre of Daniel Day-Lewis even though they are above him on the list of greatest ever movie actors compiled by the American Film Institute. The AFI puts Day-Lewis at 70 in its Official 100 Greatest Actors Of All Time list.

Perhaps the difference is between “greatest” — ie, most celebrated and notable — and “best”. Daniel Day-Lewis has to be regarded as one of the best actors of all time.