What do you think are intense moments of acting? Brando, Sheen...

[sisterluke]

So many movie stars cannot act their way out of a paper bag and essentially only deliver lines. It doesn't mean they are not entertaining at the same time. I would include Glen Ford in such a list. He admitted as much when he said he never acted in his life but was always only himself on screen and this is why he liked westerns so much. He was such a good horseman in real life that the was awarded the American Rodeo Association's rare and coveted "Buckle".
On the other hand, acclaimed so-called actors were really only hams, in particular some of the most famous method "actors" such as Marlon Brando. Isn't it embarrassing to watch him pretend to be a German officer in The Young Lions (1948), in his Hollywood costume (tailored to show off his rear end), dyed hair to look the caricature Aryan, and attempting to speak with an accent. God in heaven help us!

At last! Someone who shares my low opinion of Mr Brando

[sisterluke]

I used to be impressed by the 'contender' speech in 'Waterfront' until I noticed the violin accompaniment. It would be interesting to hear Brando's delivery minus musical support.

[batman]

I think Brando's performance in The Young Lions is OK, but then, as a huge admirer of his and believing him to be the best screen actor ever, I would say that.

The 'contender' scene is a superb piece of cinema IMHO. Brando and Steiger are both superb and their performances are deserving of their place in cinema history, especially when you consider that Brando had buggered off to see his 'analyst' when the time came for Steiger to do his close ups leaving him to act with a member of the crew (or a cardboard box depending on which version of the story you believe).

[ShirlGirl]

IMO Stieger is one of the greatest and way ahead of Brando - runs rings around him.

[TomDaws]

Gene Hackman suffering heroin withdrawal in French Connection 2

[batman]

[batman]

[batman]

[Heinrich]

IMO Stieger is one of the greatest and way ahead of Brando - runs rings around him.

Most definitely.
With Brando, all that mumbling with cotton wool in his cheeks in Godfather, for example, has become a hilarious parody for comedians, as indeed has his "Hey Stella!" shouting. The thing with hams like Brando is that we all know we are looking at them trying to act. But Brando was always Brando in the same way James Dean was always himself. They manage to have cult fans among the public and movie critics alike, no different from Hollywood stars who barely ever delivered their lines.
Although offered his share of crumby parts, Rod Steiger knew how to act. Have you ever seen such a change in a man as we see in Chief of Police Bill Gillespie in this scene from In the Heat of the Night (1967)?:

[batman]

Stanley Kowalski the same as Marc Anthony, Terry Malloy the same as Sakini, Fletcher Christian the same as Emiliano Zapata? What sort of parallel universe are you inhabiting?

Brando was both a great actor and a great star who could carry a film on his own (and often did) whereas Steiger was really a supporting actor who was at his best when surrounded by other good actors, actors who, like Brando, could bring the best out of him.

Steiger was a great actor in the right role but his range was limited IMHO.

Brando surely delivered a few bad performances (Desiree, Candy et al) but over the course of their careers Steiger was much more of a ham than Brando ..... have you not seen A Fistful of Dynamite, Al Capone, Doctor Zhivago, The Illustrated Man etc .... price pieces of pork all of them!