It means you take a pool of actors, look at their worst-ranked movie, and find out who’s is higher.
Everyone needs to click this link. Go slowly down the list, and remember all the delightful roles Ms. Knightley has been in, and the range of movies they represent. Then take a long look at her lowest-rated.
Susan Sarandon - 71 acting credits (a few are TV):
(5.35) - Loving Couples (1980)
(5.32) - The January Man (1989)
(5.21) - Mr. Woodcock (2007)
(5.20) - Cats & Dogs (2001)
(5.16) - Something Short of Paradise (1979)
Adolphe Menjou has 54 acting credits, and the lowest are:
(5.80) - The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown (1957)
(5.78) - Friends and Lovers (1931)
(5.78) - The Ambassador’s Daughter (1956)
(5.76) - Bundle of Joy (1956)
(5.53) - The Goldwyn Follies (1938)
Deanna Durbin - 18 film credits, nothing below 6.58.
Margaret O’Brien - 24 film credits, lowest 5.76.
StG
Were it not for “Lovesick,” which comes in at 4.9, Alec Guinness would be an excellent candidate. 64 entries, including “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” “The Lavender Hill Mob,” “The Ladykillers,” “Bridge on the River Kwai,” "Lawrence of Arabia, " “Dr. Zhivago,” etc. Oh! And then there’s “Star Wars!”
Wow! Someone had an incredible cast for this premise; I notice Stephen Fry, Rupert Grint, Paul Giamatti and Ned Beatty also managed to get roped into this one. I’ll never know how awful it really was, though.
Indecent Proposal won worst picture, worst screenplay and worst supporting actor at the Golden Raspberries that year, so it could be called a turkey.
Katherine Hepburn’s got 51 credits, the five lowest being:
(5.90) - The Iron Petticoat (1956)
(5.69) - Grace Quigley (1984)
(5.64) - Spitfire (1934)
(5.63) - Olly, Olly, Oxen Free (1978)
(5.43) - Love Affair (1994)
Meryl Streep has one complete turkey among her 55 credits:
(6.05) - Plenty (1985)
(6.02) - Before and After (1996)
(5.90) - Death Becomes Her (1992)
(5.82) - Heartburn (1986)
(4.62) - She-Devil (1989)
Cate Blanchett has 35 credits, the lowest five are:
(6.10) - The Good German (2006)
(6.03) - Thank God He Met Lizzie (1997)
(6.02) - Bangers (1999)
(6.01) - The Man Who Cried (2000)
(5.90) - Pushing Tin (1999)