# Who were the five most beautiful women in the history of film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827 "2005-12-22T18:02:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/1 "2005-12-22T18:02:53Z")
I’m having an e-mail discussion on this purely subjective (with one exception) topic and decided to take it to the Dope. needless to say, perhaps, but this is talking at their best (thus Charlize Theron in _Monster_ and Halle Berry in some scenes from _Queen_, for example, don’t count. My votes (in alphabetical order)- 1. Halle Berry 2. [Ava Gardner](http://www.avagardner.org/avalogo.gif) (this is the one that’s not up for debate 🆒 ) 3. [Merle Oberon](http://www.oscars.org/mhl/sc/images/oberon.jpg) 4. Charlize Theron 5. Catherine Zeta Jones Who are your picks? (You can choose somebody other than Ava, though you’ll be wrong of course.) Please link to pics of stars who may not be known by younger Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/2 "2005-12-22T18:09:48Z")
I can’t argue with your list, but you need to add a few older ones for consideration: Elizabeth Taylor Rhonda Fleming Hedy Lamarr Jean Simmons and a few of the more recent ones: Salma Hayek Sherilyn Fenn Virginia Madsen ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/3 "2005-12-22T18:13:51Z")
Lana Turner Audrey Hepburn Rita Heyworth Greer Garson Tie: Donna Reed (at her “It’s a Wonderful Life” age) and Halle Berry. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/4 "2005-12-22T18:14:35Z")
Lauren Bacall ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/5 "2005-12-22T18:17:12Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m having an e-mail discussion on this purely subjective (with one exception) topic and decided to take it to the Dope. needless to say, perhaps, but this is talking at their best (thus Charlize Theron in _Monster_ and Halle Berry in some scenes from _Queen_, for example, don’t count. > My votes (in alphabetical order)- > > 1. Halle Berry > 2. [Ava Gardner](http://www.avagardner.org/avalogo.gif) (this is the one that’s not up for debate 🆒 ) > 3. [Merle Oberon](http://www.oscars.org/mhl/sc/images/oberon.jpg) > 4. Charlize Theron > 5. Catherine Zeta Jones > > Who are your picks? (You can choose somebody other than Ava, though you’ll be wrong of course.) Please link to pics of stars who may not be known by younger Dopers. 1. Elizabeth Taylor 2. Linda Darnell 3. Ava Gardner 4. Grace Kelly 5. Maureen O’Hara VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/6 "2005-12-22T18:18:08Z")
Sophia Loren Jenna Jameson ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/7 "2005-12-22T18:20:40Z")
Audrey Hepburn Glynis Johns (_Court Jester_ era…) Vera-Ellen (_White Christmas_) Lucille Ball Cate Blanchett ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/8 "2005-12-22T18:23:42Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Audrey Hepburn > … > Cate Blanchett Gwyn Paltrow Mary Tyler Moore Jodie Foster ---
**Author:** ![roshia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6bbea6/32.png) [@roshia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roshia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/9 "2005-12-22T18:24:00Z")
Christina Ricci definitely deserves a place somewhere on that list. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/10 "2005-12-22T18:24:29Z")
1. Audrey Hepburn 2. [Grace Kelly](http://www.tempestdesigns.com/grace/) 3. Kate Winslet 4. [Olivia de Havilland](http://www.sparkleteddy.com/fanlistings/oliviadehavilland/extras.php) 5. [Vivien Leigh](http://vivien-leigh.com/) ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/11 "2005-12-22T18:26:23Z")
> [@HubZilla](#): > > Sophia Loren > Jenna Jameson I’ll have to agree about sophee. Jenna is a pretty ragged sample, imho. Let’s add uma thurman (dangerous liaisons& jennifer 8- \*\*not even \*\* for kill bill) Audrey hepburn Shirley maclaine vera miles kathryn grant (the one that married bing) ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/12 "2005-12-22T18:26:45Z")
In no particular order, Salma Hayek Ava Gardner Catherine Deneuve Grace Kelly Maureen Ohara ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/13 "2005-12-22T18:27:16Z")
Carolyn Jones Shirley Jones ---
**Author:** ![MaggietheCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@MaggietheCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaggietheCat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/14 "2005-12-22T18:27:22Z")
Greta Garbo Katharine Hepburn Bette Davis Lauren Bacall Angelina Jolie ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/15 "2005-12-22T18:28:13Z")
[Ingrid Bergman](http://www.cmgww.com/stars/bergman/about/photos/index.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/16 "2005-12-22T18:32:49Z")
Audrey Hepburn Jennifer Connelly Liv Tyler ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/17 "2005-12-22T18:33:56Z")
Audrey Hepburn Julie Christie Elizabeth Taylor [Diana Dors](http://212.84.179.117/i/Diana%20Dors.jpg) Angelina Jolie ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/18 "2005-12-22T18:34:46Z")
In no particular order: Jodie Foster Donna Reed Kate Winslet Michelle Pfeiffer Angela Basset ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/19 "2005-12-22T18:34:56Z")
Okay, reading these I now have to redo the OP to include Maureen O’Hara (I’ll bump CZJ for her- she’s even a gorgeous 80 something) and Sophia Loren (sorry Merle, another olive skinned beauty needs your seat). ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827/20 "2005-12-22T18:45:34Z")
Audrey Hepburn Sophia Lauren Michelle Pfeiffer Evelyn Nesbitt (Do still photos count? I may be wrong but I don’t think she was in any films.) Alice Krige [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-the-five-most-beautiful-women-in-the-history-of-film/336827.md?page=2)