among most of my friends the 'winner', (if you want to call it that), for the acting in that movie was Dreyfuss. Not for me, however... for me it was Shaw. Every so often I'll see an acting performance that will make my jaw drop.. this was definitely one of them.
Interestingly enough I just watch Shaw in a role from very early in his career... "A Man For All Seasons"... in which he played Henry VIII. I don't know if he was good in that role or not, to be honest... but he DID stand out because it was SO different than I expected from Heny VIII.
The other actors you mention, like Marvin, I also consider great actors... BUT.... I really don't think Marvin, or Hayden could have come anywhere near the 'character' Shaw was able to portray. Sometimes an actor fits perfectly into a role... talented or not, and this was one of those times, IMHO.
