>There's something there I think. It's worth exploring.

I was mulling this over during an evening stroll after posting - I think the subtlety lies in that somewhere along the way, film in Hollywood went from a dichotomy of entertainment AND art to strictly entertainment...

Moving beyond the tried-and-true position of commerce versus art, I kinda feel that if you're an artisan, part of you would still want to make a mark, an impression that outlasts you and is a defining watermark of your talent and execution...

W/ regards to Bellucci (and, yes, RB - it was a slip from typing while thinkin') - I threw her in the mix b/c of the fact that she seems to be an intelligent sort, completing (or coming very close to) her law studies before embarking on an acting career... "Tears of the Sun" is payin' the bills - "Irreversible" is not - neither is "The Apartment" whereas "Malena" straddles the line... It's not mutually exclusive and Bellucci strikes me as wanting to leave a body of work that's got greatness attached to certain performances...

Emmanuelle Beart also comes to mind - her roles haven't all been great, but "Manon of the Spring," "Un coeur en hiver," "La belle Nicoise," etc. confirm her as a viable and credible actress w/ talent who's also attractive and likely to succeed Denueve eventually as the definitive Gallic feminine icon...