Mussolini to Spider-Man: Lily Tomlin’s 10 best films – ranked!

As the comedy icon turns 86, we count down her best movie roles including Robert Altman collaborations, a musical duo with Meryl Streep and the start of a 45-year double act

To make a list of Lily Tomlin’s best performances, you run the risk of simply listing a bunch of Robert Altman films (they made four together; in The Player she just has a cameo). In the sprawling Short Cuts, even though she has a pivotal role – as the waitress involved in the accident from which the whole film hangs – Tomlin’s good-natured, moral performance has a habit of getting lost in the din of actors seeking to make their mark, only really coming to the fore after a few rewatches.