Your father had good taste. Many in the movie business considered Burt the best American actor of his time because of his versatility to perform at a high level in so many varied roles. ELMER GANTRY was acting as good as it gets.
The two major components missing in most movies today are the current crop of main stream actors who lack both 'cool' and charisma. There's one actor who does a lot of indie movies who I think is legitimately cool and that's Michael Shannon.