The 1960s was a time of social upheaval: Rock n' Roll, Beatlemania, mini skirts, the sexual revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, the assassination of two Kennedy's and Dr. Martin Luther King, riots, the space race, the list goes on. Old values were being tossed aside and a frenzied atmosphere took over.
In Hollywood too, the old movie stars, products of the studio system, were dying and retiring, and new young stars were taking their place. Movies became even more frank on certain issues. Foreign films and TV Movies became more prominent. A "New Hollywood" came into existence.
Just by looking at the films on my list, I can see a marked difference. About half of the movies I chose for my top ten are appropriate for family viewing. The rest are for a more mature audience (not to say they are "bad," just not appropriate for kids). That being said, as seems to be the trend in my lists, they are mostly comedies with a little drama and suspense mixed in.
1960s:
1. The Bellboy (1960) - Jerry Lewis
2. The Hustler (1961) - Paul Newman & Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Jackie Gleason
3. The Pink Panther (1963) - Peter Sellers, David Niven, Capucine, Robert Wagner
4. Sunday in New York (1963) - Jane Fonda & Rod Taylor, Cliff Robertson
5. Donovan's Reef (1963) - John Wayne, Lee Marvin
6. Lilies of the Field (1963) - Sidney Poitier
7. Cat Ballou (1965) - Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan
8. The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1965) - Rex Harrison, George C. Scott, Shirley MacLaine, Ingrid Bergman, Omar Shariff
9. That Darn Cat! (1965) - Haley Mills, Dean Jones
10. Support Your Local Sheriff (1969) - James GarnerHonorable Mentions: The Gazebo (1960), Psycho (1960), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), The War Lover (1962), McLintock (1963), 36 Hours (1963), My Fair Lady (1964), Sex and the Single Girl (1964), Help! The Beatles (1965), The Sound of Music (1965).
Tomorrow, my 1970s through the Present Top Ten Lists!
I would definitely have "Lilies of the Field" and "Support Your Local Sheriff!" on my 60s list, if I had a 60s list. It will be a pleasant way to spend Victoria Day by contemplating such a thing.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying this series of yours.
They are both family favorites :) Thanks for reading!! And have fun contemplating ;)
Deletethe 60s for me is a very mixed decade- Im very choosey when it comes to the 60s- on the one hand I love that but I didnt like this, lets say. one thing I do say is that many 60s movies I do love have john wayne in them! and it does have breakfast at tiffany's as well as charade, the apartment and psycho- so the 60s isn't so bad after all!
ReplyDeleteIt's one I didn't really like for a while either but I've discovered some pretty cool movies, usually
Deletelesser known ones.