Al's Top Rated Films: 1960–1969
IN PROGRESS: These are my favorite movies from the 1960s that I have seen so far. I haven't seen a ton since I'm an 80s baby, but I will continue to add them to the list as I watch them.
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- DirectorRobert RossenStarsPaul NewmanJackie GleasonPiper LaurieAn up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match.Classic sports drama from Robert Rossen that follows a cocky and gifted pool player named "Fast" Eddie Felson who travels across the country with his hustling partner Charlie Burns, looking to take down legendary pool master "Minnesota Fats" in a high-stakes game of billiards. Fats is accompanied by his own hustling manager, Bert Gordon, and Eddie loses the marathon big time in an overconfident cloud of drunkenness. From there on, Eddie does some serious self-evaluation, and lifts himself back up by building character this time around. Meanwhile, he also falls in love with a beautiful, self-destructive, and depressed woman named Sarah Packard, who has a great affect on him. But his goal has not changed. He is still determined to take down "Minnesota Fats" and become one of the greats, so he gets in with Fats' manager Bert Gordon, which proves to have troubling and tragic consequences. Paul Newman is just about my favorite actor, and I'd have to say this is my favorite lead performance in his long and illustrious career. Piper Laurie plays the beautiful and melancholy Sarah Packard perfectly, whom Newman shares some great chemistry with throughout the film. George C. Scott puts on one of his finest roles as the money man Bert Gordon—the hustler behind the hustler. Jackie Gleason was also excellent as Minnesota Fats. Myron McCormick, Murray Hamilton, Michael Constantine, and others has great supporting roles. The film also features a fantastic jazz soundtrack/score.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.Monumental western adventure, and the second installment in Sergio Leone's renowned "Dollars" trilogy (1964–1966). It's often hailed as the greatest western of all time, and I'd have to agree. The story is set in 1862 New Mexico during the American Civil War, and follows a cool, collected, and masterful gunslinger named Blondie (The Good), a money hungry hitman for hire named Angel Eyes (The Bad), and a greedy and deceitful outlaw named Tuco (The Ugly). Blondie and Tuco initially have a partnership where they go from town to town where Tuco is wanted as an outlaw, and finds Blondie collecting the bounty and saving Tuco from being hung just before they flee the town. It's a slippery partnership with almost zero trust, which adds more tension when they learn $200,000 in gold coins are buried in a cemetery. They each possess different information about the gold's location, which means they have to stick together to find it. Meanwhile, since the Civil War is taking place, they run into some hairy situations with Confederate and Union soldiers. Angel Eyes (The Bad) eventually learns about Blondie and Tuco's partnership, and the existence and location of the mysterious gold. The three of them meet at the cemetery, which is the start to one of the most historic showdowns in film history. This is Sergio Leone's magnum opus, and the film that perfects the Spaghetti Western genre. I've never seen a movie directed with such unique cinematography, intense detailed close-ups, and a fantastic driving score. Everything is done better than its two predecessors. And it's definitely worth watching every minute of this 3-hour long masterpiece. Highly stylized and entertaining throughout. Clint Eastwood arguably delivers his all-time best lead performance, along with Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef's amazing starring roles. Aldo Giuffrè, Luigi Pistilli, John Bartha, Antonio Casale, Antonio Casas, and others also has great supporting roles.
- DirectorStuart RosenbergStarsPaul NewmanGeorge KennedyStrother MartinA laid-back Southern man is sentenced to two years in a rural prison, but refuses to conform.Brilliantly written and directed crime drama from Stuart Rosenberg and Donn Pearce set in 1948 and follows an easygoing, stubborn, and troubled ex-Army Sergeant who's sentenced to 2 years in a rural Florida prison and chain gang after getting drunk one night and "cuttin' the heads off" parking meters. After a few scuffles with the other inmates, he starts to win friends and respect among the other prisoners with his carefree attitude and philosophy. Everything is going fine until his mother dies, and the inflexible warden feels he may try to run, which he has seen when the family of prisoners die. So he locks him up in solitary confinement, which leads him down a dark road when his insubordination and refusal to conform reaches its boiling point. Fantastic drama and some nice comedy involved. Paul Newman arguably delivers his greatest lead performance of all time. George Kennedy and Strother Martin also put on excellent performances on par with their best. Jo Van Fleet, Clifton James, J.D. Cannon, Lou Antonio, Marc Cavell, Richard Davalos, Robert Donner, Warren Finnerty, Dennis Hopper, Robert Drivas, Morgan Woodward, Luke Askew, Wayne Rogers, Harry Dean Stanton, Ralph Waite, Joy Harmon, and others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsHenry FondaCharles BronsonClaudia CardinaleA mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.Incredible western and arguably Sergio Leone's greatest film. The story is set in 1880s Texas, and opens with three gunman patiently waiting at a muted train station they took control of for obscure reasons. When a train comes by and drops off a mysterious harmonica player (nicknamed Harmonica), the air immediately turns deadly, and results in a thrilling and fatal showdown with Harmonica killing all three men. It's one of my favorite openers to any film, and the story never falters from there. We then follow three killers and a strong woman with very different ambitions throughout the picture. Harmonica wants to take his revenge against Frank, who is the ruthless leader of a gang of criminals, works with a railroad tycoon named Morton, and strives for more power and fortune. Another unrelenting bandit named Manuel 'Cheyenne' Gutiérrez is also tracking down Frank, and joins up with Harmonica to stop Frank and save a beautiful woman named Jill McBain who strives for independence. It's all set in Leone's signature slow-moving camera shots, quick editing, intense close-ups, and a chilling soundtrack that perfectly portrays one of cinema's best revenge stories. Charles Bronson delivers his all-time best lead performance, as does Jason Robards. Henry Fonda usually takes "good guy" roles, and delivers a superbly convincing role as the sleazy blood-thirsty criminal. Claudia Cardinale also delivered an excellent starring role. The grouping of all four of these performances really makes it a classic. At nearly 3 hours long, it's worth every minute. Gabriele Ferzetti, Paolo Stoppa, Woody Strode, Jack Elam, Lionel Stander, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsAnthony PerkinsJanet LeighVera MilesA Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.This is one of my all-time favorite thrillers, and much more of a horror film than any Hitchcock film that came before it. The story follows a Phoenix secretary who steals $40,000 from her real estate boss's client after she was instructed to deposit it in the bank. Embarking on a new life for herself, she goes on the run as the police start to investigate her disappearance. After getting caught in a rain storm late at night, she finds the secluded and deserted Bates Motel, where she meets the quiet, lonely, and mysterious owner and manager, Norman Bates. After hearing maniacal screams from the house on a the hill above the hotel, he explains it was his ill mother, and shares his life story with her while they eat dinner in the hotel office. But there's a much darker mystery to Norman than he's letting on. The cinematography, camera angles, and lighting were all superbly done to heighten the suspense as much as possible. Front to back Hitchcock classic. Anthony Perkins plays one of the best most thrilling of any Hitchcock characters as Norman Bates. His performance was superb. Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, and Martin Balsam also had excellent starring/supporting roles. John Gavin, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Vaughn Taylor, Frank Albertson, Patricia Hitchcock, John Anderson, Mort Mills, and others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorRobert MulliganStarsGregory PeckJohn MegnaFrank OvertonAtticus Finch, a widowed lawyer in Depression-era Alabama, defends a Black man against an undeserved rape charge, and tries to educate his young children against prejudice.Fantastic crime drama from Robert Mulligan based on the classic novel by Harper Lee. The story is set in 1932 Alabama during the Great Depression, and follows a dedicated and principled lawyer and single-father (Atticus Finch) who works hard to take care of his curious and inquisitive young children, Jem and Scout. When Atticus decides to defend a black man (Tom Robinson) accused of raping a white woman, the town erupts in racism and outrage as tensions soar during the trial of his career. Things get even more intense when an angry lynch mob wants Tom Robinson's blood, and are willing to hurt anyone protecting him to reach their goal. Excellent story, superb acting, and fantastic anti-racism messages. It's also one of the best courtroom/trial films of all time. Gregory Peck gives his greatest performance of all time as the wise Atticus Finch. Mary Badham (Scout) and Phillip Alford (Jem) had outstanding lead acting roles for being so young. Dill Harris, Frank Overton, Brock Peters, Paul Fix, Collin Wilcox Paxton, James Anderson, and Robert Duvall all had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsElizabeth TaylorRichard BurtonGeorge SegalA bitter, aging couple, with the help of alcohol, use their young houseguests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other over the course of a distressing night.Extraordinary and powerful drama from Mike Nichols about an extremely bitter old married couple who finds joy and contentment by verbally attacking each other and bringing up extremely painful memories. After a late night party and plenty of drinking, they walk home after inviting a young couple from the party over for more drinks. Once they arrive, the intensity immediately starts to set in as they use them as fuel to inflict as much pain and anguish onto each other as they can handle over one late distressing and inebriated night of drama. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton both delivered superb emotional and riveting performances. Burton in particular delivers some excellent dark comedy throughout the picture, which really made the film more entertaining. George Segal and Sandy Dennis were also both superb. It's no wonder all 4 were nominated for Oscars, with 3 of them winning. Fantastic story with beautiful cinematography and camera angles. Dramas don't get any better.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsSidney PoitierRod SteigerWarren OatesA black Philadelphia police detective is mistakenly suspected of a local murder while passing through a racially hostile Mississippi town, and after being cleared is reluctantly asked by the police chief to investigate the case.Superb crime drama/mystery from Norman Jewison that follows black Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs while he's passing through an extremely racist small Mississippi town in 1967, and is mistakenly suspected in the murder of a rich Chicago man. The confusion is cleared up after meeting the racist police chief Bill Gillespie; who reluctantly asks for his assistance in the investigation after finding out Tibbs is the number one homicide expert in his department. Tibbs makes plenty of enemies and ruffles several feathers as he investigates many extremely racist individuals, which finds Tibbs suspecting a bigoted and wealthy plantation owner named Eric Endicott. Tibbs' life is soon at risk after his confrontation with Endicott, but he refuses to leave town before the case is solved, which finds he and Gillespie working through their differences to get the job done. Not only one of the best anti-racism films ever made, but also one of the most incredible crime dramas ever made. Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger both present their most powerful and varied lead performances. One of the most legendary duos in cinema history. The story and direction was superb all around. Warren Oates, Lee Grant, Larry Gates, James Patterson, Quentin Dean, Scott Wilson, Timothy Scott, William Watson, William Schallert, Beah Richards, Peter Whitney, Kermit Murdock, Larry D. Mann, and others all had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.Excellent and unique western/biography from George Roy Hill and William Goldman that's set in Wyoming during the early 1900s, and follows outlaws Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid—the leaders of the feared Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. They make their living robbing banks and trains, and one day they rob the wrong train, which infuriates the owner enough to hire a band of 6 bounty hunters who are tasked to hunt down and kill only Butch and Sundance. After barely escaping the initial attack, they decide to flee to Bolivia and start a new life of crime with Sundance's lover, Etta Place. While they settle into their old ways and find comfort with life in Bolivia, the posse of 6 killers prove to be relentless in their pursuit of the trouble-making duo. Paul Newman and Robert Redford put on a couple of their very best lead performances as Butch and Sundance. Their chemistry was excellent throughout. Katharine Ross also delivered am excellent starring role. Ted Cassidy, Strother Martin, Charles Dierkop, Donnelly Rhodes, Jeff Corey, George Furth, Cloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars, Jody Gilbert, and others also has excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodLee Van CleefGian Maria VolontèTwo bounty hunters with the same intentions team up to track down a gang of outlaws led by a psychotic Mexican bandit, who is plotting an audacious bank robbery.Spectacular western, and the second installment in Sergio Leone's renowned "Dollars" trilogy (1964–1966). It's also a film that stands on its own as one of the best westerns of all time. The story is set in the late 1800s, and follows a drifter and gun-slinging bounty hunter named Manco who rides into the town of El Paso in search of a Mexican outlaw named El Indio. On his journey, he meets another bounty hunter named Colonel Douglas Mortimer. When the odds start to waiver, they decide to enter into a partnership to track El Indio down and split the reward money. When El Indio and his gang have their sights set on robbing the local bank in town, Manco and the Colonel are set for a deadly high-noon shoot-out. While Sergio Leone's next film "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" (1966) is clearly his magnum opus, this film is a classic in every respect. His signature style is even more heightened. The intense close-ups, quick editing, and even more improved score makes for an even more dramatic and thrilling story. Clint Eastwood delivered a fantastic lead performance once again (arguably his best in the entire trilogy). The addition of Lee Van Cleef as a lead performer really sets this one apart from its predecessor. He was awesome. Gian Maria Volontè (El Indio) also played a great villain. Marianne Koch, Sieghardt Rupp, Joseph Egger, José Calvo, Daniel Martín, and many others and excellent supporting roles.
- 19641h 35mPG8.4 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Hysterical and warped war comedy from Stanley Kubrick that follows a U.S. Air Force General after he has gone mad, and orders a nuclear bombing attack on the Soviet Union for insane reasons. He has shutdown all communication, and only he knows the code to recall the B-52 bombers that are sent on the mission. The United States President meets with his team of advisors on how to handle the catastrophe, and learns the attack could result in a "Doomsday Machine", which will wipe out every living thing on earth. The drama unfolds with hilariously clever comedy brought on by his disturbed advisors, a former Nazi and strategy expert, and their dealings with the Ambassador of the Soviet Union. This film takes an unsettling and frightening issue like nuclear war and flips it into one of the funniest satirical comedies of all time. It's scary to think how this mistake could have been made back in the 1960s. Peter Sellers delivers one of the most iconic roles of the decade playing 3 characters (Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove). George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, and Slim Pickens also had excellent lead roles. Peter Bull, Tracy Reed, Keenan Wynn, James Earl Jones, Jack Creley, Robert O'Neil, Gordon Tanner, and others also had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJames StewartJohn WayneVera MilesA senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.Fantastic western from John Ford set in the small western town Shinbone in 1910, and follows an educated lawyer named Ransom Stoddard, who's on his way into town when he's robbed and nearly killed by a ruthless local steel-whipped criminal named Liberty Valance. He decides to stay in town thanks to help from a tough cowboy named Tom Doniphon and the supportive locals, who love his ideas on education, politics, and the law. Trouble ensues when Ransom starts winning the town over with his ideas, which finds the locals turning against Liberty Valance's threats to gain power. The story can only end with one of the men lying dead in the street. One of my all-time favorite westerns. James Stewart and John Wayne were fantastic together, and both deliver a couple of their all-time best performances. Vera Miles also delivers her absolute best, as was Lee Marvin who played the gritty Liberty Valance perfectly. Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, Woody Strode, Jeanette Nolan, John Qualen, Denver Pyle, Ken Murray, Strother Martin, and Lee Van Cleef also had great roles among a great supporting cast.
- DirectorStanley KramerStarsSpencer TracyFredric MarchGene KellyBased on a real-life case in 1925; two great lawyers argue the case for, and against, a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.Excellent historical drama and biography that revolves around the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, when science teacher B.T. Cates was arrested for teaching his students Darwin's theory of evolution. Renowned defense attorney and atheist Henry Drummond is brought in to defend Cates, while former presidential candidate and famous god-fearing evangelist Matthew Harrison Brady is named prosecutor. The two are longtime opponents, and thoughtfully clash over the topics that reveal themselves in a thrilling and controversial trial. This film definitely ranks as one of my favorites in the genre of courtroom/trial dramas. Spencer Tracy and Fredric March both delivered fantastic performances, and arguably the best of their careers. They had superb interactions together throughout the film, and the dramatic ending was fantastic. Gene Kelly, Donna Anderson, Dick York, Harry Morgan, Elliott Reid, Florence Eldridge, Claude Akins, Philip Coolidge, and Norman Fell also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorStanley KramerStarsSpencer TracyBurt LancasterRichard WidmarkIn 1948, an American court in occupied Germany tries four Nazis judged for war crimes.Very powerful and historically important war drama from Stanley Kramer that follows the 1948 German trial of 4 Nazi judges that sentenced millions to sterilization or death during the rise of Hitler in World War II. The trial is led by retired American chief judge Dan Haywood, who has a discouraging and taxing challenge ahead of him. The trial is arguing whether the judges should be charged with crimes against humanity with their overall responsibility for the Holocaust, or if they were just carrying out the duties outlined by German laws; and speculates on how much information the judges may have had about the horrific sentences they delivered. Superbly written and acted throughout. Maximilian Schell, Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, and Richard Widmark all delivered superb lead performances, and arguably the best of their careers. Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, William Shatner, Werner Klemperer, Ray Teal, Torben Meyer, Edward Binns, Otto Waldis, Howard Caine, Alan Baxter, and others also had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorGuy GreenStarsSidney PoitierShelley WintersElizabeth HartmanA blind, uneducated white girl is befriended by a black man who becomes determined to help her escape her impoverished and abusive home life by introducing her to the outside world.Fantastic drama from Guy Green that follows a young, uneducated, and troubled white woman named Selina who was blinded by her abusive prostitute mother Rose-Ann when she was just 5-years-old. For 13 years, she has lived an extremely isolated life with Rose-Ann and her grandfather, and faces verbal abuse from Rose-Ann on a daily basis. One day when she's lucky enough to get out of the house and visit a local park, she is befriended by a kind-hearted black man named Gordon Ralfe. He works and lives nearby and continues to see her in the coming days to help her get around in the city. After learning about her dreadful past, he wishes to help her escape her horrific reality. Not knowing his race, Selina ends up falling in love with his kind and gentle soul she has never known before. Trouble comes into play when Rose-Ann learns about their relationship, and intently prohibits her from see him again since he is black. Elizabeth Hartman doesn't have many credits to her name, but she played the lead role absolutely perfectly. Sidney Poitier also delivers one of his greatest performances I've seen yet, with his endearing and charismatic character. Shelley Winters played the perfect, nasty and abusive mother/antagonist. Wallace Ford, Ivan Dixon, Elisabeth Fraser, John Qualen, and Renata Vanni also great supporting roles.
- DirectorStanley KubrickAnthony MannStarsKirk DouglasLaurence OlivierJean SimmonsThe slave Spartacus survives brutal training as a gladiator and leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman Republic, as the ambitious Crassus seeks to gain power by crushing the uprising.Absolutely epic historical drama and biopic from Stanley Kubrick set in 73 B.C. Rome, and follows the life of a Thracian man named Spartacus who was enslaved by the corrupt and violent Roman Republic. At this time, he plots his escape, and leads an uprising against the tyrannical Roman Republic after breaking free from a gladiatorial school run by Lentulus Batiatus. The revolt quickly spreads to the Italian Peninsula with thousands of slaves fighting, while many in high positions of power build armies to defeat the slaves. When Spartacus and thousands of slaves face challenges on their way to Brandisium, they're forced to face the dangers of Rome head on. Kirk Douglas arguably delivers the best, most varied and complex lead performance of his career. Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, and Tony Curtis also had excellent starring roles. Woody Strode, Nina Foch, John Ireland, Charles McGraw, Joanna Barnes, Harold J. Stone, John Dall, Herbert Lom, Nick Dennis, John Hoyt, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.Epic adventure-filled biography from David Lean set during World War I in 1916, and follows a young, educated, highly eccentric, idealistic, inexperienced, and impassioned British Army lieutenant named T. E. Lawrence. He is sent to the Arabian deserts to meet with Prince Faisal to understand his feeling regarding his revolt against the Turks. British liaison Colonel Brighton advises Prince Faisal retreat after a bloody battle killed many of his men with guns and modern explosives they don't have access to. But Lawrence pitches the idea of taking control of the Turk-led Aqaba in a surprise attack with the help of the Howeitat tribe led by Auda Abu Tayi. When they are victorious and have control Aqaba, Lawrence is pronounced a hero to the Arabs, and is also praised by the British Army for his work. However, the killing and blood on his hands has driven him to a mentally unstable state as he continues to lead the Arab people to more bloodshed. Extraordinary story, with gorgeous production, a beautiful score, and superb acting from the entire cast. Peter O'Toole arguably delivers his greatest lead performance of all time as T. E. Lawrence. Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, and Omar Sharif also had fantastic starring roles. José Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Wolfit, Michel Ray, John Dimech, I.S. Johar, Gamil Ratib, Zia Mohyeddin, and many others also had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorRobert AldrichStarsBette DavisJoan CrawfordVictor BuonoA former child star torments her paraplegic sister in their decaying Hollywood mansion.Fantastic and horrifying drama/thriller from Robert Aldrich that starts in 1917 with 9-year-old Baby Jane Hudson becoming a spoiled vaudevillian child star, while her jealous 11-year-old sister Blanche Hudson is pushed to the side. By 1935, Blanche has become the better, more famous, and beloved actress, with the washed up Baby Jane getting sympathy acting roles thanks to Blanche. In 1962, Blanche is left crippled and wheelchair-bound after an "accident" involving Jane, and now lives an a rotting mansion with Jane, who is now an alcoholic, and has extreme mental struggles. Jane has complete control over her paralyzed sister who has no contact with the outside world, and tensions turn horrifying when Jane's jealous viciousness becomes more ruthless as she goes slowly goes insane. Fantastic story with a great twist at the end. Bette Davis delivered a complex and terrifying lead performance. And even though she and Joan Crawford were known to quarrel in real life, Joan also delivered arguably her best lead performance. They are arguably the best roles from both actresses. Marjorie Bennett, Victor Buono, Maidie Norman, Julie Allred, Anne Barton, and others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJames CagneyHorst BuchholzPamela TiffinIn West Berlin during the Cold War, a Coca-Cola executive is given the task of taking care of his boss' socialite daughter.Brilliantly done comedy from Billy Wilder that's set in West Berlin during the Cold War in 1961, and follows an oddly placed Coca-Cola executive named C.R. "Mac" MacNamara, who's given the comical task of taking care of his boss' 17-year-old spoiled high-society daughter, Scarlett. Macis working on a trade agreement to get Coca-Cola into the Russian market, and wants to move up the corporate ladder any way he can, and Scarlett's short stay runs longer when she marries an East German Communist and then becomes pregnant, he scrambles for ideas to dissolve the situation and save his career before before his boss returns. Superbly written and acted with an an explosive ending sequence. James Cagney delivers one of his all time best performances, and quite possibly belting out the most dialogue I've ever heard from an actor in a single film. Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin, Arlene Francis, Liselotte Pulver, Arlene Francis, Howard St. John, Hanns Lothar, Leon Askin, Ralf Wolter, Karl Lieffen, and Peter Capell were all great among the supporting cast.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineFred MacMurrayA Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.Excellent comedy drama/romance from Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond that follows a determined and hard-working Manhattan bookkeeper named C.C. Baxter who has been working at a giant life insurance company for 4 years, and is one of 32,000 employees that work in their Manhattan office. Aside from his quality hard work, he tries to move up the corporate ladder by letting his superiors use his apartment to secretly meet women other than their wives. When the big boss finds out what he's doing, he wants to get in on the apartment rotation, and gives Baxter a promotion. It ends up causing an issue for his other superiors who expect to have a steady schedule using his apartment, and causes more personal problems for him when he finally gets the chance to pursue a relationship with the beautiful elevator operator from work, Fran Kubelik. Superbly written and acted throughout with a lot of laughs and some very heavy drama. Definitely my favorite roles to date from both Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Fred MacMurray, Jack Kruschen, Ray Walston, David Lewis, Edie Adams, Hope Holiday, Joan Shawlee, Naomi Stevens, Joyce Jameson, Willard Waterman, and David White were also great among the supporting cast.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsDustin HoffmanAnne BancroftKatharine RossA disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter.Excellent comedy/drama/romance from Mike Nichols that follows a troubled and directionless young man named Ben Braddock who returns to his California home after graduating college. He immediately feels extreme pressure from his parents, relatives, and friends on the subject of what he's going to do with the rest of his life. His beautiful married neighbor Mrs. Robinson takes a liking to him, and aggressively seduces him into a secretive sexual relationship that heightens his anxiety even more. One day Mrs. Robinson tells Ben that her daughter Elaine is returning from college, and warns him not to get involved with her. After Mrs. Robinson's unsuspecting husband sets up a date with Elaine and Ben, a strange love blossoms between the two, which causes intense turmoil and subsequent disaster between Ben, Mrs. Robinson, her husband, and daughter. Dustin Hoffman delivers one of the greatest performances of his career. Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross had superb lead roles as well. William Daniels, Murray Hamilton, Elizabeth Wilson, Brian Avery, Buck Henry, Norman Fell, Walter Brooke, Alice Ghostley, Marion Lorne, and others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorRichard BrooksStarsRobert BlakeScott WilsonJohn ForsytheTwo ex-cons murder a family in a robbery attempt, before going on the run from the authorities. The police try to piece together the details of the murder in an attempt to track down the killers.Excellent historical crime drama/biography from Richard Brooks based on renowned author Truman Capote's classic true crime novel, "In Cold Blood" (1966). The story is set in the rural town of Holcomb, Kansas, 1959, and follows two parole-breaking ex-cons who drive 400-miles to rob the Clutter family farm home, which they suspect has a safe containing over $10,000 inside. The cool, cocky and confident Dick Hickock got the tip, and chooses his dreamy and mentally unstable friend Perry Smith to be his accomplice since he has a short-fused temper and isn't afraid to kill anyone if needed. The robbery goes horribly wrong, and they end up killing the entire family under mysterious circumstances while only walking away with $43. The rest of the film tells their story of escape and capture as they scramble to find freedom and struggle with the blood on their hands. Fantastic story all around with a great cast. Richard Brooks rightly earned his Oscar nominations for best directing and writing, while Quincy Jones' Oscar-nominated score was also fantastic. Robert Blake and Scott Wilson both delivered excellent lead performances. John Forsythe also had a great starring role. Paul Stewart, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Jeff Corey, John Gallaudet, Charles McGraw, John McLiam, Ruth Storey, Brenda Currin, Paul Hough, and many others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorStanley KramerStarsSpencer TracySidney PoitierKatharine HepburnA couple's attitudes are challenged when their daughter introduces them to her African-American fiancé.Fantastic comedy drama from Stanley Kramer that follows a young white woman named Joey who has just become engaged to a sophisticated young black doctor named John Prentice. After a vacation in Hawaii, they travel to her childhood home in San Francisco to meet her conservative parents for the first time. On top of that, Joey also invites John's parents over for dinner that night, as a surprise to John and the rest of the family. Being raised liberal, Joey is caught off guard by everyone's intolerant views on their black-and-white relationship, which proves to be a comical and dramatic challenge for all 3 couples to overcome their differences. Superbly written and acted all around. This was my first time seeing Sidney Poitier and Katharine Houghton on film, and they were both delivered fantastic lead performances. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn also deliver a couple of their best and most popular lead roles, and fit the story perfectly. Beah Richards and Roy Glenn were also excellent as John's parents. Cecil Kellaway, Isabel Sanford, Virginia Christine, Alexandra Hay, Barbara Randolph, D'Urville Martin, Tom Heaton, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodGian Maria VolontèMarianne KochA wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge.Incredibly unique action-packed western and the the first film in Sergio Leone's classic "Dollars" Spaghetti Western trilogy. The story is set in the late 1800s, and follows a wandering drifter and gunslinger named Joe that arrives in the small Mexican village of San Miguel. He quickly learns about a bitter feud between two rival families—The Baxters and the Rojos. When Joe kills 4 of murderous men in Baxter's gang, he's hired by the Rojo family to fight for them. But Joe has plans of his own, and decides to cleverly play the two families against each other for his own benefit. While Sergio Leone would go on to perfect his signature style in the next two "Dollars" films, this is incredibly exciting and unique film, and presents many of his trademarks beautifully. The extreme close-ups, the cut-heavy editing, and minimal dialogue with a fantastic driving score. He takes his time with each scene and makes them special. Plenty of the credit also goes to Clint Eastwood. He delivers an iconic lead performance that rivals a lot of his finest work. He was perfect for the role. Gian Maria Volontè also delivers a fantastic starring role as Ramón Rojo. Marianne Koch, José Calvo, Sieghardt Rupp, Joseph Egger, Antonio Prieto, Daniel Martín, and others also had very nice parts among a great supporting cast.
- DirectorDelbert MannStarsErnest BorgnineBetsy BlairEsther MinciottiA middle-aged butcher and a school teacher who have given up on the idea of love meet at a dance and fall for each other.Fantastic drama/romance from Delbert Mann set in the Bronx, New York, and follows a 34-year-old Italian-American butcher named Marty Piletti. Marty is a good, wholesome, honest, and hard-working man who's younger siblings are all married, and is hassled on a regular basis by his mother, friends, and customers that he should get married. But Marty sees himself as a fat ugly dog who's been hurt so many times that he is content to live a lonely life without the pain of rejection. One night his mother pushes him into going to the Stardust Ballroom in hopes he will meet a woman to marry. What starts off as a typical disaster turns into a magical night he will never forget, once he meets an 29-year-old woman named Clara Snyder who may be average looking, but has a beautiful personality, and shares many of the same life experiences as Marty has. Tensions come into play when Marty's skirt-chasing friends dog him into brushing her off, and his mother becomes scared of living her life alone without any purpose once Marty finally does marry. This story is so relatable and real, and unique compared to any romantic drama I've ever seen. Ernest Borgnine was absolutely perfect as Marty, and delivers his all-time best lead performance. Betsy Blair also delivers a fantastic starring role. Esther Minciotti, Augusta Ciolli, Joe Mantell, Karen Steele, Jerry Paris, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsYul BrynnerSteve McQueenCharles BronsonSeven gunfighters are hired by Mexican peasants to liberate their village from oppressive bandits.Fantastic western from John Sturges that follows a ruthless and oppressive outlaw named Calvera who terrorizes a small Mexican farming village to steal their food and supplies every year—leaving just enough for them to to survive—and killing anyone who interferes. Once they've decided they've had enough abuse, they pool together all their resources and money, and hire 7 gunfighters to fight back against Calvera and liberate their village. Great story, great acting, and great cinematography all the way through. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Horst Buchholz, Eli Wallach, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, and Brad Dexter all had superb lead performances. Jorge Martínez de Hoyos, Vladimir Sokoloff, Rosenda Monteros, Rico Alaniz, Pepe Hern, Natividad Vacío, Robert J. Wilke, Val Avery, Whit Bissell, and Bing Russell all had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsRod TaylorTippi HedrenJessica TandyA wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.Fantastic Alfred Hitchcock mystery/thriller that really elevated the horror genre. It starts as a witty romantic comedy with a beautiful and wealthy socialite named Melanie Daniels, who is pursuing a handsome lawyer named Mitch Brenner that she randomly meets in a pet store. With a little investigation work, she finds out where he is staying for the weekend, and heads out to the small town of Bodega Bay to surprise him. Shortly after their surprise meeting, the story takes a dramatic and terrifying turn, which finds unexplained attacks and killings by swarms of birds. Soon there are hundreds of thousands of blood-thirsty birds killing more victims by the hour, and it becomes seemingly impossible to escape the town alive as the number of birds continue to multiply. Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren both deliver fantastic lead performances. Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Veronica Cartwright, Ethel Griffies, Charles McGraw, Ruth McDevitt, Lonny Chapman, Joe Mantell, Malcolm Atterbury, Richard Deacon, and others have very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorGene SaksStarsJack LemmonWalter MatthauJohn FiedlerA New Yorker newly separated from his wife moves in with his best friend, a divorced sportswriter, but their ideas of housekeeping and lifestyles are as different as night and day.Hilarious comedy from Gene Saks that follows a heart-broken New Yorker named Felix that moves in with his best friend Oscar after his wife leaves him. Felix is a conservative, reserved, and obsessive compulsive neat-freak who has trouble having any fun with his depressing situation setting in. Oscar is a divorced sportswriter who loves to drink, have fun, and meet women. As Felix's attitude starts to improve, Oscar starts heading the opposite direction when Felix starts taxing his every nerve. This would be the 2nd of 10 films Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau would be paired together in film. They are really one of the best comedy teams in the business. Superbly written with some nice drama in the mix. John Fiedler, Herb Edelman, David Sheiner, Larry Haines, Monica Evans, and Carole Shelley all had very nice supporting roles. Great soundtrack too.
- DirectorEdward DmytrykStarsGregory PeckDiane BakerWalter MatthauAn accountant suddenly suffers from amnesia. This appears related to the suicide of his boss. Now some violent thugs are out to get him. They work for a shadowy figure known simply as The Major.Fantastic mystery/thriller from Edward Dmytryk that follows a man named David Stillwell who suddenly suffers from amnesia and finds himself walking down a flight of 27 stairs to get out of a New York City office building that just lost its power. He meets a mysterious stranger named Shela on the way down who knows him well, but he has no idea who she is. When he finally gets out of the building, people are gathering around the dead body of a man Charles Stewart Calvin, who apparently committed suicide by jumping out of the window during the power outage. Other confusing events happen on his way back to his apartment, where a man named Lester is waiting to kidnap him or kill him. Before long, he finds several men who work for a mysterious boss nicknamed "The Major" that are after him, while he simultaneously works with private detective Ted Caselle and a psychiatrist to regain his memory. Excellent mystery that unravels nicely and doesn't frustrate the viewer and pays off with a great ending. One of my favorite 1960s thrillers. The score from Quincy Jones was fantastic. The cast of actors is superb, and every character delivers great performances. Gregory Peck delivers one of his all-time best lead performances. Diane Baker and Walter Matthau also had excellent starring roles. Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston, Leif Erickson, Walter Abel, George Kennedy, Robert H. Harris, Anne Seymour, House Jameson, and others also had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorDaniel PetrieStarsSidney PoitierClaudia McNeilRuby DeeA substantial insurance payment could mean either financial salvation or personal ruin for a poor black family.Excellent drama from Daniel Petrie set in a tiny apartment on the south side of Chicago in the 1950s, and follows a poor black mother named Lena that is awaiting a $10,000 life insurance check from her deceased husband's estate, and follows the drama that arises with the rest of the family about how to use the funds. The main tension comes from her son, Walter Lee. He struggles with living in such a tiny home with his wife, son, sister and mother, and strives to start his own business with the insurance money, while Lena wants to use the money to put a down payment on a house in an all-white neighborhood for the whole family to live in. Superb story and performances all around. Claudia McNeil, Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, and Diana Sands all had extremely powerful lead performances. Ivan Dixon, John Fiedler, and Steven Perry had very nice supporting parts. Important film with great messages.
- DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsBurt LancasterKarl MaldenThelma RitterA surly convicted murderer held in permanent isolation redeems himself when he becomes a renowned bird expert.Powerful crime drama and biopic from John Frankenheimer that tells the story of a short-fused convicted murderer named Robert Franklin Stroud, who spends most of his life in prison for murder at the notorious Leavenworth and Alcatraz prisons from 1912 to 1959. He spends the last 43 of those years in solitary confinement, thanks to the deceitful prison warden Harvey Shoemaker, who was the warden for most of Robert's years at both prisons. The shining light in the story is Robert's fascinating with the science of birds, and how he educates himself to the point of being a renowned expert in the field. This was the first movie I've seen starring Burt Lancaster, and he delivered an incredible lead performance, and is likely still my favorite performance of his to this day. Karl Malden and Thelma Ritter also had great starring roles, with Neville Brand, Hugh Marlowe, Edmond O'Brien, Betty Field, and Telly Savalas delivering very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsHenry FondaWalter MatthauFritz WeaverA technical malfunction sends American planes to Moscow to deliver a nuclear attack. Can all-out war be averted?Excellent and horrifying political drama/thriller from Sidney Lumet about the age of war when computers could have more complex power than humans could control. Great story about how a technical communication malfunction occurs, and sends irreversible orders to American pilots to drop nuclear bombs over Moscow. It's a much more serious, but similar scenario to Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964), which was comically released the same year. While it may have taken a hit at the box office for that reason, the movie is superbly done throughout. Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Dan O'Herlihy, and Frank Overton all had excellent lead performances. Edward Binns, Fritz Weaver, Larry Hagman, William Hansen, Russell Hardie, Russell Collins, Dom DeLuise, Sorrell Booke, Nancy Berg, Hildy Parks, Janet Ward, Dana Elcar, and others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsBurt LancasterKirk DouglasFredric MarchUnited States military leaders plot to overthrow the President because he supports a nuclear disarmament treaty and they fear a Soviet sneak attack.Excellent and thrilling political drama from John Frankenheimer set during the Cold War in 1961, and follows the United States President who signs a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union, which is an unpopular decision to many Americans that feel that the Soviets will turn on the United States. The well-liked General James Mattoon Scott takes the opposition and feels nuclear war is the answer, and fights the President on every point as he starts to become a political figure. Meanwhile, Marine Corps Col. Jiggs Casey suspects that Scott is planning to overthrow the government, as he and the President work to stop him. Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and Fredric March all delivered absolutely superb lead performances. Perhaps some of the more underrated of their careers. Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Martin Balsam, George Macready, Bart Burns, Andrew Duggan, Whit Bissell, Helen Kleeb, and Richard Anderson were also great among the supporting cast.
- DirectorTerence YoungStarsAudrey HepburnAlan ArkinRichard CrennaA recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment.Fantastic thriller from Terence Young that follows a mysterious woman who hands off a doll stuffed with heroin to an unsuspecting New York man at the airport after being spotted by assassins who are after the drugs. She plans to meet him later to get the doll back, but she is later found dead, and the man misplaces the doll. When 3 hitmen show up to his apartment looking to collect while he's away, they terrorize his blind wife while they desperately search for the doll. I'd have to say it's my favorite performance from Audrey Hepburn yet. She delivered a complex and varied lead performance throughout. Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, and Jack Weston also played a great trio of criminals—also delivering some of their very best roles. Julie Herrod was also very good as Gloria. Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Samantha Jones, and Frank O'Brien also had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorOtto PremingerStarsFranchot ToneLew AyresHenry FondaThe polarizing search for a new Secretary of State has far-reaching consequences.Excellent political drama/thriller from Otto Preminger that follows the search and election of a new Secretary of State with some deadly twists when dirt from the President's nominee Robert Leffingwell is dug up about his past affiliations with Communist organizations, as well as some lies he tells the committee. Henry Fonda may be top-billed, but a great deal of the other actors get just as much screen time. It was refreshing to see every actor playing their characters so great. Unique, powerful, and fascinating commentary throughout. Charles Laughton, Don Murray, Franchot Tone, Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lawford, Gene Tierney, and Burgess Meredith also had larger and excellent performances. Paul Ford, George Grizzard, Eddie Hodges, Inga Swenson, Edward Andrews, Betty White, and several others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorMartin RittStarsPaul NewmanFredric MarchRichard BooneJohn Russell, disdained by his "respectable" fellow stagecoach passengers because he was raised by Native Americans, becomes their only hope for survival when they are set upon by outlaws.Excellent western from Martin Ritt that follows an Apache-raised white man named John 'Hombre' Russell. After settling affairs when his dead father leaves him a house, he ends up running into a number of obstacles during a long stagecoach voyage back to the Apache land with a mixed bag of 6 different passengers after being robbed by some cold-hearted criminals. Luckily they have the help of John's Apache survival and tracking skills, which is the only thing standing between life and certain death for the other passengers. Nice story with a great ending. As far as a true western role goes, this is Paul Newman's finest performance as the Apache-raised Hombre. While he uses very few words, his performance was powerful throughout. Martin Balsam, Fredric March, Richard Boone, Diane Cilento, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Rush, Peter Lazer, Margaret Blye, Skip Ward, Frank Silvera, and David Canary also had great roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsSteve McQueenJames GarnerRichard AttenboroughAllied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.Very unique and impressively made World War II adventure/drama based on true story by Paul Brickhill from director John Sturges. Fascinating story that follows allied soldiers who devise a plan to escape from an "escape-proof" German POW camp in 1944. The plans aren't for just a few men to escape, but upwards of 200 prisoners—all darting off in different directions in attempt to throw off the Nazis when their plan is finally executed. Amazing story and also incredibly accurate in most ways from what I read. At nearly 3 hours, it's an epic film, and definitely worthy of its time. Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough all deliver superb lead performance as the top-billed stars. James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Hannes Messemer, David McCallum, Gordon Jackson, John Leyton, Angus Lennie, Nigel Stock, Robert Graf, Jud Taylor, Harry Riebauer, William Russell, and many others had great performances among an awesome star-studded cast.
- DirectorAlan RafkinStarsDon KnottsJoan StaleyLiam RedmondA timid typesetter hasn't a ghost of a chance of becoming a reporter - until he decides to solve a murder mystery and ends up spending a fright-filled night in a haunted house.Absolutely hilarious comedy mystery from Alan Rafkin, and easily Don Knotts' greatest lead film performance of all-time. Great story about a timid and shaky newspaper typesetter named Luther Heggs who jumps at the chance to spend a night in a famous haunted house to write a news story and finally become a real news reporter. The house in question is a mansion owned by it's wealthy family heir, Nick Simmons, and rumor has it, there was a vicious murder-suicide between Mr. and Mrs. Simmons 20 years earlier. Nick has mysterious reasons for wanting to demolish the house, and wants it done immediately. When Luther reports on the unbelievable things he saw the night he slept over at the house, he becomes a town hero and everybody protests the mansion must not be torn down due to spiritual reasons. But Nick Simmons wants it destroyed, and ends up suing Luther in a court of law to prove he's insane, and that the things he saw in the house were a figment of his imagination. Perfect movie to throw in around Halloween every year to lighten up the slasher flicks. Joan Staley, Philip Ober, Liam Redmond, Dick Sargent, Skip Homeier, Reta Shaw, Lurene Tuttle, Harry Hickox, Charles Lane, Jesslyn Fax, Nydia Westman, George Chandler, and many others give great performances.
- DirectorJames ClavellStarsSidney PoitierJudy GeesonChristian RobertsIdealistic engineer-trainee and his experiences in teaching a group of rambunctious white high school students from the slums of London's East End.Excellent drama from James Clavell that follows an African-American engineer-turned-teacher who accepts a position in a poor area of town at East End London high school. His class is filled with rebellious white undisciplined teenagers, and he immediately struggles with how to handle the situation. It's an inspirational story as he starts to reach these young adults, by teaching them respect, and getting involved in many of their troubled lives. This is a unique lead role for Sidney Poitier. And he delivered a superb lead performance. It's also familiar because he played the opposite role as a rebellious student in the similar classic "Blackboard Jungle" (1955). Judy Geeson, Christian Roberts, Christopher Chittell, Suzy Kendall, Adrienne Posta, Geoffrey Bayldon, Patricia Routledge, Faith Brook, Edward Burnham, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.Excellent and uniquely shot drama from John Schlesinger that follows an innocent Texas-based hustler and male prostitute named Joe Buck that hits the big city to find his way in life and make a living being a hustler. He is initially intimidated by big city life until he meets a disabled con-man and social reject named Enrico Salvatore "Ratso" Rizzo. Both men struggle equally, and Joe ends up living with Ratso in his dilapidated apartment while they team up on dubious business deals as they navigate a world that doesn't want to accept either of them. Jon Voight fits the bill perfectly, and drivers an excellent lead performance. Dustin Hoffman also delivers a complex and excellent performance as Ratso. They have great chemistry throughout the film. Sylvia Miles, Brenda Vaccaro, Barnard Hughes, Jennifer Salt, John McGiver, George Eppersen, Jonathan Kramer, Bob Balaban, Viva, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorMartin RittStarsPaul NewmanJoanne WoodwardSidney PoitierDuring the 1960s, two American expatriate jazz musicians living in Paris meet and fall in love with two American tourist girls.Excellent music drama/romance from Martin Ritt set in 1960s Paris, France; and follows American jazz musicians Ram Bowen and Eddie Cook—who meet two American girls on a 2-week vacation—and end up falling in love. This movie tackles romance beautifully, drug abuse, race issues, and facing the racism in America that many African-Americans went to Paris to escape from—which is the main debate between Eddie (Sidney Poitier) and Connie (Diahann Carroll) as they argue about going back to America together. They both had excellent performances. Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward (Ram and Lillian) were fantastic together, and had boiling chemistry. Another part that makes this movie so cool is Louis Armstrong, who costars in the film, and has a fantastic musical scene. The soundtrack from Duke Ellington was also great. Underrated film all around.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsJohn WayneRobert MitchumJames CaanCole Thornton, a gunfighter for hire, joins forces with old friend, Sheriff J.P. Hara. Together with an old Indian fighter and a gambler, they help a rancher and his family fight a rival rancher who's trying to steal their water.Fantastic western from Howard Hawks that follows a gunfighter named Cole that rides into town to work for local landowner, Bart Jason. He meets an old friend named J.P. Harrah, who has turned into a drunk, but is also the sheriff in town. When a dispute between whose family holds the area's water rights, Bart invites trouble into town to handle the dispute, and it's up to Cole and his knife and gun wielding partner Mississippi to sober up J.P. and stop Bart before things get out of hand. John Wayne and Robert Mitchum make a fantastic duo, and both delivered a couple of their best lead performances. James Caan was also an excellent supporting star. Arthur Hunnicutt, Charlene Holt, Christopher George, Edward Asner, Paul Fix, Michele Carey, R.G. Armstrong, Marina Ghane, Robert Donner, Robert Rothwell, and others also had great performances among a nice supporting cast.
- DirectorDavid MillerStarsKirk DouglasGena RowlandsWalter MatthauA fiercely independent cowboy gets himself locked up in prison to escape with an old friend.Excellent western from David Miller and Dalton Trumbo that follows a cowboy/nomad named Jack Burns who rides into a small New Mexico town to visit his old friend Paul Bondi, when he learns that Paul has been sent to prison for 2 years. Wanting to help his buddy, Jack ends up getting thrown in jail on a drunk and disorderly charge so he can break Paul out. When he arrives, he learns Paul doesn't even want to escape in fear of getting a longer sentence. So Jack ends up breaking out himself, gets back on his horse and attempts to ride to freedom with sheriff Johnson and the rest of the authorities on his tail. Kirk Douglas played his role perfectly, and I especially loved the interaction he had with his horse, Whiskey. Gena Rowlands and Walter Matthau also had great lead performances. Michael Kane, Carroll O'Connor, William Schallert, George Kennedy, Karl Swenson, Bill Raisch, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorMartin RittStarsPaul NewmanMelvyn DouglasPatricia NealHonest, hard-working Texas rancher Homer Bannon has a conflict with his unscrupulous, selfish, arrogant, egotistical son Hud, who sank into alcoholism after accidentally killing his brother in a car crash.Powerful drama from Martin Ritt that follows a unprincipled, pretentious, and troubled young man named Hud who's been alienated by his respected and hard-working father and family after falling victim to alcoholism and deep depression following a car crash and the death of his brother, which Hud was responsible for. The feud with his father keeps growing stronger and the trouble keeps brewing. It also follows Hud's nephew Lon, who has always admired Hud until he starts to see Hud for who he really is. Great story, with a great dark and dramatic ending. Paul Newman delivers one of his most emotional and riveting lead performances. It's definitely one of his finest. Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal, Brandon De Wilde, and several others were great among the supporting cast.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsJohn WayneKim DarbyGlen CampbellA drunken, hard-nosed U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger help a stubborn teenager track down her father's murderer in Indian Territory.Excellent western adventure from Henry Hathaway set in 1880 Yell County, Arkansas, and follows an angry young teenage girl named Mattie Ross who's father has just been murdered, and she's now looking for revenge against the culprits. While there are a number of men she can hire, she ends up recruiting a drunken and washed-up U.S. Marshal named Rooster Cogburn to hunt down her father's murderer in Indian territory. Along the way, a young Texas Ranger named La Boeuf joins the fight. Fantastic story with a great cast throughout. This is probably John Wayne's most iconic lead performance due to the popularity of the 2010 remake. He was fantastic throughout. Kim Darby and Glen Campbell also delivered great starring roles. Jeremy Slate, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Strother Martin, Alfred Ryder, Jeff Corey, Ron Soble, John Fiedler, John Doucette, H.W. Gim, James Westerfield, Edith Atwater, Carlos Rivas, John Pickard, and Ken Renard all had very nice roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsRichard BurtonClint EastwoodMary UreAllied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding American brigadier general George Carnaby prisoner, but that's not all that's really going on.Fantastic action-packed war adventure from Brian G. Hutton set in 1944 during World War II, and follows 7 allied special operations commandos led by British Major John Smith, who are tasked to rescue a vital American brigadier general that the Nazi's have taken as prisoner. And they must save him before he spills the beans on their plan to fight war. Among the group is a U.S. Army Ranger and ruthless assassin named Lieutenant Morris Schaffer, who is a key part of the mission, along with a few of the other men who may or may not be traitors. The general his held prisoner in a mountaintop fortress in the town of Werfen that can only be accessed by cable car, which means they have to complete their mission right under the nose of an army of Nazi officers. Fantastic story with superb action, editing, mystery, and thrills. Richard Burton delivers one of his best lead performances. Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure also had great starring roles. Donald Houston, Peter Barkworth, Robert Beatty, William Squire, Patrick Wymark, Anton Diffring, Michael Hordern, Brook Williams, Neil McCarthy, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorRobert AldrichStarsJames StewartRichard AttenboroughPeter FinchAfter an oil company plane crashes in the Sahara, the survivors are buoyed with hope by one of the passengers, an airplane designer who plans for them to build a flyable plane from the wreckage.Excellent survival adventure drama from Robert Aldrich the follows a plane that crashes in the Sahara desert. The radio is broken, leaving the survivors stranded without any means of communication. With only 10 days supply of water and huge quantity of pitted dates, a survivor and gifted airplane designer comes up with a desperate plan to build a makeshift airplane from the wreckage, with everyone riding on the wings. It seems to be a crazy idea that many of the survivors oppose, but it looks to be the only chance they have to get out alive. Excellent story with a great star-studded cast to help it shine. James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Hardy Krüger all delivered fantastic lead performances. Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy, Gabriele Tinti, and the rest of the supporting cast had nice performances.
- DirectorRalph NelsonStarsSidney PoitierLilia SkalaLisa MannA travelling handyman becomes the answer to the prayers of nuns who wish to build a chapel in the desert.Inspiring and uniquely made drama from Ralph Nelson that follows a jack-of-all-trades handyman and unemployed construction worker named Homer Smith who's traveling west when his car breaks down in the middle of the Arizona desert. He stops in at a nearby rural farm where he meets a convent of German-speaking impoverished nuns, and sees that the farm needs a lot of work. He offers to do some work in exchange for payment. When he learns they don't have money to pay them, he reluctantly keeps helping them because it's the right thing to do. After some time, the strong-willed Mother Maria and the rest of the nuns believe Homer was sent by God to build them a church they desperately need. Sidney Poitier's performance was superb, and well-deserving of the Oscar he won for best actor in a leading role. Lilia Skala, Stanley Adams, Lisa Mann, Isa Crino, Francesca Jarvis, Pamela Branch, Dan Frazer, and Ralph Nelson all had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsGregory PeckRobert MitchumPolly BergenA lawyer's family is stalked by a man he once helped put in jail.Great drama/thriller from J. Lee Thompson that follows a small-town lawyer named Sam Bowden who was responsible for sending a criminal named Max Cady to prison for rape. Max is released 8 years later, and now plans to take his vengeance on the Bowden family as he stalks Sam, his wife, and ends up targeting his 14-year-old daughter Nancy. He cleverly dances around the law in many ways at the beginning, which leads to a thrilling and dramatic conclusion. I actually saw the 199s remake of this film first, which drove me to watch the original. Both are fantastic films, with different approaches for each. Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum both deliver excellent lead performances. Polly Bergen and Lori Martin also had great starring roles. Martin Balsam, Barrie Chase, Telly Savalas, Jack Kruschen, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorRichard BrooksStarsBurt LancasterJean SimmonsArthur KennedyA fast-talking traveling salesman with a charming, loquacious manner convinces a sincere evangelist that he can be an effective preacher for her cause.Excellent and controversial drama from Richard Brooks set in mid-1920s Missouri, and follows an energetic, fast-talking, and heavy-drinking traveling salesman named Elmer Gantry who dives into the world of spiritual revivalism. He immediately takes notice to evangelist Sister Sharon Falconer and the large following she has built with her hellfire-and-damnation brand of revivalism. He sells his services to her, and becomes a key part in her traveling roadshow. Trouble comes into play when Elmer's true colors are revealed, and the show becomes so popular that they move to a permanent church, which takes a dark and troubling turn. Burt Lancaster arguably delivers his finest and most ambitious lead performance of his career. Jean Simmons also deliver a superb starring role. Arthur Kennedy, Shirley Jones, Dean Jagger, Patti Page, and Edward Andrews also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorFrank PerrySydney PollackStarsBurt LancasterJanet LandgardJanice RuleA man spends a summer day swimming as many pools as he can all over a quiet suburban town.Excellent drama from Frank Perry and Sydney Pollack set in a high-class suburb of Connecticut, and follows a mysterious man named Ned Merrill who shows up at an old friends house to take a swim after being gone for an unknown number of years. While catching up with them, he gets the crazy idea that he can "swim home" through a "river" of swimming pools owned by his wealthy acquaintances on his way back home to his wife and kids. While many of his friends greet him warmly and are happy to see him early on in his journey, that takes a sharp turn when he's greeted with anger by many. As the day moves on, it becomes very apparent that Ned has some deep-rooted psychological issues that are building up to a very unsettling and dramatic conclusion concerning his family and personal life. Very unique story that unfolds a troubling mystery over a gorgeous set of swimming pools and landscapes. Burt Lancaster has said this is his favorite performance of his career, and I'd have to say it's one of his most complex and on of his very best lead roles. Janice Rule, Janet Landgard, Tony Bickley, Kim Hunter, Rose Gregorio, Charles Drake, House Jameson, Nancy Cushman, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorStanley KramerStarsSpencer TracyMilton BerleEthel MermanA group of motorists witnesses a car crash in the California desert, and after the driver's dying words indicate the location of a hidden stash of loot, they turn against each in a race across the state to get to it.Hilarious fast-paced action-comedy adventure from Stanley Kramer that follows a group of motorists who witness a dreadful car crash in the California desert, and just before the diver dies, he utters the secret location that he stashed $350,000 from a robbery he pulled 15 years previously. The ex-con has been in prison all this time, and was racing to get his money when he accidentally drove over a cliff. Now it's a desperate race for the other motorists to get to this location to score the cash, and there are many exciting and comical incidents that happen along the way. While this movie is very long (I watched the 2hr40m theatrical cut, as opposed to the 3h30m original), it's extremely entertaining throughout and is definitely worth the time. The driving, flying, and action packed stunt scenes were amazingly done. Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Edie Adams, and Dorothy Provine all had great lead roles among a stacked supporting cast.
- DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsDuane JonesJudith O'DeaKarl HardmanA ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the Northeast of the United States.Classic zombie horror/thriller from George A. Romero that follows a group of people who barricade themselves inside a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse in attempt to survive against a flock of flesh-eating zombies that can only be killed with a blow to the head. The film is low-budget, but the story is superb and the film is way ahead of its time. Still a scary flick to this day. Judith O'Dea and Duane Jones both deliver excellent lead performances. Marilyn Eastman, Karl Hardman, Judith Ridley, and Keith Wayne also had great starring roles. Kyra Schon, Charles Craig, Russell Streiner, S. William Hinzman, George Kosana, Bill Cardille, and others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsBurt LancasterPaul ScofieldJeanne MoreauIn 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.Great war drama/thriller from John Frankenheimer set near the end of World War II in August 1944 Paris, and follows the French resistance as they attempt to stop a train full of France's greatest paintings from the likes of Picasso and other timeless artists, on it's way to Germany after being stolen by the Nazis. They must not destroy or harm the paintings, which results in a carefully formulated plan to recover them safely. Burt Lancaster delivered a great lead performance as he usually does. The same could be said for Paul Scofield's excellent role. Jeanne Moreau, Suzanne Flon, Michel Simon, Wolfgang Preiss, Albert Rémy, Charles Millot, Richard Münch, Paul Bonifas, Jean Bouchaud, and others also had nice roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorRichard BrooksStarsPaul NewmanGeraldine PageShirley KnightA drifter and a faded film star, both traumatized by Hollywood, arrive to the guy's hometown, where the old bitter memories revive again.Excellent drama from Richard Brooks and Tennessee Williams that follows an unsuccessful Hollywood drifter named Chance Wayne who returns to his hometown after trying to hit it big in movies. He's accompanied by a washed up movie star and alcoholic named Alexandra Del Lago, who likes Chance and is looking for an escape. But trouble hits when their relationship falters, and he reconnects with his former girlfriend Heavenly, and he's greeted by her vicious boyfriend and spiteful father who both hate him. Very well done film that tackles a lot of controversial issues and adult situations for the time. Paul Newman gives one of his finest lead performances. Ed Begley rightly won the Oscar for his role as the sleazy 'Boss' Finley. Geraldine Page was also superb. Shirley Knight, Rip Torn, Mildred Dunnock, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorNorman JewisonSam PeckinpahStarsSteve McQueenAnn-MargretEdward G. RobinsonAn up-and-coming poker player tries to prove himself in a high-stakes match against a long-time master of the game.Excellent drama from Norman Jewison set in 1930's New Orleans, and follows a promising young poker player named Eric Stoner (aka "The Cincinnati Kid") who tries to prove himself against a long-time expert in the game named Lancey "The Man" Howard. Trouble comes into play when Eric learns the game has been fixed in his favor, which has a variety of consequences. Steve McQueen delivered another excellent lead performance, and Edward G. Robinson delivers one his very best supporting starring roles as Lancey Howard. It's one of his best later-day roles. Karl Malden, Ann-Margret, Tuesday Weld, Joan Blondell, Rip Torn, Jack Weston, Cab Calloway, Jeff Corey, and Milton Selzer all had noteworthy supporting performances.
- DirectorStanley DonenStarsCary GrantAudrey HepburnWalter MatthauRomance and suspense ensue in Paris as a woman is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Whom can she trust?Excellent comedy mystery from Stanley Donen set in present day Paris, and follows a woman who is pursued by 4 men who are looking to recover $250,000 that was supposedly stolen by her estranged husband who was recently killed after being thrown off a train. Each man insists the money is theirs as they try to win her trust in a deadly game of cat and mouse. This film is often referred to as 'the best Alfred Hitchcock film which he didn't direct', as there are several similarities and quirks similar to a Hitchcock film. Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn both deliver excellent lead performances. Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy, Dominique Minot, Ned Glass, Jacques Marin, Paul Bonifas, Thomas Chelimsky, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorPeter GlenvilleStarsRichard BurtonPeter O'TooleJohn GielgudKing Henry II of England comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant Thomas Becket, who finds his true honor by observing God's divine will rather than the King's.Excellent historical biography from Peter Glenville set in England during the reign of King Henry II (1154-1189), and follows his close relationship with friend and servant Thomas Becket. He loves Becket like a brother, and greatly admires his intelligence, and envies him in several ways. Despite his background as a Saxon, he trusts Becket so much that he makes him Lord Chancellor. When the Catholic church blocks King Henry's desire for more power and control, he appoints Becket as the new Archbishop of Canterbury so they can build an allegiance and rule England. However, once Becket becomes Archbishop, he finds his true calling in life, and decides to devote himself to God. This causes a rift between him and King Henry, which results in battles between the two, and King Henry becomes deeply troubled over the loss of his ally and friend. Richard Burton both arguably deliver their best lead performances of their careers. Both were terrific, and had complex chemistry with one another. David Weston, Donald Wolfit, John Gielgud, Paolo Stoppa, Martita Hunt, Pamela Brown, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorPeter YatesStarsSteve McQueenJacqueline BissetRobert VaughnA nonconformist San Francisco cop is determined to find the underworld kingpin who killed the witness under his protection.Excellent crime drama/thriller from Peter Yates set in 1968, and follows a San Francisco police lieutenant named Frank Bullitt who is tasked with protecting a former Chicago mobster who's turned against his team after double-crossing them. The witness is promptly murdered along with another fellow police officer, which has Frank embarking on his own investigation to take down the relentless crime boss who's responsible. Great story with lots of thrilling action, with a great soundtrack/score. Steve McQueen delivers one of his most famous and finest lead performances as Frank Bullitt. Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Simon Oakland, Robert Duvall, Norman Fell, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorTed PostStarsClint EastwoodInger StevensPat HingleWhen an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.Excellent western from Ted Post set in Oklahoma Territory in 1889, and follows a retired lawman named Jed Cooper who's wrongly accused murdering a rancher and his wife, and stealing their heard of cattle. 9 men surround him, and quickly decide they are going to hang Jed after not believing his story of innocence. After hanging him and riding off, a local Marshal luckily shows up just in time to save Jed's life, and places him under arrest for murder and theft. He's quickly released from prison after they find the real killer, but now Jed is boiling hot with vengeance he wants to take against the 9 men who unjustly tried to kill him. Judge Adam Fenton assures him that he will be hung and killed if he takes the law into his own hands, and suggests that Jed become a Marshal and track them down and legally bring them to justice. Jed knows it's the best option he has, and reluctantly agrees. However, he isn't going to guarantee all these men will be coming back alive. Great story all around and one of Clint Eastwood's finest lead performances. Pat Hingle, Ed Begley, and Inger Stevens also had great starring roles. Bruce Dern, Ben Johnson, Arlene Golonka, L.Q. Jones, Alan Hale Jr., Joseph Sirola, Bert Freed, Russell Thorson, James Westerfield, Dennis Hopper, Charles McGraw, Michael O'Sullivan, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineLou JacobiWhen a policeman falls in love with a prostitute, he doesn't want her to see other men, so he creates an alter-ego who will be her only customer.Hilarious comedy drama/romance from Billy Wilder set in an eccentric Paris neighborhood in the 1950s, where the streets are filled with prostitutes waiting for business near the Hotel Casanova. The story follows the most popular prostitute on the street named Irma la Douce (French for "Irma the Sweet"). She's proud of her profession and plans to keep it rolling even though she works for a greedy and abusive pimp. One day she meets a clueless cop who just joined the local police force named Nestor Patou who is quickly fired for trying to do his job, since all the other policeman are corrupt and accept bribes to keep the criminals in business. Through a crazed series of events, Irma and Nestor end up falling in love and living together, but her profession has Nestor seeking crazed ideas to get her off the street so he can have her all to himself. Excellent story with a lot of clever twists and great dialogue and comedy. The production/set design was beautiful. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine both deliver a couple of their finest lead performances and had great chemistry together. Lou Jacobi, Bruce Yarnell, Hope Holiday, Grace Lee Whitney, Howard McNear, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorBlake EdwardsStarsAudrey HepburnGeorge PeppardPatricia NealA young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building, but her past threatens to get in the way.Excellent dark comedy drama/romance from Blake Edwards that follows a young woman named Holly Golightly who lives in New York City. While she's a popular and fun-loving socialite on the surface, she has a very troubling past. After leaving home at age 14 and struggling with family issues and a very early marriage, she's now content with taking advantage of extremely rich men to pay her way in life. They never say she's a prostitute, but her actions confirm it. One day she meets a handsome and interesting author named Paul Varjak who moves into her apartment. She's immediately taken with him even though he isn't rich, which sets her life into a whirlwind as she must face her past demons to move forward living a real life. Great film overall, but they really could have left Mickey Rooney's racist depiction of her Japanese neighbor out of the film completely, which will plague the film forever. Regardless, Audrey Hepburn delivers an absolutely fantastic lead performance and holds everything together beautifully. George Peppard also had a great starring role. Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, José Luis de Vilallonga, John McGiver, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorRobert AldrichStarsBette DavisOlivia de HavillandJoseph CottenAn aging, reclusive Southern belle plagued by a horrifying family secret descends into madness after the arrival of a lost relative.Thrilling crime drama/mystery from Robert Aldrich set in 1927 Louisiana, and follows an elderly, wealthy and introverted southern woman named Charlotte Hollis who has lived in her rundown family plantation since her father died 36 years ago. 37 years ago, her lover was brutally murdered in an unsolved case, in which the entire community believes that she committed the killing. When her younger cousin Miriam Deering comes to stay with her, it brings up painful memories and hits her mental state very hard. Bette Davis delivers a superb later-day emotionally disturbed character reminiscent of her role in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962). Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Cecil Kellaway, Victor Buono, Mary Astor, and Bruce Dern also had great roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorOtto PremingerStarsJohn WayneKirk DouglasPatricia NealA Naval officer, reprimanded after Pearl Harbor, is later promoted to Rear Admiral and gets a second chance to prove himself against the Japanese.Excellent war drama from Otto Preminger that is set on December 7th, 1941, during and after the horrific bombing of Pearl Harbor. The story follows Captain Rockwell 'Rock' Torrey and Commander Paul Eddington who are tasked to respond to Japan's attacks against on Pearl Harbor, and also dives into their personal lives and relationships which add more drama to the mix. Very nice story with some great action involved. John Wayne seemed right at home playing the admiral. He delivered a great lead performance. Kirk Douglas also had an excellent starring performance, with a couple of particularly gripping scenes. Patricia Neal was also excellent as Maggie. Burgess Meredith, Brandon De Wilde, Jill Haworth, Dana Andrews, Carroll O'Connor, Slim Pickens, and Henry Fonda had nice roles among a stacked supporting cast.
- DirectorVincente MinnelliStarsRobert MitchumEleanor ParkerGeorge PeppardDramatic story of the influential Hunnicutt family set in Texas during the late 1950s.Excellent drama from Vincente Minnelli set in late 1950s Texas, and follows a wealthy, powerful, and greedy businessman named Captain Wade Hunnicutt. While he is quite the womanizer, he would like nothing more than to rekindle his marriage with his estranged wife, who has plenty of reasons to hate him. While she brought up their son Theron to be strong and have a mind of his own, Wade intervenes, and decides he wants to takeover raising him, toughen him up, and teach him how to run the family business under the supervision of his employee, Rafe. Theron eventually meets a woman named Libby who he falls madly in love with, but also learns more about his deceitful father and his estranged son that raises tensions to a boiling point. Great story all around with a fantastic cast. Robert Mitchum, George Hamilton, George Peppard, and Eleanor Parker deliver fantastic lead performances. Luana Patten, Everett Sloane, Constance Ford, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsJohn WayneDean MartinMartha HyerRanch owner Katie Elder's four sons determine to avenge the murder of their father and the swindling of their mother.Excellent western from Henry Hathaway set in 1898, and follows the 4 men who return to their hometown of Clearwater, Texas, to attend the funeral of their mother, Katie Elder. The local townspeople loved Katie, but are also aware of her neglectful sons who weren't there in her time of need. In an effort to make things right, the brothers work to recover their family's land after their father lost in a game of cards, then murdered just after. They suspect it wasn't an honest deal as they come to odds with a corrupt firearms manufacturer and ranch owner named Morgan Hastings. Nicely written and well-acted throughout. John Wayne and Dean Martin were great together just as they were in Rio Bravo (1959), and both deliver excellent lead performances. Michael Anderson Jr., Earl Holliman, Jeremy Slate, Martha Hyer, Paul Fix, George Kennedy, Dennis Hopper, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJames B. HarrisStarsRichard WidmarkSidney PoitierJames MacArthurAn American destroyer Captain is determined to confront a Soviet submarine caught violating territorial waters. Perhaps too determined.Great Cold War-era drama/thriller from James B. Harris set in October 1962, and follows an aggressive and result-acquiring Navy captain abroad the USS Bedford destroyer, and a reporter given permission to interview the captain during a routine patrol. It's anything but routine when the captain chooses to militantly confront a Soviet submarine caught violating territorial waters. Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier both deliver excellent lead performances, and work great together like they have in the past. Martin Balsam, Eric Portman, James MacArthur, Michael Kane, and others had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorRobert MontgomeryStarsJames CagneyDennis WeaverWard CostelloA semi-documentary dramatization of five weeks in the life of Vice Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey, Jr., from his assignment to command the U.S. naval operations in the South Pacific to the Allied victory at Guadalcanal.Great World War II biopic about highly respected Vice Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey, Jr., and the pivotal five-week period in 1942 when he took command the U.S. naval operations in the South Pacific, helped the Allies save control of Guadalcanal, and set successful plans to eliminate Isoroku Yamamoto (and Japan) from the war. The story is told in flashback form, which was very well done. James Cagney later called this role the most difficult of his career. He delivered an outstanding and complex performance. One of his finest. Dennis Weaver was also great among the relatively unknown supporting cast who all delivered very nice performances.
- DirectorHubert CornfieldStarsSidney PoitierBobby DarinPeter FalkA black prison psychiatrist is assigned the distasteful task of helping a paranoid American Nazi charged with sedition.Excellent drama about an African-American psychiatrist who recounts a story from his past about the most disturbing patient he encountered as a prison psychiatrist in 1942. The man was attempting to violently overthrowing the government through many Nazi and cult-like ideals, and was charged with sedition. Being extremely intelligent, he would race-bait and habitually lie to and about the psychiatrist to make it appear the psychiatrist has personal issues with his race, to better his chances of being released from prison. Sidney Poitier and Bobby Darin both deliver excellent lead performances. Barry Gordon, Peter Falk, Mary Munday, Carl Benton Reid, Barry Gordon, Richard Bakalyan, and others also had nice roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorRichard FleischerStarsTony CurtisHenry FondaGeorge KennedyA series of brutal murders in Boston sparks a seemingly endless and increasingly complex manhunt.Excellent crime drama/biography from Richard Fleischer set in 1962 Boston, and follows a string of vicious murders that all include signature torturous details. The murders are so random that it takes several police departments coordinating their investigations under the umbrella of state attorney general law professor John S. Bottomly, who devises a plan to question and take down every known sexual criminal in the area until they find the killer that's been nicknamed "The Boston Strangler". Unlike many open-and-shut murder cases, the culprit suffers from a multiple personality disorder, which greatly complicates the case. Great story all around with an excellent cast. Tony Curtis delivers a powerful and complex lead performance...arguably one of his finest. Henry Fonda also delivered a great starring role as he usually does, along with George Kennedy. Murray Hamilton, Mike Kellin, Sally Kellerman, Hurd Hatfield, Jeff Corey, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsAudrey HepburnShirley MacLaineJames GarnerA rebellious student at a girls' school accuses two teachers of lesbianism.Powerful drama from William Wyler that follows two young private school teachers and best friends named Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. When a trouble-making student named Mary gets tired of being punished for her misbehavior, she decides to spread a vicious lie that Karen and Martha are having a lesbian love affair, which was completely unacceptable in the 1960s. The story shows just how a simple a lie can utterly destroy people's lives and relationships under the scope of prejudice and intolerance. The story could have been even better had they expanded on Martha's sexual feelings and the more controversial parts of the story, but it gets the point across nicely for 1961 standards, and still holds strong today. Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine both delivered excellent lead performances. James Garner, Fay Bainter, and Karen Balkin also had great starring roles. Miriam Hopkins, Veronica Cartwright, Mimi Gibson, and William Mims also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsMia FarrowJohn CassavetesRuth GordonA young couple trying for a baby moves into an aging, ornate apartment building on Central Park West, where they find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors.Excellent psychological horror film from Roman Polanski set in Manhattan, New York 1965, and follows a young married couple named Rosemary and Guy who move into an spooky apartment with a frightful and distressing history, with their even more mysterious neighbors, Roman and Minnie. When Rosemary becomes pregnant, their neighbors act even more suspicious, which has Rosemary worrying they have peculiar plans of their own for the child. Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, and Sidney Blackmer all deliver excellent lead performances. Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Victoria Vetri, Patsy Kelly, Elisha Cook Jr., Charles Grodin, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsDavid NivenGregory PeckAnthony QuinnA team of Allied saboteurs is assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held Greek island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.Great action adventure drama from J. Lee Thompson set during World War II in 1943, and follows a 6-man team of disguised allied spies that are assigned to a seemingly impossible missing to destroy the giant and infamous guns of Navarone on a Greek island held by the German Nazis. There are 2,000 British soldiers trapped behind the guns, and they are counting on these 6 men to set them free. Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn all had excellent lead roles. Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, James Robertson Justice, Richard Harris, Bryan Forbes, Allan Cuthbertson, Michael Trubshawe, Walter Gotell, and others also had nice roles among supporting cast.
- DirectorRobert AldrichStarsLee MarvinErnest BorgnineCharles BronsonDuring World War II, a rebellious U.S. Army Major is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train and lead them into a mass assassination mission of German officers.Excellent World War II adventure from Robert Aldrich set in March 1944, and follows a ruthless and skilled U.S. Army Major that's assigned 12 convicted murders that he's tasked to train and lead in a seemingly impossible mission to kill a mass amount of highly respected and decorated German officers and take out their communications tower and retreat on the eve of D-Day. Well written and acted throughout, with some nice comedy thrown in for good measure. Lee Marvin delivered a fantastic lead performance. Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, and several others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorBurt KennedyStarsJohn WayneKirk DouglasHoward KeelThe story of a man who was shot, robbed and imprisoned who returns to steal a large gold shipment from the man who wronged him. The gold is transported in an armored stage coach, the War Wagon.Underrated and very entertaining western that follows a man named Taw Jackson who returns to his hometown after spending 3 years in prison due to being framed by a shady businessman named Frank Pierce. Frank ended up stealing Taw's ranch and discovering a fortune in gold on his property while he was behind bars. When Frank learns that he's out, he hires a sharp-shooting gunfighter named Lomax to kill him for $10,000. But Taw ends up offering Lomax a better deal, as they device a plot to take revenge against Frank. If you like John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, this is a no brainer. Both actors put on great lead performances and had great chemistry together. Bruce Cabot, Howard Keel, Robert Walker Jr., Keenan Wynn, Valora Noland, Joanna Barnes, Bruce Dern, Gene Evans, Terry Wilson, Don Collier, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorArthur PennStarsWarren BeattyFaye DunawayMichael J. PollardBored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.Great crime biopic from Arthur Penn set in 1934 and follows a restless and unruly young woman named Bonnie Parker who falls in live with and ex-con and drifter named Clyde Barrow, who was just released from prison. Together, the pair became known as the famously notorious bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde as they go on a crime spree from Oklahoma to Texas, while simultaneously being showered with attention from the highly entertained public. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway both deliver excellent lead performances. Gene Hackman's Oscar-nominated role was great, and Gene Wilder also had a nice small part. Michael J. Pollard, Estelle Parsons, Denver Pyle, Dub Taylor, and Evans Evans also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorGeorge DunningStarsPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonRingo StarrThe Beatles agree to accompany Captain Fred in his yellow submarine and go to Pepperland to free it from the music-hating Blue Meanies.Excellent psychedelic and tripped out animated adventure that follows The Beatles as they join Captain Fred in his yellow submarine to stop the music-hating Blue Meanies' takeover of Pepperland, after they freeze everyone within it, including the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It's a mind-bending journey that is full of interesting ideas. If you love the Beatles, this is essential watching material. It really features the very best of the Beatles' discography, circa their golden era 1966–1968. The story is a ton of fun, and it's easily the best Beatles movie I've seen. One of my favorite Music films of all time.
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsSidney PoitierAnne BancroftTelly SavalasCollege volunteer Alan is working alone at the crisis center one evening when he receives a telephone call from suicidal caller Inga Dyson.Powerful drama from Sydney Pollack that follows a Seattle college student who volunteers at a phone-in crisis center to learn psychology and earn college credits, when he receives a call from a sducidal woman who claims that she has deliberately overdosed on barbiturates. Great dramatic dialogue throughout, and the 1960s technology of how complicated it was to trace a telephone call was very interesting and also added some nice drama. Sidney Poitier and Anne Bancroft both delivered excellent lead performances. Telly Savalas, Steven Hill, Edward Asner, Indus Arthur, Jason Wingreen, Paul Newlan, Greg Jarvis, and others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsDeborah KerrRobert MitchumPeter UstinovIn Australia's Outback during the early twentieth century, the impoverished Carmody family lives a nomadic life out of their wagon, but the mom and son want to settle, while the dad is against it.Excellent drama from Fred Zinnemann set in 1920's Australia, and follows a self-employed sheep drover named Paddy Carmody who loves living a nomadic lifestyle by traveling from job to job for a living, and sleeping in a tent. However, his strong and spirited wife Ida and son Sean would like to get jobs and settle down in a place they can call home. Struggles come into play when Paddy's stubborn attitude gets the better of him when he hits the booze and gets involved gambling in games of two-up. Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum both delivered fantastic lead performances. Peter Ustinov and Michael Anderson Jr. also had great starring roles. Glynis Johns, Dina Merrill, Chips Rafferty, John Meillon, Ronald Fraser, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczRouben MamoulianStarsElizabeth TaylorRichard BurtonRex HarrisonQueen Cleopatra VII of Egypt experiences both triumph and tragedy as she attempts to resist the imperial ambitions of Rome.Epic historical biopic from Joseph L. Mankiewicz set in 48 B.C., and follows Julius Caesar's pursuit of power and control from Pharsalia to Egypt after forming an alliance and falling in love with Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. They gain more power after she bears his son, and ultimately results in Caesar's greed to a brutal death. Caesar's apprentice Mark Antony then enters the picture to take control, as he and Cleopatra fall deeply in love, and make more strategic moves in hopes of controlling the entire world. The film actually runs just over 4 hours long, but it's fascinating and nicely done throughout. Being one of the most expensive films ever made, it is extremely visually impressive—evident by the 4 Oscars it won. Definitely worth the time. Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Rex Harrison all delivered excellent and complex lead performances. Roddy McDowall, Andrew Keir, Martin Landau, Hume Cronyn, Cesare Danova, George Cole, Kenneth Haigh, and many others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorKen AnnakinAndrew MartonGerd OswaldStarsJohn WayneRobert RyanRichard BurtonThe events of D-Day, told on a grand scale from both the Allied and German points of view.Fascinating historical World War II drama that follows the events surrounding the D-Day invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944. It's so uniquely done, as it thoroughly tells the story from the German Nazi perspective, as well as the Allied countries viewpoint. I haven't seen a story done quite like it, and it really feels like the film jumps around in different styles due to 5 different directors and 5 different writers who contributed to the 3-hour epic saga. Great film, but more fact and history based than most stories like it. Due to such a widespread cast (there are 42 names and headshots on the movie poster), John Wayne is the only actor who truly gets enough screen to consider having a lead performance, and he was excellent as he usually is. Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Eddie Albert, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorRalph NelsonStarsJames GarnerSidney PoitierBibi AnderssonIn Apache territory, a supply Army column heads for the next fort, an ex-scout searches for the killer of his Indian wife, and a housewife abandons her husband in order to rejoin her Apache lover's tribe.Great action-packed western from Ralph Nelson set in the 1870s, and follows a frontier scout looking to even a score with the man who killed his wife, a rejected and scarred woman who's had run-ins with the ruthless Apache tribe, a cool African-American gunslinger, and a Army cavalry unit, who all join forces to survive when the Apaches try to intercept a wagon train of ammunition in a deadly battle. James Garner delivered an excellent lead performance, and Sidney Poitier was excellent as usual, especially being his first western. Bibi Andersson, Dennis Weaver, Bill Travers, William Redfield, John Hubbard, Ralph Nelson, Bill Hart, and others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonWalter MatthauRon RichA crooked lawyer persuades his brother-in-law to feign a serious injury.Hilarious comedy written and directed by Billy Wilder, and follows a CBS cameraman named Harry who is accidentally knocked out during a football game, and is rushed to the hospital. When his crafty lawyer of a brother-in-law Willie arrives, he sees dollar signs, and convinces Harry to lie about the severity of his injuries, so they can sue for $1 million pain and suffering. Some very funny situations come into play when Harry's ex-wife pays him a visit to "rekindle" their relationship in order to score money from his accident like Willie, and the overly-concerned football player who hit Harry visits him and believes he's caused him serious injuries. This is the first of first of 11 films Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau worked on together. Their comedic timing and chemistry is also fantastic at this early stage as well. Great story with a very nice ending. Ron Rich, Judi West, and Cliff Osmond had nice roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsWilliam HoldenErnest BorgnineRobert RyanAn aging group of outlaws look for one last big score as the "traditional" American West is disappearing around them.Great action-packed western from Sam Peckinpah set in 1913, and follows a group of aging outlaws led by Pike Bishop looking to land one last job as the American West is evolving during the Mexican revolution and World War I on the way. But when their plans to hijack a U.S. ammunition train goes wrong, their infamous reputation catches up with them. This film is looked at as one of the best westerns of all time. It doesn't rank quite as high for me, but I can see why it's so loved. William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Jaime Sánchez, and Ben Johnson all delivered excellent lead roles. Emilio Fernández, Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones, Albert Dekker, Bo Hopkins, Dub Taylor, Paul Harper, Jorge Russek, Alfonso Arau, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJames MasonShelley WintersSue LyonA middle-aged college professor becomes infatuated with a 14-year-old girl.Great crime drama from Stanley Kubrick set in the 1940s, and a follows a middle-aged college professor named Humbert who lands a job at an Ohio college, and rents a room in the house of a lonely woman named Charlotte Haze who's been widowed for 7 years. He soon becomes obsessed with her playful and flirty 14-year-old daughter, and struggles with his immoral and lustful thoughts of her, but ultimately becomes consumed with his sexual desires. Sue Lyon was actually 14 years old as she was playing the nymphet infatuated by a middle-aged man—making it quite controversial back then, as it is today. She played the role perfectly, and James Mason also had a great complex lead performance. Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers, Jerry Stovin, Diana Decker, Bill Greene, and others also had very nice roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorMark RobsonStarsPaul NewmanJoanne WoodwardMyrna LoyAn ambitious young executive chooses a loveless marriage and an unfulfilling personal life in exchange for a successful Wall Street career.Excellent drama romance from Mark Robson set in 1946, and follows a navy veteran named David Alfred Eaton (who goes by Alfred) that returns to his Philadelphia home after fighting in World War II. As soon as he returns, heavy family sets in with his alcoholic mother and his resentful and unloving father. Even though he's set to inherit his father's business, he decides to desert his family and head to New York to make big money in bug business with the help of a friend. He immediately meets a gorgeous woman named Mary St. John and they are quickly married. As he meets and impresses rich and successful businessman, he moves up the corporate ladder quickly. However, the more he works, the less happy Mary becomes, which leads her to a life of bitter infidelity. As their marriage begins to crumble, he meets a woman named Natalie on a business trip, which greatly complicates his decision to save his career and marriage, or change up his life completely. Great story all around. It's always a pleasure to see Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward together on screen, and they both delivered excellent lead performances. Ina Balin also had a great starring role. Leon Ames, Myrna Loy, George Grizzard, Patrick O'Neal, Felix Aylmer, Elizabeth Allen, Barbara Eden, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsCharlton HestonRoddy McDowallKim HunterAn astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet where highly intelligent non-human ape species are dominant and humans are enslaved.Classic science fiction adventure from Franklin J. Schaffner set in the year 3978, and follows a group of astronauts that crash-land on a planet set even further into the future, when apes become the intelligent and dominant species, while humans are oppressed and enslaved. The story mainly follows George Taylor, who is captured, taken to the city of apes, and run experiments on his brain before a trial is set to determine his fate. Charlton Heston delivers an excellent and iconic lead performance. Roddy McDowall, Maurice Evans, Kim Hunter, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison, Robert Gunner, Lou Wagner, Jeff Burton, Buck Kartalian, and others had great roles among a nice supporting cast.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsPaul NewmanJulie AndrewsLila KedrovaAn American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin before planning an escape back to the West.Underrated drama/thriller from Alfred Hitchcock set during the Cold War in 1965, and follows an American physicist and rocket scientist named Professor Michael Armstrong who publicly defects to East Germany after United States government scratched his research project. He initially keeps his reasons a mystery to his assistant and fiancée, Dr. Sarah Sherman, who is appalled by his announcement. It's soon reveled they are on a secret mission to obtain vital information from a prominent East German scientist before making their way back to the United States. This film seems to be plenty criticized among Hitchcock's work for being such a solid and entertaining story. I love Paul Newman, and it was worth watching for his performance alone. He and Julie Andrews don't have a ton of romantic chemistry, but it's sort of unneeded for this type of film in my opinion. Ludwig Donath, Wolfgang Kieling, Günter Strack, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.Epic sci-fi adventure from Stanley Kubrick is an evolution story which cleverly kicks off with the The Dawn of Man, which finds early humans learning the ways of life when a mysterious monolith appears. It then fast forwards to humans reaching the moon in space, where another unexplained monolith appears. The story then ventures to a journey to Jupiter where more mysterious monolith appears. It's a challenging film to make and sense of in my opinion. I've probably attempted to watch it 3-4 times, but have only ever finished it 1 time. There are so many superb things about this film, but a lot of the slow moving sci-fi/space scenes just drags on too much for me. One of the most unique and interesting films I've ever seen, but it is not one of my favorite's from Stanley Kubrick, who is easily one of my favorite movie-makers. Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Sean Sullivan, Edwina Carroll, and several others had very nice performances.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsBurt LancasterAudrey HepburnAudie MurphyThe neighbors of a frontier family turn on them when it is suspected that their adopted daughter was stolen from the local Kiowa tribe.Excellent western from John Huston set some time after the Civil War in late 1860s Texas. The story follows the Zachary family who are in the midst of building a thriving cattle ranching business with partner Zeb Rawlins. The father of the Zachary family was killed by Kiowa Indians, leaving the oldest son Ben as head of the household. One day, rumors are stirred up by a mysterious old hunter named Abe Kelsey, claiming the Zachary family's daughter Rachel was born a Kiowa Indian. The Zachary family is greeted with racism and hate from the Rawlins family and other white folks in town. On top of that, Kiowa Indians learn of Rachel's story, and are determined to kidnap her from the Zachary home. Not one of Huston's best, but the story was solid, the cast was great, and the action and production design was spot on. Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn both delivered excellent lead performances. Lillian Gish, Audie Murphy, Charles Bickford, John Saxon, Albert Salmi, June Walker, Kipp Hamilton, Doug McClure, Joseph Wiseman, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorMark RobsonStarsPaul NewmanEdward G. RobinsonElke SommerAs the Nobel Prize winners come to Stockholm to receive their awards, their lives are overturned and perturbed in various ways.Great crime mystery from Mark Robson that follows a group of Nobel Prize winners that travel to Stockholm to receive their awards, when German-American physicist Dr. Max Stratman (Edward G. Robinson) is kidnapped and replaced with a look-a-like who has a different agenda. While carefree playboy Andrew Craig (Paul Newman) immediately suspects Stratman is an imposter, and gets wrapped up in investigating the mystery. Paul Newman, Elke Sommer, Diane Baker, and Edward G. Robinson all deliver great lead performances. Micheline Presle, Gérard Oury, Sergio Fantoni, Kevin McCarthy, Leo G. Carroll, Jacqueline Beer, Virginia Christine and others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorSeth HoltStarsBette DavisWendy CraigJill BennettThere's just something not quite right when Bette Davis stars as an English nanny. And is her 10-year-old charge an emotionally disturbed murderer or just an insolent brat?Very nice mystery/thriller that follows an English nanny that works for a family with a very disrespectful 10-year old boy who was just institutionalized for the last 2 following the mysterious bathtub drowning death of his younger sister. He absolutely hates the Nanny, and tensions rise when the story of his sister's tragic accident unravels. Bette Davis delivered a great later day lead performance, and William Dix played the awful Joey very well. Wendy Craig, Jill Bennett, James Villiers, Pamela Franklin, Jack Watling, Maurice Denham, and Alfred Burke also had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorJack SmightStarsPaul NewmanLauren BacallJulie HarrisCool private investigator Lew Harper is hired by a wealthy California matron to locate her kidnapped husband.Very nice crime drama/mystery from Jack Smight that follows a cool and determined Los Angeles private investigator named Lew Harper. His latest job comes from a wealthy woman named Elaine Sampson, who hires Lew to locate her missing husband, who she suspects is running around with another woman. He finds the family to have mysterious quirks and meets plenty of interesting characters as he investigates the case, until he finds he's actually been kidnapped, and the culprits want $500,000 ransom. Paul Newman nails his first lead performance as a private investigator. He played a cool character and shuffled personalities well. Lauren Bacall, Julie Harris, Arthur Hill, Janet Leigh, Pamela Tiffin, Robert Wagner, Robert Webber, Shelley Winters, Harold Gould, Roy Jenson, and Strother Martin all had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsShirley MacLainePaul NewmanRobert MitchumA four-time widow discusses her four marriages, in which all of her husbands became incredibly rich and died prematurely because of their drive to be rich.Very funny romantic comedy from J. Lee Thompson that follows a cursed widow and her 4 doomed marriages to men who became extremely rich after they got married, only to die prematurely due to their intense drive to become and remain wealthy. She wants nothing more than a simple and normal life, and feels she may be jinxed to be alone forever. The film cleverly tells each story separately as she explains them to an engrossed psychiatrist. Shirley MacLaine delivered an excellent lead performance. And the star-studded supporting lead cast of Dean Martin, Dick Van Dyke, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, and Gene Kelly all played their parts of the husbands great. Robert Cummings, Margaret Dumont, Maurice Marsac, and Jane Wald also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsKirk DouglasRobert MitchumTony CurtisA former intelligence officer is tasked by the heir to the Gleneyre estate to investigate the unusual deaths of a disparate group of eleven men on a list.Uniquely shot mystery/thriller from John Huston that follows a retired intelligence officer named Anthony Gethryn who's given a mysterious list of names to investigate by his old friend Adrian Messenger. Adrian is on his way out of town, and is killed when his plane is bombed on his way to collect more evidence about the names on the list, which he believes are all linked murders as opposed to unrelated "accidental" deaths as they were reported. George C. Scott delivers great lead performance. Dana Wynter was also excellent. Kirk Douglas played the most masked/unmasked roles among the hidden star-studded cast. Jacques Roux, Clive Brook, Gladys Cooper, Tony Huston, John Merivale, Herbert Marshall, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAlan RafkinStarsDon KnottsBarbara RhoadesJackie CooganA pardoned stagecoach robber, becomes government agent and marries a naive unsuspecting east-coast dentist in order to join a wagon train and catch the smugglers who have been selling guns to the Indians.Very funny comedy western from Alan Rafkin set in 1870, and follows a jumpy and naive Philadelphia dentist named Jesse W. Haywood who decides to travel west for work, and "to fight oral ignorance". He ends up meeting and marrying a strong and beautiful stagecoach robbing gunslinger named Penelope "Bad Penny" Cushing, who initially has selfish ulterior motives for entering into the relationship with Haywood. If you like westerns and Don Knotts, this should be a no-brainer. Very funny and light-hearted comedy western. He delivered a great lead performance as he usually does. Barbara Rhoades was also great. Jackie Coogan, Don 'Red' Barry, Ruth McDevitt, Frank McGrath, Pat Morita, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorEdward MontagneStarsDon KnottsLeslie NielsenJoan FreemanA NASA janitor is sent into space.Very funny family comedy from Edward Montagne that follows a timid space capsule simulation ride operator at a small-town Missouri carnival who ends up heading for Houston after he is accepted into the NASA space program that his proud father secretly signed him up for. Upon arrival, he learns that the job he was actually hired for was to be the janitor, and he ends up lying to his friends and family who are so proud of his achievement by posing as a real-life astronaut. Trouble comes into play when NASA decides to send a regular person into space to test their automated spacecraft, and Edward is their pick. Very nice story and one of Don Knotts' best lead performances. It also features a great role from a young Leslie Nielsen with brown hair. Joan Freeman, Arthur O'Connell, Jesse White, Jeanette Nolan, Frank McGrath, Joan Shawlee, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorArthur LubinGerry ChiniquyRobert McKimsonStarsDon KnottsCarole CookJack WestonMeek and mild mannered bookkeeper Henry Limpet has few passions in life. It's mid-1941 and he would love to join the Navy but has been rated 4F. His friend George Stickle is in the Navy and lays it on pretty thick. If Henry could have one thing it would be to become a fish. While on a visit to Coney Island, Henry falls into the water and miraculously gets his wish. Now a fish, he makes friends, Ladyfish and Crusty the hermit crab and loves his new life. He also uses his abilities to help the US Navy locate and sink Nazi U-Boats, forcing the Germans to create a new weapon to deal with the Allies secret weapon. When years later the Navy finds intelligent activity among dolphins, they may also know who is teaching them.Very nice half animated, half live-action comedy adventure from Arthur Lubin set during World War II in 1941, and follows a weak-willed bookkeeper and fish lover named Henry Limpet. He would love to join the Navy and fight for his country, but he's been categorized as unqualified. If there was one wish that Henry wishes could come true, it's that he could transform into a fish. While on a trip to Coney Island, he falls into the water and miraculously gets his wish. He makes new friends in his new found underwater world, and gets his dream to fight with the Navy when they learn he has special abilities to locate German Nazi U-Boats. Another great lead performance for Don Knotts. Jack Weston, Carole Cook, Elizabeth MacRae, Andrew Duggan, Larry Keating, and Paul Frees also had nice roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsTippi HedrenSean ConneryMartin GabelMark marries Marnie although she is a habitual thief and has serious psychological problems, and tries to help her confront and resolve them.Very nice crime drama/mystery from Alfred Hitchcock that follows a beautiful young woman named Marnie who's a habitual thief and suffers from deep-rooted psychological issues from her past. When she gets a job at Rutland's publishing company, the owner Mark Rutland is immediately taken by her, and soon persuades her to marry him. On their honeymoon, she has a meltdown when it comes to any sexual or physical contact, and Mark decides he's going to help Marnie stand-up to her problems and resolve them. The story is solid, but I personally just wasn't feeling Tippi Hedren's acting in this film (I thought she was great in The Birds (1963)), and the direction of Sean Connery's role wasn't great either. Diane Baker, Alan Napier, Louise Latham, Martin Gabel, and others delivered fine supporting roles.