The best films from the 1960s

Recently, the British Film Institute (BFI) released the results of their celebrated poll, “THE GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME”, in which they surveyed film critics and directors to list their ten favourite films. Now the Felix Film team, as much as we’d love to, doesn’t have that kind of time or resources. And so we decided to split the films up according to the decades in which they were released. So every week, we will present you with our top films of each decade

10. The Lion in Winter (1968)

A sharp, bitter, long-term family feud sets the screen ablaze as the historical drama focusing on Richard II, his imprisoned wife Eleanor, and his sons bring up all sorts of dirt, back-stabbing, shifting allegiances, and never-ending plotting. It’s wonderfully written, with each insult to one another perfectly devised and packing in lots of punch. And of course, there’s the fantastic cast. Headed by the loud, larger-than-life Peter O’Toole and acid-tongued Katharine Hepburn, this also is a superb film debut for the great Sir Anthony Hopkins.

9. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Yes, what DID happen to Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis)? Once a popular child star, she is now an ageing flop of an “actress” living in the worn-down family home paid for by her more successful but now wheelchair-bound sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford). The two biggest divas of Hollywood command your attention in their powerful, and in Davis’ case, hysterically over-the-top performances. It’s disturbing, but also deliciously fun as it embraces its campy, gothic vibe.

8. Cool Hand Luke (1967)

It’s a true showcase for Paul Newman’s talent playing the cheeky, rebellious prisoner who becomes the hero and inspiration to his fellow inmates. It’s full of unforgettable moments (Newman gobbles down 50 hard-boiled eggs in an hour for a bet), resonant dialogue (“what we’ve got here is failure to communicate” spoken by the sickeningly snarky Strother Martin) and a fitting but tragic end. The rest of the cast is faultless to say the least, and so is the genuine plausibility of the often ruthless nature of corrupt hierarchy and forced injustice.

7. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

A genre-defining film, many consider Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi space adventure film, which is quite the understatement when it comes to describing the scope and scale of what’s on offer here, as one of the greatest films of all time. From its powerful opening it shows no signs of playing down its bold ideas. Featuring one of cinema’s most terrifying villains, the mother of all things evil and robotic, the special effects are electrifying, and the score, astounding. A film of unimaginable scale and ambition, it’s certainly one of the most iconic.

6. La Dolce Vita (1960)

Federico Fellini is by no means everyone’s cup of tea, but there is no denying the Italian director’s extraordinary vision when it comes to the much-mentioned neo-realism. Running at almost 3 hours, it’s a draining watch, as we follow a week in a journalist’s (Marcello Mastroianni) life as he tries to find love and happiness often to very little avail. The sad decline of his surroundings (i.e. Rome) and its moral decay are captured beautifully, and Swedish actress Anita Ekberg’s walk in the Trevi Fountain is the film’s most stylish scene.

5. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

No-one thought this would be a success. Many were repulsed by the film’s frank attitude towards sex and violence. But this was a cinematic sensation worldwide which let actor/producer Warren Beatty walk away with a hefty sum of cash. Based on the true story of the two titular lovers and bank robbers making a name for their antics during the Great Depression, it has romance, violence, and heart. The sultry and charismatic Faye Dunaway makes her winning debut here, a high-profile role that sky-rocketed her career in the film industry.

4. Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Yet another Stanley Kubrick entry here and this time it’s a political satire, and possibly the funniest you’ll ever see in your lifetime, which is a real surprise from someone who is not generally considered a top director of the comedy genre. Taking humourous passes at the Cold War and its nuclear missile crises, it benefits enormously from having the great Peter Sellers take on three principal roles in the film, as characters who try so hard to be serious in the delicate times of war fail miserably in their attempts to remain credible.

3. The Apartment (1960)

This has the rare distinction of being one of the very few comedy films to have walked away with the Best Picture award at the Oscars, and it’s an honour that is completely well-deserved. As it delicately probes around the sensitive subject matter of sex and infidelity, movie legend Billy Wilder finds the space and time tocentre it all around the developing romance between a lowly office drone (Jack Lemmon) and an elevator operator (Shirley MacLaine). It’s darker than you might think, but ultimately delightful nonetheless.

2. Psycho (1960)

Some would argue vehemently against this but to me here is the best film Hitchcock has ever directed. Slowly mounting tension from the get-go, we get the chilling shower scene to set the creepy tone, and every time NormanBates (the excellent Anthony Perkins) shows his face accompanied by that high-pitched soundtrack, it’s enough to send shivers down the spine. And who can forget the demented conclusion? Daring for its time of release with none of the haunting factor lost even to this day, Hitchcock’s legacy will live on.

1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

This is the epic of epics, a true grand masterpiece in filmmaking. Director Steven Spielberg loves it so much he watches it every time he’s about to direct another film. It’s just that good. And endlessly watchable. This is Peter O’Toole at his finest, his eyes at their bluest, Omar Shariff at his most charismatic, and director David Lean at his most ambitious. Like most grand spectacles to come out of Hollywood, it has a sizable length (running time), as well as a star-studded cast who are tossed into incredible scenes of breathtaking action sequences.