60's Comedy Movies

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn
Rated PG

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a 1964 dark comedy directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film follows the story of General Jack D. Ripper, an American General who orders a nuclear strike against the Soviet Union without authorization, leading to the imminent destruction of the world. The President of the United States and his advisors must now devise a plan to prevent complete annihilation. In the midst of this chaos, a former Nazi scientist, Dr. Strangelove, suggests a way to save humanity – by creating an underground shelter for a select group of people who can repopulate the world. As the world teeters on the brink of disaster, the film hilariously satirizes the Cold War era and the fear of nuclear war.

From Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston
Rated Approved

The Apartment is a 1960 comedy-drama film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray. The film follows C.C. Baxter (Lemmon), an ambitious young office worker who allows his bosses to use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. After Baxter falls in love with Fran Kubelik (MacLaine), the mistress of his married boss, he struggles to resolve the ethical dilemma he faces. The film explores the moral complexities of ambition, love, and betrayal in a poignant, humorous, and thought-provoking way. The Apartment was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning 5, including Best Picture and Best Director for Wilder. The film is now considered one of the greatest films of all time.

From Mike Nichols, starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels
Rated PG

The Graduate is a 1967 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katherine Ross, it tells the story of a recent college graduate who is seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, and then falls in love with her daughter Elaine. The film's title is a reference to the fact that the protagonist is a recent college graduate. The movie follows Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate who is adrift and unsure of his future. He returns home to the wealthy, upper-class family and home of his parents, in the suburbs of Los Angeles, and is pestered by family friends to decide his future. During a party, he is seduced by the wife of his father's business partner, Mrs. Robinson. Benjamin then falls in love with her daughter, Elaine, and begins a love affair with her. He soon discovers that Elaine is engaged to be married and must choose between continuing his affair with Mrs. Robinson or risking everything and pursuing true love with Elaine. The Graduate is widely viewed as an iconic movie of the '60s, due to its themes regarding post-grad life and its now

From Stanley Kubrick, starring James Mason, Shelley Winters, Sue Lyon, Gary Cockrell
Rated Not Rated

Lolita is a 1962 black comedy-drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov. The film follows Humbert Humbert, an English professor who is obsessed with a 12-year-old girl named Dolores Haze, whom he nicknames Lolita. Humbert moves in with Lolita's mother, Charlotte, in an effort to be near the girl, and eventually marries Charlotte in order to stay close to Lolita. When Charlotte discovers the truth about Humbert's obsession, she dies of shock, leaving Humbert to take Lolita on a cross-country road trip. Along the way, Humbert's obsession with Lolita intensifies, and the two eventually enter into a sexual relationship. The film ends with Lolita pregnant and Humbert in jail, while Lolita is left to face the consequences of their relationship.

From Mel Brooks, starring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Dick Shawn, Kenneth Mars
Rated PG

The Producers is a 1967 black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks and starring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Kenneth Mars, and Lee Meredith. The plot follows the adventures of two unscrupulous producers, Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, who team up to create the worst stage musical imaginable in order to defraud their backers. Through a series of misadventures, the duo gets more than they bargained for as their show unexpectedly becomes a huge success. The Producers is a hilarious spoof of the traditional musical comedy, filled with puns, wordplay, sight gags, and innuendo. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and was the first film to win an Academy Award for a comedy.

From Richard Lester, starring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Rated G

A Hard Day's Night is a British musical comedy film, directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It tells the story of a day in the life of The Beatles, including scenes of them performing their songs, being interviewed, and running from their adoring fans. The film also features several of their hit songs, including the title track, "Can't Buy Me Love," "She Loves You," and "I Should Have Known Better." A Hard Day's Night is an entertaining, joyful celebration of Beatlemania and the band's impact on popular culture.

From Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney
Rated G

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a classic comedy directed by Stanley Kramer. The film follows a group of strangers who witness an old man die in a car crash, revealing the location of his buried fortune. The strangers, driven by greed, team up and race to recover the money before anyone else. Along the way, they must contend with crooked cops and fellow treasure hunters, all the while trying to outsmart each other. Despite the rivalry, the characters learn to support and rely on each other by the end of the movie. Filled with slapstick comedy, car chases, and memorable characters, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is an unforgettable comedy classic.

From Blake Edwards, starring Peter Sellers, Elke Sommer, George Sanders, Herbert Lom
Rated PG

From Woody Allen, starring Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Marcel Hillaire, Jacquelyn Hyde
Rated PG

From Roman Polanski, starring Jack MacGowran, Roman Polanski, Alfie Bass, Jessie Robins
Rated Not Rated

From Richard Lester, starring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Rated G

From Blake Edwards, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine
Rated Approved

From Jerry Lewis, starring Jerry Lewis, Alex Gerry, Bob Clayton, Sonnie Sands
Rated Approved

From Directors: Val Guest, Ken Hughes, John Huston, Joseph McGrath, Robert Parrish, Richard Talmadge, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Orson Welles
Rated Approved