Best Movies About The 60s

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Rated PG-13

Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, and Sally Field. The film tells the story of a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama who finds himself leading an extraordinary life. Through a series of coincidences, Forrest finds himself at the center of historic moments of the late 20th century, including serving in the Vietnam War, playing college football, meeting the President of the United States, and becoming a millionaire. Along the way, he meets a true love, Jenny, and learns the value of friendship. Ultimately, Forrest's simple outlook on life and its events helps him find success and happiness.

From Milos Forman, starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman, Peter Brocco
Rated R

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American drama film directed by Milos Forman and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey. Starring Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy, a criminal who feigns insanity to serve a lighter sentence in a mental institution, the film follows his battle of wills with the authorities of the institution and its head nurse, Mildred Ratched (Louise Fletcher). The film also features a supporting cast of progressive patients whose lives McMurphy gradually improves during his stay. Despite the resistance of Nurse Ratched, McMurphy and his allies eventually take control of the institution, setting off a chain of events that leads to tragedy. The film won five Academy Awards in 1976, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Nicholson), and Best Actress (Fletcher). It has since become a classic of American cinema.

From Francis Ford Coppola, starring Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest
Rated R

Apocalypse Now is a critically acclaimed 1979 American epic war film directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The film stars Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, and others. Set during the Vietnam War, the film follows the mission of US Army Captain Benjamin Willard to assassinate Colonel Walter Kurtz, a renegade US Army Special Forces officer who has gone insane and is leading his own army deep into enemy territory. The film is an exploration of the darkness of the human soul and its capacity for violence, as well as a meditation on the horrors of war.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio, Adam Baldwin
Rated R

Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 film directed by Stanley Kubrick. Set during the Vietnam War, the film follows a group of young U.S. Marines as they undergo basic training and experience the harsh realities of war. The first half of the film focuses on the brutal training the Marines receive in order to prepare them for battle. The second half follows the Marines as they are sent to Vietnam and are exposed to the horrors of war. The film portrays a stark and unflinching view of the war, emphasizing the psychological and physical toll it takes on the soldiers. The film stars Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Adam Baldwin. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and received critical and commercial success.

From Oliver Stone, starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Keith David
Rated R

Platoon is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone, starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, and Charlie Sheen. It follows a group of U.S. Army soldiers during the Vietnam War, focusing on the experiences of infantrymen in combat, and the psychological effects of the war on the soldiers. The film is based on Stone's own experiences as a U.S. infantryman in Vietnam, and was the first of Stone's Vietnam War trilogy, followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993). The film follows a platoon of U.S. Army soldiers, led by Staff Sergeant Robert Barnes (Tom Berenger), as they fight in the Vietnam War. The platoon is divided into two factions, one led by the idealistic Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), and the other by the cynical and ruthless Barnes. Through their experiences, the platoon come to realize the horror of the war, and the psychological toll it takes on them. As the war progresses, the soldiers struggle to survive, and ultimately must decide which of them will live and which will die.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen
Rated PG-13

Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 biographical crime film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken. The film is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., who, in the 1960s, successfully passed himself off as a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, all before the age of 21. When Abagnale is tracked down by FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), a cat and mouse game ensues. Frank's ingenuity and charm enable him to evade capture, while Hanratty is determined to capture him and prove himself worthy of promotion. In the end, Abagnale and Hanratty develop a mutual respect, and Abagnale decides to turn himself in and use his talents to help the FBI.

From Tate Taylor, starring Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard
Rated PG-13

The Help is a 2011 period drama film directed by Tate Taylor and starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain. Set in the early 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement, the film centers around a young white woman named Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan who has recently returned home to Jackson, Mississippi after graduating college. Skeeter is determined to become a writer and decides to focus her first book on the lives of the African-American women who are the maids of wealthy white families in Jackson. Despite the potential risks, Skeeter begins to interview the maids, Aibileen and Minny, and learns more about their lives and the difficult circumstances they face. As the film progresses, the women become determined to challenge the racism and injustice in their community, even if it means putting their own safety at risk.

From Michael Cimino, starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage
Rated R

The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American drama film directed by Michael Cimino and starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, and John Savage. The film follows a group of friends from a steelworking town in Pennsylvania who enlist in the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War. After their service in the war, the three main characters struggle with their experiences and memories of the war. The movie is broken up into three distinct parts that depict the psychological effects of the war and the physical toll it takes on the men. The first part follows the men on a hunting trip before they enlist in the army, the second part follows their experience in the war, and the third part follows their return home. The film is noted for its realism and its exploration of the depths of human emotion.

From Oliver Stone, starring Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau
Rated R

JFK is a 1991 American historical political thriller film directed by Oliver Stone. It examines the events leading up to the assassination of John F. Kennedy and alleged cover-up by the U.S. government. The film stars Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison, a New Orleans district attorney who investigates the assassination, and is based on Jim Garrison's book On the Trail of the Assassins. The film follows Garrison's investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy, with particular focus on Clay Shaw, played by Tommy Lee Jones, a businessman and alleged conspirator. The film is a heavily fictionalized account of real events and includes several historical figures, including Lee Harvey Oswald, played by Gary Oldman, Jack Ruby, and J. Edgar Hoover. The film also features an all-star cast, including Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, Sissy Spacek, Donald Sutherland, and Joe Pesci. JFK received critical acclaim upon its release, with Stone winning an Academy Award for Best Director and a Golden Globe for Best Director.

From Roman Polanski, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Rated Approved

Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 horror film directed by Roman Polanski. It tells the story of Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her husband Guy (John Cassavetes) who move into a New York City apartment building with an infamous past. After becoming pregnant, Rosemary begins to suspect that the people around her and the building she lives in are part of a cult planning to use her baby for a sinister purpose. As evidence mounts and her suspicions deepen, Rosemary is forced to confront the terrifying truth of what is to become of her child. The film is a psychological horror examining themes of paranoia, fear, and religious cults.

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

The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Charles Webb. The film stars Dustin Hoffman as 21-year-old Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate with no well-defined aim in life, who is seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), and then proceeds to fall in love with her daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross). Set in Los Angeles and Berkeley, California, the film chronicles Benjamin's letter-perfect interior journey from aimlessness to purpose. The film received critical and commercial success and won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Director and the Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture and Best Actor (Hoffman). It was also the highest-grossing film of 1967. In 1998 the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It is regularly cited as one of the greatest films of all time.

From Mike Nichols, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis
Rated Not Rated

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is a 1966 black comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It follows the story of George and Martha, an aging couple with a tumultuous marriage, who invite a new professor and his wife to their home for drinks. The four of them engage in a verbal and emotional battle in which secrets are revealed and varying truths are questioned. Throughout the night, the couples' issues and problems become apparent, leading to a dramatic finale.

From Norman Jewison, starring Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant
Rated Approved

In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison and based on John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name. The film centers around a black Philadelphia detective, Virgil Tibbs (played by Sidney Poitier), who finds himself in a small southern town, arrested and accused of murder. With the help of local police chief Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), Virgil must prove his innocence and find the real killer. Along the way, he must confront the town's racial prejudices and overcome the personal biases of the people around him. In the end, the truth is revealed and justice is served.

From Wes Anderson, starring Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray
Rated PG-13

Moonrise Kingdom is a 2012 American coming-of-age film directed by Wes Anderson. Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, the film tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, this dark comedy is an achingly beautiful and heartfelt story of young love and adventure.

From Alan Parker, starring Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand, Brad Dourif
Rated R

Mississippi Burning is a 1988 drama directed by Alan Parker that explores the infamous murder case of three civil rights activists in Mississippi in 1964. The movie follows two FBI agents, Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) and Alan Ward (Willem Dafoe), as they investigate the disappearance of the activists, who were attempting to register African-Americans to vote. As the agents expose the truth behind the murders, they face a network of powerful local officials and Klan members who seek to prevent the investigation. The agents must battle the climate of racism and violence that has been deeply entrenched in the town. In the end, they are able to bring justice to the case, though at a heavy cost.

From Penny Marshall, starring Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson
Rated PG-13

Awakenings is a 1990 drama film directed by Penny Marshall, based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Oliver Sacks. The film stars Robert De Niro and Robin Williams as a doctor and patient, respectively. The film tells the story of Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a neurologist played by De Niro, who discovers a miracle drug called L-dopa which has the ability to bring patients out of a lasting, catatonic state dating from the 1920s. Dr. Sayer is assisted by Nurse Eleanor, played by Williams, in his mission to help the patients, who are like children in their new state of awareness. As they attempt to rediscover the world, they face the challenge of adapting to a world that has changed significantly since they were last conscious. But with the help of Dr. Sayer and Nurse Eleanor, the patients find strength and courage in the midst of their struggles.

From David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Julia Ormond
Rated PG-13

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy romantic drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Eric Roth. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse, and Cate Blanchett as the love interest throughout his life. The story follows Benjamin Button, a man who is born in his eighties and ages backward. The film follows him as he experiences love, loss, and life's lessons while struggling to make sense of the world around him. Along the way, he meets a wide range of characters, including Daisy, a dancer he falls in love with; Queenie, his adoptive mother; and Mr. Gatewood, a hospital worker who helps Benjamin make sense of the world. The film received critical acclaim, and was nominated for 13 Academy Awards. It won three, for Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup.

From John Schlesinger, starring Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Sylvia Miles, John McGiver
Rated R

Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film directed by John Schlesinger and starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. It tells the story of a naive young hustler from Texas who travels to New York City in search of wealth and fame, only to find himself out of his depth and struggling to survive. Along the way, he meets a variety of colorful characters, including a lonely, aging woman who eventually becomes his close friend. The film was a critical and commercial success and won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director. It is notable for its frank depiction of themes such as loneliness, poverty, and desperation.

From Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, Katharine Houghton
Rated Approved

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a 1967 American comedy-drama film directed by Stanley Kramer and starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn. The film is about a liberal white couple, Matt and Christina Drayton (Tracy and Hepburn), whose daughter Joanna (Katharine Houghton) brings home her fiancé, a black doctor named John Prentice (Poitier), whom she intends to marry. The Draytons are forced to confront their own racial prejudice and social expectations as they grapple with the idea of the interracial marriage. Ultimately, the Draytons must come to terms with the fact that Joanna’s desire to marry John is genuine and will ultimately win out over any of their preconceived notions. Through the story, the film explores themes of race, social change, and family dynamics.

From Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee
Rated PG-13

Malcolm X is a biographical film directed by Spike Lee and released in 1992. It chronicles the life of African-American activist Malcolm X (portrayed by Denzel Washington), from his early life as a street criminal to his rise as a leader of the civil rights movement. It focuses on the key events of Malcolm X's life, including his involvement with the Nation of Islam, his pilgrimage to Mecca, and his assassination in 1965. The film also explores themes of racial injustice, prejudice, and identity. It received critical acclaim, with Denzel Washington's performance receiving particular praise.

From Matthew Vaughn, starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon
Rated PG-13

X-Men: First Class is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Set in the early 1960s, the film focuses on the friendship between Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto), and their respective teams of mutants, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants, respectively. As they work together to stop a global nuclear war, they also must confront their own inner demons and tragic pasts. The film stars James McAvoy as Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, and Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw. The film was directed by Matthew Vaughn and was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $353 million worldwide.

From Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise
Rated PG

Apollo 13 is a 1995 American historical docudrama film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris. The film tells the story of the ill-fated 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission and the struggles of the astronauts as they fight to survive and make their way back to Earth. The mission is aborted after an oxygen tank aboard the spacecraft ruptures, causing the spacecraft to drift off course and creating a near-fatal environment for the crew. Through courage and resourcefulness, the astronauts and their support team at Mission Control must do everything they can to bring them back home safely. The film is based on the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by astronaut Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger.

From Guy Hamilton, starring Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton
Rated PG

Goldfinger is a 1964 British spy film, the third installment in the James Bond series and starred Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film follows Bond as he investigates the gold smuggling activities of Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), whose ultimate plan is to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, thus raising the value of his own gold. Along the way, Bond meets the beautiful Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) and must confront his nemesis, the laser-equipped henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata). In true Bond fashion, Goldfinger has plenty of fast-paced action, exotic locations, clever gadgets, and glamorous women. The film was a box office success and is one of the most beloved Bond films.

From James Clavell, starring Sidney Poitier, Judy Geeson, Christian Roberts, Suzy Kendall
Rated Approved

To Sir, with Love is a 1967 British drama film that follows a teacher, Mark Thackeray (Sidney Poitier), as he struggles to gain respect from a group of unruly East End (London) students. Thackeray eventually succeeds in winning the students over and inspiring them to pursue their dreams. However, his admiration for one of the students, Pamela Dare (Lulu), puts him in an awkward position as he must balance professional relationships with personal feelings. It is a compelling story of an inner-city teacher who makes a difference in the lives of his students.

From Bob Fosse, starring Dustin Hoffman, Valerie Perrine, Jan Miner, Stanley Beck
Rated R

Lenny is a biopic, directed by Bob Fosse in 1974, about the controversial stand-up comedian, Lenny Bruce. The film stars Dustin Hoffman as Bruce, along with Valerie Perrine, Jan Miner and Stanley Beck. The film follows Bruce's early life, as he attempts to make a living as a stand-up comedian, and his later career, as he becomes an influential figure in American comedy and is arrested for obscenity. The film also deals with his relationships with his wife, Honey, and her father, and his struggles with drug addiction. The film was praised for Hoffman's performance, and it won three Academy Awards in 1975, for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound. It was also nominated for Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.