List Of 1960s Action Films

From Akira Kurosawa, starring Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tôno, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yôko Tsukasa
Rated Not Rated

Yojimbo is a 1961 Japanese samurai film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It stars Toshiro Mifune as a rōnin, a masterless samurai, who arrives in a small, struggling town. The town is divided between two warring gangs, each of which hires the rōnin as a bodyguard. The rōnin exploits this situation, using his wits and martial arts to play the two gangs off against each other. In the end, the rōnin defeats both gangs and restores order to the town. The film is seen as a landmark in Japanese cinema, and was an influence on the Spaghetti Western genre.

From Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans
Rated G

Planet of the Apes (1968) is a science-fiction classic directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. The film follows a small group of astronauts who crash land on a mysterious planet that is populated by intelligent apes. The astronauts soon discover that the apes are the dominant species and they are enslaved by the primates. The astronauts must find a way to escape the oppressive environment and return to Earth, while also uncovering the truth about the planet's mysterious past. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, and Maurice Evans. The film was critically acclaimed for its stunning visual effects, thought-provoking story, and strong performances. It was also a commercial success and spawned four sequels, as well as a remake in 2001.

From Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volontè, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy
Rated R

A Fistful of Dollars is a 1964 Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name. Set on the U.S.-Mexico border in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution, the film follows a mysterious stranger as he schemes to bring two rival families together in a lucrative business exchange. The stranger is caught in the middle of a deadly feud between the Rojos and the Baxters, two rival families vying for control of a small frontier town. Through a series of daring and dangerous negotiations, the stranger is able to outwit both sides and ultimately secure a lucrative deal for himself. With its iconic lead character, stylized violence, and inventive cinematography, A Fistful of Dollars established the Spaghetti Western genre and made Eastwood into a household name.

From Sam Peckinpah, starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien
Rated R

The Wild Bunch is a 1969 American Western directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring William Holden, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, and Jaime Sánchez. The film follows a group of aging outlaws looking for one final score before retiring. When their bank robbery goes wrong, the group embarks on a violent trek through Mexico in pursuit of a powerful Mexican general. The Wild Bunch is considered a classic of the Western genre and is often cited as one of the greatest and most powerful films of all time. The film is noted for its graphic violence, as well as its themes of morality and justice.

From John Frankenheimer, starring Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau, Suzanne Flon
Rated Not Rated

The Train is a 1964 action/drama film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield and Jeanne Moreau. The story centers on a French railway worker, Labiche (Lancaster), who is tasked with stopping an Nazi officer (Scofield) from transporting a stolen collection of French artwork to Germany. Labiche assembles a rag-tag team of Resistance fighters in a daring plan to derail the train and save the artwork. The film follows Labiche and his team as they battle Nazi soldiers, and Labiche must also come to terms with his own past and his role in the Resistance. The Train is a thrilling, tense, World War II action drama that is considered one of Frankenheimer's best films.

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

Goldfinger is a 1964 British spy film, the third in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title character Auric Goldfinger, along with Shirley Eaton, Harold Sakata, Bernard Lee, and Lois Maxwell. Based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, the film follows Bond as he investigates the gold smuggling operation of Auric Goldfinger and uncovers his plans to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox. In the film, Bond is sent to investigate Goldfinger's gold smuggling operation, and he discovers Goldfinger's plan to contaminate the US Bullion Depository at Fort Knox. After infiltrating Goldfinger's operation, Bond discovers that Goldfinger is working in league with the Soviet Union, in a plan to contaminate the US gold supply, so that he can control the market and make a huge profit. Bond must then find a way to stop Goldfinger before he can carry out his plans. Along the way, he meets Pussy Galore and other allies, and must contend with a number of formidable enemies. In

From Cy Endfield, starring Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth
Rated Not Rated

Zulu is a 1964 British epic war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War. The film follows a company of British soldiers who are stationed in South Africa and face an onslaught by the Zulu warriors. The film stars Stanley Baker, Michael Caine, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, and Nigel Green. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the British soldiers succeed in holding off the Zulus, but with grave losses. The film culminates with a stirring speech by Caine's character, Lieutenant Chard, rallying his men to continue the fight. Zulu is a classic war movie that explores themes of courage and camaraderie, and stands as a tribute to those who died in the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

From Brian G. Hutton, starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, Patrick Wymark
Rated M

Where Eagles Dare is an action-packed World War II adventure starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. It tells the story of a team of British commandos sent on a mission to rescue an American general who has been captured by the Germans in the Bavarian Alps. The commandos, led by Major John Smith (Burton) and Lieutenant Schaffer (Eastwood), must overcome overwhelming odds to complete their mission, relying on their cunning and resourcefulness to thwart the Nazis and escape with their lives. Along the way, the team learns that not everything is as it seems, and that the mission may have far wider implications than just the rescue of a single man.

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 1963 comedy directed by Stanley Kramer. The movie follows a group of travelers who witness a car crash involving a criminal fleeing with a suitcase full of cash. After learning of the money, the travelers team up to try to locate the buried loot. Along the way, they battle each other and the law to be the first to find the money. The movie features an all-star cast of comedic actors including Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Sid Ceasar, Phil Silvers, and Jonathan Winters. With its slapstick humor and crazy antics, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a timeless classic that has been hailed as one of the greatest comedies of all time.

From Howard Hawks, starring John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt
Rated Passed

El Dorado is a 1966 western film directed by iconic filmmaker Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. The film follows the story of two old friends, Cole Thornton (Wayne) and J.P. Harrah (Mitchum), who reunite when Thornton arrives in town to help the aging rancher, Bart Jason (Ed Asner). When they discover that Jason's land is in danger of being taken by a wealthy cattle baron, they team up with an alcoholic sheriff (James Caan) to protect it. As the violent showdown between Jason and the cattle baron escalates, Thornton and Harrah have to rely on each other to survive. El Dorado is an action-packed western that highlights the friendship between the two leads. With a stellar cast and classic western tropes, this is an iconic classic in the genre and a must-watch for any fan of the western.

From Terence Young, starring Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya, Daniela Bianchi
Rated PG

From Don Chaffey, starring Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith
Rated G

From Richard Brooks, starring Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode
Rated PG-13

From Terence Young, starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee, Joseph Wiseman
Rated PG

From Peter Collinson, starring Michael Caine, Noël Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone
Rated G

From Terence Young, starring Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi
Rated PG

From Lewis Gilbert, starring Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama, Tetsurô Tanba
Rated PG

From Peter R. Hunt, starring George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Gabriele Ferzetti
Rated PG

From Directors: Michael Curtiz, John Wayne, starring John Wayne, Stuart Whitman, Ina Balin, Nehemiah Persoff
Rated Approved

From Russ Meyer, starring Tura Satana, Haji, Lori Williams, Ray Barlow
Rated Not Rated

From John Sturges, starring Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Jim Brown
Rated G

From Directors: Ishirô Honda, Tom Montgomery, starring Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yû Fujiki, Michael Keith
Rated Not Rated