Top Movies Of 1965

From Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volontè, Mara Krupp
Rated R

For a Few Dollars More is an Italian Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone and released in 1965. It stars Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Gian Maria Volontè. The story follows two bounty hunters, the "Man with No Name" (Eastwood) and Colonel Douglas Mortimer (Van Cleef), who have joined forces to capture the notorious criminal El Indio (Volontè). Along the way they must contend with El Indio's gang, as well as a rival bounty hunter named "Manco" (Eastwood). Ultimately, they must decide which of them will claim the bounty. The film is a classic example of Leone's particular brand of Western, with its iconic music, vivid cinematography, and unique characterization. It was a major success, leading to the follow-up film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).

From Robert Wise, starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
Rated G

The Sound of Music is a 1965 musical film directed by Robert Wise. It tells the story of Maria (Julie Andrews), a young Austrian woman who is sent to be a governess for the seven children of the widowed Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). As Maria teaches the children music and brings happiness to the von Trapp household, she falls in love with their widowed father. Complications arise when Austria is invaded by Nazi Germany, and the von Trapps must try to escape to freedom. The film features memorable songs such as "My Favorite Things", "Do-Re-Mi", "Edelweiss", and the title song "The Sound of Music". It won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest musical films ever made.

From Guy Green, starring Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, Elizabeth Hartman, Wallace Ford
Rated Unrated

A Patch of Blue is a 1965 American drama film directed by Guy Green and starring Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, and Elizabeth Hartman. The film tells the story of Selina, an eighteen-year-old blind girl living in poverty with her abusive and alcoholic mother, Rose-Ann. Selina discovers a new world when she meets Gordon, an educated black man who works in a bookstore. The two form a bond, and Selina comes to learn about the outside world. She also discovers the love and affection that she has been denied for so long. Eventually, Selina must decide whether to stay with her mother or leave her with Gordon and start a new life. Throughout the film, Selina must confront many obstacles in order to find her place in a world she has never seen.

From David Lean, starring Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger
Rated PG-13

Doctor Zhivago is a 1965 British epic drama film directed by David Lean and based on the 1957 Russian novel of the same name by Boris Pasternak. Set between the years of the Russian Revolution of 1905 and 1917, the film follows the story of protagonist Yuri Zhivago, a medical doctor, poet, and revolutionary who is caught in the middle of the struggle between life and death, love and politics. Through war, violence, and separation, Zhivago's journey to find love is put to the test. Along the way he meets Lara, a beautiful woman who also finds herself in a difficult situation between two men she loves. Despite their obstacles, the two eventually find a way to be together. The film is ultimately a story of love, loss, and hope in a world caught between the chaotic forces of revolution and war.

From Sidney Lumet, starring Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Alfred Lynch
Rated Approved

The Hill is a 1965 British drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Sean Connery and Harry Andrews. The film follows a group of British soldiers who are sent to a military prison known as "The Hill" in North Africa during World War II. The soldiers faced harsh and brutal conditions as they were subjected to physical and psychological torture by the prison's commanding officer, Sergeant Major Wilson. The film follows their struggles as they fight to keep their sanity and attempt to survive their confinement. Along the way, they discover the meaning of friendship and loyalty, and ultimately, the power of hope. The Hill is an intense, powerful film that paints a vivid portrait of the horrors of war and provides a poignant examination of human resilience.

From Orson Welles, starring Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, John Gielgud
Rated Not Rated

Chimes at Midnight, released in 1965 and directed by Orson Welles, is based on William Shakespeare's works and tells the story of Sir John Falstaff and his beloved friend, Prince Hal, the future King of England. The film follows the two friends through a series of adventures, showing their loyalty, courage, and friendship. It culminates in a dramatic battle between Hal and his father, King Henry IV, and his long-time enemy, the rebel Hotspur. The film also explores themes such as loyalty and betrayal, as well as complex human relationships and the nature of power. Welles' masterful direction and performances by Keith Baxter, John Gielgud, and Jeanne Moreau make this an unforgettable film.

From Roman Polanski, starring Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Rated Not Rated

Repulsion is a 1965 psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Catherine Deneuve as Carol Ledoux, a Belgian manicurist living in London with her sister Helen (Yvonne Furneaux). Carol, who has a deep-seated repulsion of men, begins to experience increasingly vivid and horrific hallucinations as she withdraws further and further into a state of paranoia, alienation and psychosis. After a traumatic sexual encounter with a man she meets in a bar, her mental state deteriorates and she begins to unravel, with tragic consequences. The film is a chilling exploration of mental illness and its effects.

From Otto Preminger, starring Keir Dullea, Carol Lynley, Laurence Olivier, Martita Hunt
Rated Not Rated

From Blake Edwards, starring Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk
Rated Passed

From Directors: Norman Jewison, Sam Peckinpah, starring Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden
Rated TV-14

From Henry Hathaway, starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Michael Anderson Jr.
Rated Passed

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

From Elliot Silverstein, starring Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan, Dwayne Hickman
Rated Not Rated

From Sam Peckinpah, starring Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, Jim Hutton, James Coburn
Rated PG-13