Category: 1960s

Alvarez Kelly: William Holden as the charming Irish Senor caught between Unionists and Richard Widmark in this Civil-war-era Western

Alvarez Kelly (1966), directed by Edward Dmytryk, is a big scale Western adventure set during the Civil War and stars William Holden and Richard Widmark in lead roles. “In every war, in every age, the forgotten weapon is food… a herd of cattle is as vital as a herd of cannon.” Edward Dmytryk's 1966 Civil-war … Continue reading Alvarez Kelly: William Holden as the charming Irish Senor caught between Unionists and Richard Widmark in this Civil-war-era Western →

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Two Rode Together: John Ford attempted a small-scale, satirical reworking of ‘The Searchers’ starring James Stewart and Richard Widmark

Two Rode Together (1961), directed by John Ford and starring James Stewart and Richard Widmark in lead role, finds the great American director attempting a satirical, quasi-sequel to his classic Western, "The Searchers (1956)." The 1956 film, "The Searchers," is perhaps the greatest Western ever made, and certainly one of the greatest American films ever … Continue reading Two Rode Together: John Ford attempted a small-scale, satirical reworking of ‘The Searchers’ starring James Stewart and Richard Widmark →

Duel at Diablo: Sidney Poitier is one dandy broncobuster and James Garner is the tough frontier scout in this thrilling ‘Cavalry Vs Indians’ Western

Duel at Diablo (1966), directed by Ralph Nelson, is a thrilling, action-packed Western starring James Garner in his first Big screen Western,, Sidney Poitier in his first Western and Bibi Andersson in her first American film. There are three things that immediately strike you once you start watching Ralph Nelson's "Duel at Diablo (1966)." First, … Continue reading Duel at Diablo: Sidney Poitier is one dandy broncobuster and James Garner is the tough frontier scout in this thrilling ‘Cavalry Vs Indians’ Western →

Shenandoah: James Stewart stars as the family patriarch driven to rescue his young son from the Yankees in this fine Civil-war-era family saga

Shenandoah (1965), directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, stars James Stewart in the lead role of a politically neutral Virginian farmer who gets caught up in the civil war and loses most of his family during the 1864 campaign by the North to capture the Shenandoah valley. The Shenandoah Valley, or the Valley of Virginia, was, … Continue reading Shenandoah: James Stewart stars as the family patriarch driven to rescue his young son from the Yankees in this fine Civil-war-era family saga →

Cat Ballou: Lee Marvin runs riot in an Oscar winning duel role in this whimsical Western

Cat Ballou (1965), starring Jane Fonda in the title role and Lee Marvin in a duel role is a whimsical Western that at once parodies Western tropes as well as manages to become a classic Western in its own right. The best actor Oscar is more often than not given to very serious performances; performances … Continue reading Cat Ballou: Lee Marvin runs riot in an Oscar winning duel role in this whimsical Western →

The Killers: A slick Lee Marvin and a quirky Clu Gulager are fantastic together in Don Siegel’s Technicolor Noir

The Killers (1964), directed by Don Siegel, is the second film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's eponymous short story. The film features Lee Marvin, Clu Gulager, Angie Dickinson and Ronald Reagan in his final film role. "I approve of larceny; homicide is against my principles" That's Ronald Reagan talking to his lieutenants- sitting on a big … Continue reading The Killers: A slick Lee Marvin and a quirky Clu Gulager are fantastic together in Don Siegel’s Technicolor Noir →

Flaming Star: Elvis Presley at his very best as a dramatic actor in Don Siegel’s dark & violent Western

Flaming Star(1960), directed by Don Siegel, is a dark & violent Western that deals with racism and culture-clash in the old-West. The film has Elvis Presley, in a full-fledged dramatic role, giving a terrific performance as a half-breed torn between his white father and Kiowa mother. Apart from being the 'King of Rock & Roll" … Continue reading Flaming Star: Elvis Presley at his very best as a dramatic actor in Don Siegel’s dark & violent Western →

Coogan’s Bluff: Don Siegel’s solid Cop drama transformed Clint Eastwood from a ‘Western’ hero into a modern action hero

Coogan's Bluff(1968) was the first collaboration between director Don Siegel and Star, Clint Eastwood. The film effectively transformed Clint from a star of Westerns into a modern, urban action hero. Clint Eastwood is a multitalented movie superstar; he acts, directs, produces and even composes music, but, over and above all this, what I find most … Continue reading Coogan’s Bluff: Don Siegel’s solid Cop drama transformed Clint Eastwood from a ‘Western’ hero into a modern action hero →

Will Penny: Charlton Heston gives one of his greatest performances as the aging, aching cowboy in this gritty, melancholic Western

Will Penny (1968), written and directed by Tom Gries, is a gritty, melancholic Western starring Charlton Heston as the titular hero. The film features Heston, who usually plays larger-then-life roles, as a very down to earth, aging cowboy. From Moses to Michelangelo, and from El Cid to Gordon of Khartoum, Charlton Heston specialized in playing epic, … Continue reading Will Penny: Charlton Heston gives one of his greatest performances as the aging, aching cowboy in this gritty, melancholic Western →

You Only Live Twice: This silly but spectacular & exotic Sean Connery Bond film has become one of the most iconic & seminal films in the James Bond franchise

You only Live Twice (1967), directed by Lewis Gilbert, is the fifth film in the James Bond film Franchise, with Sean Connery playing MI6 agent, James Bond created by novelist Ian Fleming. Though the film is the silliest Sean Connery Bond film, with an emphasis on fantastical sets and over-the-top action set-pieces over plot & … Continue reading You Only Live Twice: This silly but spectacular & exotic Sean Connery Bond film has become one of the most iconic & seminal films in the James Bond franchise →

From Russia with Love: Sean Connery at his very best as James Bond in one of the greatest Bond films that’s also a terrific Cold-war thriller

From Russia with Love (1963) is the second film in the James Bond film franchise. Directed by Terrence Young and starring Sean Connery as Ian Fleming's MI6 agent 007 James Bond, the film is one of the greatest Bond films ever made that captures the cold-war induced tension and paranoia of the '60s perfectly. From … Continue reading From Russia with Love: Sean Connery at his very best as James Bond in one of the greatest Bond films that’s also a terrific Cold-war thriller →

Khartoum: Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier battle it out in this visually stunning war epic that has great contemporary relevance

Khartoum(1966), directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier, is the last of the Cinerama roadshow epics of the 1960s. The film has Heston playing British hero, Charles 'Chinese' Gordon, who tries to save the city of Khartoum from the invading armies of Olivier's Mahdi. Western imperialism Vs Islamic fundamentalism, that's the … Continue reading Khartoum: Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier battle it out in this visually stunning war epic that has great contemporary relevance →

The Undefeated: John Wayne and Rock Hudson teamed up for this epic, civil-war era, south-of-the-border Western

The Undefeated(1969), directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson in lead roles, is a lavishly mounted, epic Western set during the final days of the American civil war. Loosely based on Confederate States Army General Joseph Orville Shelby's escape to Mexico - with approximately 1,000 of his remaining troops (men later immortalized as "the undefeated" … Continue reading The Undefeated: John Wayne and Rock Hudson teamed up for this epic, civil-war era, south-of-the-border Western →

The Alamo: John Wayne produced, directed, and starred in this stirring epic War-Western

The Alamo(1960), based on the 'Battle of Alamo' that took place in the year 1836, is an epic historical-war Western produced and Directed by John Wayne. This was Wayne's directorial debut, and he also played the role of Davy Crockett in the film alongside an ensemble cast that comprised of Richard Widmark and Laurence Harvey. … Continue reading The Alamo: John Wayne produced, directed, and starred in this stirring epic War-Western →

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The final collaboration between Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone resulted in one of the greatest and most entertaining Westerns of all time

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the third and final film in the 'Man with no Name' trilogy from the actor-director team of Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone. This rip-roaring Spaghetti Western, co-starring Lee Van Cleef and Eli Walach, is not just one of the greatest Westerns, but one of the greatest films … Continue reading The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The final collaboration between Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone resulted in one of the greatest and most entertaining Westerns of all time →

One-Eyed Jacks: The only film directed by Marlon Brando is one of the greatest and most original Westerns ever made

One-Eyed Jacks (1961) is the only film directed by acting legend, Marlon Brando. The film is a one-of-a-kind Western that mixes the glossy production values of old-Hollywood with the emotional values of an emerging new-Hollywood, with its complex plot and morally ambiguous protagonists. "one may smile, and smile, and be a villain" from William Shakespeare's … Continue reading One-Eyed Jacks: The only film directed by Marlon Brando is one of the greatest and most original Westerns ever made →

The Last Sunset: Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson stars in Robert Aldrich’s lyrical, melodramatic Western that plays like a Greek tragedy

The Last Sunset (1961), directed by Robert Aldrich, written by Dalton Trumbo, and starring Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas and Dorothy Malone in lead roles, is a melodramatic Western that brings a modern tone to the relationship dynamics between the lead protagonists. Adapted from Howard Rigsby’s Western novel "Sundown at Crazy Horse", "The Last Sunset (1961)" was … Continue reading The Last Sunset: Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson stars in Robert Aldrich’s lyrical, melodramatic Western that plays like a Greek tragedy →

The Great Escape: John Sturges’ magnum opus is the ultimate WWII POW Escape adventure that made stars out of Steve McQueen, James Garner and Charles Bronson

The Great Escape (1963), directed by John Sturges from the eponymous non-fiction book by Paul Brickhill, features Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Garner, Richard Attenborough and others as Allied POWs involved in the greatest escape attempt from a POW camp in Germany during WWII. Director John Sturges' The Great Escape (1963) marks the zenith of … Continue reading The Great Escape: John Sturges’ magnum opus is the ultimate WWII POW Escape adventure that made stars out of Steve McQueen, James Garner and Charles Bronson →

Zulu: Michael Caine and Stanley Baker stars in this most beloved of British war epics that celebrates valor but does not become a celebration of imperialism

Zulu(1964), directed by Cy Endfield and starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine in lead roles, is an epic war film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulu impi in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War. "In the hundred years since the Victoria Cross was created for valor and extreme courage beyond that normally expected of a … Continue reading Zulu: Michael Caine and Stanley Baker stars in this most beloved of British war epics that celebrates valor but does not become a celebration of imperialism →

Planet of the Apes: Charlton Heston is terrific as the misanthrope enslaved by simians in this landmark Sci-Fi classic

Planet of the Apes(1968), starring Charlton Heston and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, is one of the most influential Sci-fi movies ever made. The film that spawned several sequels and reboots was adapted from Pierre Boulle's 1963 French novel, La Planète des Singes, and portrays a futuristic society in which Apes are the dominant species … Continue reading Planet of the Apes: Charlton Heston is terrific as the misanthrope enslaved by simians in this landmark Sci-Fi classic →