MY TOP 30+ MOVIES FOR 1965 (in list order)
by DukeEman | created - 19 Jul 2012 | updated - 3 months ago | PublicPolanski's madness; foreign movies take over, and Orson Welles still knows how to make them.
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1. Repulsion (1965)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
A sex-repulsed woman who disapproves of her sister's boyfriend sinks into depression and has horrific visions of rape and violence.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Votes: 57,240
Polanski dwells into madness with the amazing talents of Deneuve...
2. Intimate Lighting (1965)
TV-PG | 71 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
One of the most important films of the Czech New Wave 60s, it was ranked among the top ten domestic films of all time. In this original sad comedy set in a small town, two classmates meet ... See full summary »
Director: Ivan Passer | Stars: Karel Blazek, Zdenek Bezusek, Vera Kresadlová, Jan Vostrcil
Votes: 1,657
Passer hits a bullseye....
3. Shenandoah (1965)
Approved | 105 min | Drama, War, Western
A Virginia farmer who has vowed to remain neutral during the Civil War is spurred into action when his youngest son is taken by Union soldiers.
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen | Stars: James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne
Votes: 9,621
A somewhat pacifist during the American Civil War protects his family and ranch by keeping out of the battle. But when the war comes to his doorstep, the family man is dragged into it in order to protect his loved ones. One of the best anti-war films of its time...
4. The Shop on Main Street (1965)
Not Rated | 128 min | Drama, War
A carpenter in the Fascist Slovak State is appointed "Aryan controller" of a Jewish widow's store.
Directors: Ján Kadár, Elmar Klos | Stars: Ida Kaminska, Jozef Kroner, Frantisek Zvarík, Hana Slivková
Votes: 9,719
A thought provoking near classic...
5. Alphaville (1965)
Not Rated | 99 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A U.S. secret agent is sent to the distant space city of Alphaville where he must find a missing person and free the city from its tyrannical ruler.
Director: Jean-Luc Godard | Stars: Eddie Constantine, Anna Karina, Akim Tamiroff, Valérie Boisgel
Votes: 27,573 | Gross: $0.05M
Love it when Godard goes totally weird and surreal...
6. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
R | 132 min | Drama, Western
Two bounty hunters with the same intentions team up to track down a gang of outlaws led by a psychotic Mexican bandit, who is plotting an audacious bank robbery.
Director: Sergio Leone | Stars: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volontè, Mara Krupp
Votes: 274,355 | Gross: $15.00M
The sequel that stands on its own and prepares us for the masterpiece...
7. Red Beard (1965)
Not Rated | 185 min | Drama
In 19th-century Japan, a rough-tempered yet charitable town doctor trains a young intern.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yûzô Kayama, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Reiko Dan
Votes: 21,074
The lighter side of Kurosawa and Mifune...
8. Chimes at Midnight (1965)
Not Rated | 115 min | Comedy, Drama, History
When King Henry IV ascends to the throne, his heir, the Prince of Wales, is befriended by Sir John Falstaff, an old, overweight, fun-loving habitual liar. Through Falstaff's eyes we see the reign of King Henry IV and the rise of Henry V.
Director: Orson Welles | Stars: Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, John Gielgud
Votes: 10,138 | Gross: $0.12M
Welles forever attempting to win back his glory...
9. Loves of a Blonde (1965)
Not Rated | 88 min | Comedy, Romance, Drama
A factory manager in rural Czechoslovakia bargains with the army to send men to the area, to boost the morale of his young female workers, deprived of male company since the local boys have... See full summary »
Director: Milos Forman | Stars: Hana Brejchová, Vladimír Pucholt, Vladimír Mensík, Josef Sebánek
Votes: 9,356
Cheeky Forman knows how to poke fun at the authorities...
10. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
Approved | 112 min | Drama, Thriller
Instead of coming in from the Cold War, British agent Alec Leamas chooses to face another mission.
Director: Martin Ritt | Stars: Richard Burton, Oskar Werner, Claire Bloom, Sam Wanamaker
Votes: 18,791
Great book, and a taunt film...
11. Happiness (1965)
Not Rated | 80 min | Drama, Romance
François, a young carpenter, lives a happy, uncomplicated life with his wife Thérèse and their two small children. One day he meets Emilie, a clerk in the local post office.
Director: Agnès Varda | Stars: Jean-Claude Drouot, Marie-France Boyer, Marcelle Faure-Bertin, Manon Lanclos
Votes: 9,493
Varda does well with the taboo subject of infidelity for its time...
12. A Patch of Blue (1965)
Unrated | 105 min | Drama, Romance
A blind, uneducated white girl is befriended by a black man who becomes determined to help her escape her impoverished and abusive home life by introducing her to the outside world.
Director: Guy Green | Stars: Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, Elizabeth Hartman, Wallace Ford
Votes: 9,529
As a child, this movie always fascinated me...
13. Pierrot the Fool (1965)
Not Rated | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
Pierrot escapes his boring society and travels from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianne, a girl chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.
Director: Jean-Luc Godard | Stars: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Anna Karina, Graziella Galvani, Aicha Abadir
Votes: 36,905
Godardian satire with the best of French cinema...
14. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
TV-14 | 102 min | Drama
An up-and-coming poker player tries to prove himself in a high-stakes match against a long-time master of the game.
Directors: Norman Jewison, Sam Peckinpah | Stars: Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden
Votes: 18,200 | Gross: $15.26M
Perfect for McQueen...
15. The Great Race (1965)
Passed | 160 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
In the early 20th century, two rivals, the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate, engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris.
Director: Blake Edwards | Stars: Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk
Votes: 19,803 | Gross: $25.33M
A hoot of a wacky race...
16. Viva Maria! (1965)
Not Rated | 119 min | Adventure, Comedy, Romance
Somewhere in Central America in 1907: Maria II is the daughter of an Irish terrorist. After her father's death, she meets Maria I, a singer in a circus. She decides to stay with the circus,... See full summary »
Director: Louis Malle | Stars: Brigitte Bardot, Jeanne Moreau, George Hamilton, Paulette Dubost
Votes: 3,965
Two screen legends in Louis Malle's cinematic classic action comedy that pokes fun at the bad guys in the revolution...
17. Juliet of the Spirits (1965)
Not Rated | 137 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Visions, memories, and mysticism all help a 40-something woman to find the strength to leave her cheating husband.
Director: Federico Fellini | Stars: Giulietta Masina, Sandra Milo, Mario Pisu, Valentina Cortese
Votes: 14,708 | Gross: $0.08M
Fellini goes all feminine with wonderful results...
18. Cat Ballou (1965)
Not Rated | 97 min | Western
A young schoolteacher turns into an outlaw to avenge her murdered father.
Director: Elliot Silverstein | Stars: Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan, Dwayne Hickman
Votes: 16,178 | Gross: $20.67M
Marvin is perfect, and so is Jane...
19. The Collector (1965)
Not Rated | 119 min | Drama, Thriller
A man kidnaps a woman and holds her hostage just for the pleasure of having her there.
Director: William Wyler | Stars: Terence Stamp, Samantha Eggar, Mona Washbourne, Maurice Dallimore
Votes: 11,937
Always found this movie fascinatingly eerie...
20. Fists in the Pocket (1965)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama
A young man takes drastic measures to rid his dysfunctional family of its various afflictions.
Director: Marco Bellocchio | Stars: Lou Castel, Paola Pitagora, Marino Masé, Liliana Gerace
Votes: 4,904
Bellocchio's controversial debut takes a swipe at Italian morals of that era with some interest to today's audience (2020s), but still a creative work of classic cinema...
21. The Sound of Music (1965)
G | 172 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.
Director: Robert Wise | Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
Votes: 260,523 | Gross: $163.21M
Fun for the family...
22. The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
Approved | 142 min | Adventure, Drama
After an oil company plane crashes in the Sahara, the survivors are buoyed with hope by one of the passengers, an airplane designer who plans for them to build a flyable plane from the wreckage.
Director: Robert Aldrich | Stars: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger
Votes: 22,390
Aldrich gets to finally work on some decent material with a great cast...
23. Lord Jim (1965)
Not Rated | 154 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
After being discredited as a coward, a 19th century seaman lives for only one purpose: to redeem himself.
Director: Richard Brooks | Stars: Peter O'Toole, James Mason, Curd Jürgens, Eli Wallach
Votes: 4,261
Another interesting piece from an underrated writer/director with a perfect third act...
24. The Ashes (1965)
234 min | Drama, History, War
Set in the time of Napoleon wars, shows how the wars swept over the unfortunate Polish country at the beginning of the 19th century. Story revolves around the Polish legion under command of... See full summary »
Director: Andrzej Wajda | Stars: Daniel Olbrychski, Boguslaw Kierc, Piotr Wysocki, Beata Tyszkiewicz
Votes: 465
Wajda attempts to create a near masterpiece but falls short...
25. Strange Bedfellows (1965)
98 min | Comedy, Romance
Carter meets Toni and impulsively marries her. They disagree on everything and finally separate. Seven years later, on the eve of their divorce, they meet again and spend the night together.
Director: Melvin Frank | Stars: Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Gig Young, Edward Judd
Votes: 1,124
Melvin Frank and Norman Panama construct an amusing screwball lampooning culture differences...
26. Lady L (1965)
Not Rated | 117 min | Comedy
L's elegant, elderly lady who recalls her past loves and lusty adventures of her life.
Director: Peter Ustinov | Stars: Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, David Niven, Marcel Dalio
Votes: 1,309
A curious piece from Ustinov and a surprising cast...
27. The Art of Love (1965)
99 min | Comedy
Struggling artist fakes his own death so his works will increase in value.
Director: Norman Jewison | Stars: James Garner, Dick Van Dyke, Elke Sommer, Angie Dickinson
Votes: 990 | Gross: $7.63M
Carl Reiner uses his wit to create a Parisian farce about art, love and death...
28. The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
Passed | 122 min | Drama, Western
Ranch owner Katie Elder's four sons determine to avenge the murder of their father and the swindling of their mother.
Director: Henry Hathaway | Stars: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Michael Anderson Jr.
Votes: 19,172 | Gross: $13.33M
Don't know how Deano got in there, but still a fine western drama...
29. La mandragola (1965)
95 min | Comedy
Adaptation of the comic play by Macchiavelli about a man's attempt to bed a woman unable to have a child by pretending to be a doctor.
Director: Alberto Lattuada | Stars: Rosanna Schiaffino, Philippe Leroy, Romolo Valli, Nilla Pizzi
Votes: 318
Another hit and miss from a very underrated director...
30. Thunderball (1965)
PG | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond heads to the Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Agent Emilio Largo in an international extortion scheme.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi
Votes: 126,986 | Gross: $63.60M
My favourite of the Connery Bonds...
31. Mickey One (1965)
Not Rated | 93 min | Crime, Drama
After the mob tries to kill him for an unknown reason, a comedian steals the identity of a homeless man and goes on the run.
Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Warren Beatty, Alexandra Stewart, Hurd Hatfield, Franchot Tone
Votes: 1,876
What an interesting attempt by Penn and Beatty...
32. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
PG-13 | 197 min | Drama, Romance, War
The life of a Russian physician and poet who, although married to another, falls in love with a political activist's wife and experiences hardship during World War I and then the October Revolution.
Director: David Lean | Stars: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger
Votes: 82,008 | Gross: $111.72M
A mild spectacular soap opera...
33. Walkover (1965)
77 min | Drama, Sport
A young boxer Andrzej Leszczyc not only has to face a tough boxing opponent but needs to make some serious personal and professional choices.
Director: Jerzy Skolimowski | Stars: Jerzy Skolimowski, Aleksandra Zawieruszanka, Krzysztof Chamiec, Andrzej Herder
Votes: 519
Skolimowski still a film student at heart...
34. How to Murder Your Wife (1965)
Approved | 118 min | Comedy
A dedicated bachelor drunkenly marries a young woman and immediately lives to regret it.
Director: Richard Quine | Stars: Jack Lemmon, Virna Lisi, Terry-Thomas, Eddie Mayehoff
Votes: 6,942 | Gross: $12.47M
Lemon makes it work...
35. Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes (1965)
G | 138 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
Hoping to push Britain to the forefront of aviation, a London publisher organizes an international air race across the English Channel, but must contend with two entrants vying for his daughter, as well as national rivalries and cheating.
Director: Ken Annakin | Stars: Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Alberto Sordi
Votes: 9,224 | Gross: $31.11M
Pure silly delight...
36. Major Dundee (1965)
PG-13 | 123 min | Adventure, Drama, War
In 1864, due to frequent Apache raids from Mexico into the U.S., a Union officer decides to illegally cross the border and destroy the Apache, using a mixed army of Union troops, Confederate POWs, civilian mercenaries, and scouts.
Director: Sam Peckinpah | Stars: Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, Jim Hutton, James Coburn
Votes: 8,821 | Gross: $0.01M
Peckinpah preparing for his future masterpiece, or did the studio butcher this one...
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