Lights, camera, action!
The Academy Award for Best Picture is possibly the most coveted merit in the film industry. Marking the landmark movies of their era and genre, films that are deemed worthy of this award are on every film enthusiast’s “to-watch” list.
Here are the Oscar winners for Best Motion Picture in the 60s that are sure to make your list.
1960 – “The Apartment”
Directed by Billy Wilder, “The Apartment” is not your average Christmas eve romantic comedy. C.C. Baxter, played by Jack Lemmon is a lonely insurance worker who lends his apartment to a handful of company executives on a rotating basis for their illicit affairs in exchange for a good word to the boss and hints on promotions. The film ended up getting the cake despite a few early critics’ disapprobation due to the story line being in “poor taste”.
1961 – “West Side Story”
This one is a must see regardless of whether you like romance or not. The motion picture is adapted from the 1957 Broadway musical which was inspired by Shakespeare’s tragic Romeo and Juliet. You might want to revisit this classic some time soon as Steven Spielberg has recently announced that he’ll be diving into a remake starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler.
1962 – “Lawrence of Arabia”
This historical drama is based on T.E. Lawrence’s life and revolves around the protagonist’s struggles with conflicted loyalties to Britain and his new found Arabic comrades during World War I. It eventually won seven out of ten Oscars it was nominated for.
1963 – “Tom Jones”
Another comedy that snatched the award is “Tom Jones”. Set in the 18thcentury Tom tries to find true love while being stigmatized for being an illegitimate child. The movie is unusual in the sense that it breaks the fourth wall at times and there exists an unseen narrator.
1964 – “My Fair Lady”
You sure have heard about this one as it’s a cult classic musical! The famous movie portrays Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), a phonetics professor who claims to be able to teach any woman “properly” so that he can pass her off as a duchess; and thus begins his teachings with Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), a vulgar flower girl. The masterpiece is worth watching just for the acting alone.
1965 – “The Sound of Music”
It’s safe to say that the 60s was the era of musicals as far as the Academy awards go. Derivative from the title, the movie is a musical drama based on the memoir “The Stroy of the Trap Family Singers” by Maria von Trapp. It’s worth noting that the film was once deemed to be culturally, historically and aesthetically significant by the US Library of Congress.
1966 – “A Man for All Seasons”
This biographical period drama is based on the life of Sir Thomas More who opposes King Henry VIII in order to to divorce his current wife and marry Anne Boleyn. It sure is a thrilling watch that will captivate both your heart and your mind through a visual feast.
1967 – “In the Heat of the Night”
Straying away from the previously predominant genres of comedy and musicals, the Academy honours this Southern criminal-mystery drama with the award for Best Motion Picture in ’67. The screenplay explores racial tension as an African-American detective is involved in a murder case in the hostile South.
1968 – “Oliver!”
The British musical drama directed by Carol Reed, is the big screen adaptation of non other than Charles Dickens’ everlasting original Oliver Twist. Need we say more?
1969 – “Midnight Cowboy”
Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight play two unusual friends amidst the desolate and chaotic urban jungle that is New York. Needless to say they find themselves in quite adventurous situations as they “hustle” and try to survive in the big city.
