Cinema 1960: You Must Remember This–Movies, Stars, Events
Cineliteracy: What You Need to Know about 1960 in terms of Movies and Pop Culture
Top-Grossing Films (U.S.)
Rank Title Studio Box-office gross rental
1 Spartacus Universal Pictures/Bryna Productions $14,000,000
2 Psycho Paramount Pictures, $9,100,000
3 Exodus United Artists $8,500,000
4 Swiss Family Robinson Walt Disney/Buena Vista Distribution $8,100,000
5 The Alamo United Artists/Batjac Productions $7,900,000
6 The World of Suzie Wong Paramount Pictures $7,500,000
7 BUtterfield 8 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer $6,800,000
8 The Apartment United Artists/The Mirisch Company $6,700,000
9 Ocean’s 11 Warner Bros. $5,500,000
10 From the Terrace 20th Century Fox $5,200,000
After Psycho was released, Paramount transferred the film rights to Hitchcock, who sold the distribution rights to Universal Pictures in 1962.
Events
March 5 –
Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood to film G.I. Blues
June 16 –
Premiere of Hitchcock’s landmark film, Psycho in the US. Controversial since release, it sets new standards in violence and sexuality on screen, and is a critical influence on the emerging slasher genre.
August 10 –
Filming of West Side Story begins.
October 6 & December 16 –
Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten, receives screenwriting credit for his work on Spartacus and Exodus, released in the US on these dates.
October 27 –
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning released, first of the British social-realist wave.
November 4 –
Filming wraps on The Misfits, starring Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, the last film for both (though Monroe will be working on another at the time of her death).
Golden Globe Awards, March 16, 1961
Academy Awards, April 17, 1961
Drama Comedy or Musical
Best Film Spartacus The Apartment (Comedy)
Song Without End (Musical) The Apartment
Best Director Jack Cardiff, Sons and Lovers
Billy Wilder, The Apartment
Best Actor Burt Lancaster
Elmer Gantry Jack Lemmon
The Apartment Burt Lancaster
Elmer Gantry
Best Actress Greer Garson
Sunrise at Campobello Shirley MacLaine
The Apartment
Elizabeth Taylor, BUtterfield 8
Best Supporting Actor Sal Mineo
Exodus Peter Ustinov
Spartacus
Best Supporting Actress Janet Leigh
Psycho Shirley Jones
Elmer Gantry
Best Foreign Language Film La Vérité
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
The Virgin Spring The Virgin Spring
Seminal Movies:
Peeping Tom by Michael Powell
Psycho by Hitchcock
Shadows by John Cassavetes
Oscar Awards
Best Actress
Oscar: Elizabeth Taylor, Butterfield 8
N.Y. Film Critics Circle: Deborah Kerr, The Sundowners
National Board: Greer Garson, Sunrise at Campobello
Golden Globes: Greer Garson (drama); Shirley MacLaine, The Apartment (comedy)
Cannes Film Fest: Melina Mercouri, Never on Sunday
Venice Film Fest: Shirley MacLaine, The Apartment
Berlin Film Fest: Juliette Mayniel, Country Fair
British Awards: Shirley MacLaine, The Apartment; Rachel Roberts, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
Best Actor
Oscar: Burt Lancaster, Elmer Gantry
N.Y. Film Critics Circle: Burt Lancaster, Elmer Gantry
National Board: Robert Mitchum, The Sundowners, Home from the Hill
Golden Globes: Burt Lancaster, Elmer Gantry
Cannes Film Fest: Not Awarded
Venice Film Fest: John Mills, Tunes of Glory
Berlin Film Fest: Fredric March, Inherit the Wind
British Awards: Jack Lemmon, The Apartment; Peter Finch, The Trials of Oscar Wilde
Supporting Actress
Oscar: Shirley Jones, Elmer Gantry
National Board: Shirley Jones, Elmer Gantry
Golden Globes: Janet Leigh, Psycho
Supporting Actor
Oscar: Peter Ustinov, Spartacus
National Board: George Peppard, Home from the Hill
Golden Globes: Sal Mineo, Exodus
