The 10 Worst Films of the 1960's

Here is a continued look at the worst movies of the decade. This time we take a look at the ten worst films of the 1960's. As usual I am not going for obvious choices like the slew of teenage beach movies or teen motorcycle films. I am also avoiding anything that has Roger Corman's name on it, especially those shot in 2 days or less.

Here is the list of the ten worst films in alphabetical order:

THE ARRANGEMENT (1969) - Elia Kazan wrote and directed (from his novel) this dud about a Madison Avenue executive who goes mad and decides to re-evaluate his life, family, mistress and future. Kirk Douglas, Faye Dunaway and Deborah Kerr lent their considerable talents to the project apparently unaware that audiences don't want to watch a film's hero go mad unless it is well written (it isn't), interesting (no way) and involving (not in the least). Kazan's career nadir, he would only make one more movie and that would be 7 years later.

THE BIBLE (1966) - The first 22 chapters of Genesis are covered in this endlessly long (three hours) film that ultimately proved that even the greatest book ever written could be translated into a lousy movie. John Huston directed this mess and co-stars as Noah (looking inebriated) while also providing the voice of God. George C. Scott, Ava Gardner, Richard Harris and Peter O'Toole contribute to the mess all looking as if they would rather be having dinner and drinks at the pub.

CAPRICE (1967) - Doris Day's career was winding down when she made this awful spy comedy with Richard Harris as the two teamed up for some international intrigue. Day herself admitted later the film was nothing more then a cheap take-off on James Bond and a lousy one at that. Ms. Day knows of what she smells.

CASINO ROYALE (1967) - Now that Daniel Craig has taken over the role of James Bond in the serious version of this Ian Fleming novel, this version looks all the more inept. This version is a spoof with David Niven as 007 and Woody Allen as his nebbish nephew. The film is all over the map possibly due to the ridiculous decision to have 5 different directors (including John Huston) shoot different segments and then edit them together later. To say the film is wildly uneven is an understatement considering the acting talents of Peter Sellers, Orson Welles, Deborah Kerr, Jacqueline Bisset, Ursula Andress, William Holden, Charles Boyer and Peter O'Toole are utilized and, for the most part, wasted. Sellers and Welles hated each other so much that there scenes together had to be shot separately on different days as each actor absolutely refused to be on the set with the other. Can you imagine a film with Peter Sellers and Woody Allen not being funny? You'd never believe it until you see this film.

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (1968) - Dick Van Dyke tried to duplicate his "Mary Poppins" success with another children's musical playing the inventor of a flying car for the purpose of entertaining children and ended up with a major dud that only the youngest of children enjoyed. The film is saddled with some of the worst special effects ever seen and awful songs - not a good thing for a musical.

CLEOPATRA (1963) - The first major Hollywood box office disaster nearly bankrupt 20^th Century Fox. The film runs for over 4 hours with nothing happening for three of them thus resulting in some of the worst glutial pain ever experienced. The film was a curiosity back then because of the well-publicized romance between the already married Elizabeth Taylor (to Eddie Fisher) and Richard Burton and also to see Taylor's performance as she was the first to be paid $1,000,000 to act. Today it is seen as a lavish looking disaster. The film does provide two strong performances from Rex Harrison and Roddy McDowall but even the studio got caught up in the stupidity of it all when they accidentally submitted McDowall's name to the Academy for Best Actor instead of Best Supporting Actor. That gaffe surely cost him a nomination.

DOCTOR DOLITTLE (1967) - A gargantuan flop of a children's musical about a doctor who has the unique gift of communicating with animals. Rex Harrison starred in the title role and it's obvious early on he didn't want to be there. Shortly after signing Harrison realized the error of his ways and tried to walk away from the film only to be talked out of it. Whoever did that likely didn't do much advising after that. This colossal dud featured the song "Talk To The Animals" and about a half dozen forgettable ditties. Somehow this film became the worst film ever to be nominated for Best Picture causing author Truman Capote, whose book "In Cold Blood" had been adapted into a powerful film that was overlooked for Best Picture to say, "Obviously the Academy does not judge its pictures on merit." After seeing this two and a half hour film, which more then one critic suggested would be perfect for taking wound up kids to in an effort to help them sleep, Capote may have been right.

THE GREEN BERETS (1968) - Before the country new exactly what was happening in Vietnam, John Wayne made the first major movie on the subject and basically made a Western set in the jungle. To know what happened is to be even more offended by the laughable material then you would be anyway. Wayne also directed this mess of a film that may be a curio today but represents why a little research goes a long, long way. And let's not forget the classic final shot where the sun sets in the East!

THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE (1965) - Robert Aldrich directed this awful Hollywood soap opera about a has-been director (Peter Finch) who finds a woman (Kim Novak) who resembles his late wife and tries to mold her into the movie star the wife once was. The film is filled with the usual clichés of sex, lust, murder and suicide but it's all thrown in with a grain of salt with the characters so poorly written you don't give a hoot what happened and why. And it takes an excruciatingly long two plus hours to get to the who cares conclusion.

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1967) - One of the most popular books of the 20^th century was this soap opera potboiler by Jacqueline Susann about three women in show business. Pill popping and sex are the stars of the show as we watch these women deteriorate before our eyes at the hands of an awful, heavy-handed script by director Mark Robson. The film did provide a memorable opening credits title song but it's all down hill after that. Despite the critical lashing the public ate it up much like the novel.