Welcome to the Hilarious World of the 1960s
So you are one of those keen comedy lovers, who like to travel back in time to experience the humor of earlier cinematic eras. So are we!
The funny stuff of the 1960s may be a thing of the distant past, but thanks to an enthralling, good old invention called Film, it will never be really gone.
Whenever you miss the swinging sixties and want to laugh your heart out, all you have to do, is watching one (or more) of its best comedies.
But which ones should you watch?
Well, if that’s the very question lurking in your mind right now, then you came to the right place. We are just about to present 21 of the greatest comedy films of the 1960s.
This is not your average comedy list featuring only the funniest and stupidest films. We treat comedy as the broad genre it actually is. Thus, we tried to diversify this collection as much as possible.
We picked romantic comedies, comedy-dramas, mystery comedies, crime comedies, adventure comedies, black comedies, musical comedies, fantasy comedies, superhero comedies, heist comedies, satirical comedies, horror comedies, science fiction comedies, buddy comedies, caper comedies, mockumentary comedies and everything in between.
Ready to see the list? Buckle up then, and let the best comedies of the 1960s make you laugh out loud!
This collection is an episode of FrameTrek’s Best Comedies of All Time. A mega-journey dedicated to identify the funniest films of each cinematic era, chronologically. It starts with the Comedies of the Silent Era and wanders ahead decade-by-decade, all the way to our ever moving present.
Revealing the Top 21 Comedies of the 1960s
Chronologically
The Apartment (1960)
Romantic comedy-drama film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon.
Story: A man tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue. (IMDB)
Director Billy Wilder’s customary cynicism is leavened here by tender humor, romance, and genuine pathos.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Apartment among the funniest movies of the 1960s?
✓ Featured in Roger Ebert’s Great Movies list.
✓ Winner of Oscar’s Best Picture of the Year Academy Award.
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
La Dolce Vita (1960)
Comedy-drama film directed and co-written by Federico Fellini.
Story: A series of stories following a week in the life of a philandering paparazzo journalist living in Rome. (IMDB)
An epic, breathtakingly stylish cinematic landmark, La Dolce Vita remains riveting in spite of — or perhaps because of — its sprawling length.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is La Dolce Vita among the funniest films of the 1960s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
✓ Featured in Roger Ebert’s Great Movies list.
✓ It won the Palme d’Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Costumes.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Romantic comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and starring Audrey Hepburn.
Story: A young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building, but her past threatens to get in the way. (IMDB)
It contains some ugly anachronisms, but Blake Edwards is at his funniest in this iconic classic, and Audrey Hepburn absolutely lights up the screen.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Breakfast at Tiffany’s among the best 1960s comedy films?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Winner of 2 Academy Awards, and nominated for another three.
✓ Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Charade (1963)
Romantic comedy mystery film starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.
Story: Romance and suspense ensue in Paris as a woman is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Whom can she trust? (IMDB)
A globetrotting caper that prizes its idiosyncratic pieces over the general puzzle, Charade is a delightful romp with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn’s sparkling chemistry at the center of some perfectly orchestrated mayhem.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Charade among the best 1960s comedy movies?
✓ It is notable for its screenplay, especially the repartee between Grant and Hepburn, and for Henry Mancini’s score and theme song.
✓ One of the most popular comedies of the 1960s.
The Pink Panther (1963)
Comedy crime film directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers.
Story: A bumbling inspector travels to Rome to catch a notorious jewel thief known as “The Phantom” before he conducts his most daring heist yet: a princess’ priceless diamond with one slight imperfection, known as “The Pink Panther”. (IMDB)
Peter Sellers is at his virtuosically bumbling best in The Pink Panther, a sophisticated caper blessed with an unforgettably slinky score by Henry Mancini.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Pink Panther among the best 1960s comedies?
✓ Selected to be preserved by the Library of Congress as part of its National Film Registry, being deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant”.
✓ One of the most popular and most successful movies of the 1960s, and a timeless comedy classic, with a noteworthy influence on pop culture.
It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Adventure comedy film starring Spencer Tracy.
Story: A group of motorists hear about a crook’s hidden stash of loot, and race against each other across the country to get to it. (IMDB)
It’s long, frantic, and stuffed to the gills with comic actors and set pieces — and that’s exactly its charm.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World among the best comedy movies of the 1960s?
✓ It became a critical and commercial success upon release, and it is one of the most popular comedies of the 1960s.
✓ Included among the American Film Institute’s list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Black comedy film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, starring Peter Sellers.
Story: An insane general triggers a path to nuclear holocaust that a War Room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop. (IMDB)
Stanley Kubrick’s brilliant Cold War satire remains as funny and razor-sharp today as it was in 1964.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Dr. Strangelove among the best comedy films of the 1960s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die and Roger Ebert’s Great Movies list.
✓ Widely considered one of the best comedies ever made.
✓ Selected into the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
Mary Poppins (1964)
Musical fantasy comedy film produced Disney, directed by Robert Stevenson, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
Story: In turn of the century London, a magical nanny employs music and adventure to help two neglected children become closer to their father. (IMDB)
A lavish modern fairy tale celebrated for its amazing special effects, catchy songs, and Julie Andrews’s legendary performance in the title role.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Mary Poppins among the best comedies of the 1960s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and widely considered Walt Disney’s crowning live-action achievement.
✓ Winner of 5 Oscars, and nominee for another 8, including the ‘Best Picture of the Year’ Academy Award.
✓ Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
Musical comedy film starring the influential English rock band The Beatles.
Story: Over two “typical” days in the life of The Beatles, the boys struggle to keep themselves and Sir Paul McCartney’s mischievous grandfather in check while preparing for a live television performance. (IMDB)
A Hard Day’s Night, despite its age, is still a delight to watch and has proven itself to be a rock-and-roll movie classic.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is A Hard Day’s Night among the top comedy movies of the 1960s?
✓ Featured in Roger Ebert’s Great Movies list.
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ The film was a financial and critical success and it is credited as being one of the most influential of all musical films.
Zorba the Greek (1964)
Comedy-drama film starring Anthony Quinn.
Story: An uptight English writer travelling to Crete, on a matter of business, finds his life changed forever when he meets the gregarious Alexis Zorba. (IMDB)
Why is Zorba the Greek among the top comedy films of the 1960s?
✓ The film was a smash hit and became one of the most popular comedies of the decade.
✓ Anthony Quinn receiving numerous accolades for his performance.
Batman: The Movie (1966)
Superhero comedy film starring Adam West.
Story: The Dynamic Duo faces four supervillains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people. (IMDB)
Batman: The Movie elevates camp to an art form — and has a blast doing it, every gloriously tongue-in-cheek inch of the way.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
How to Steal a Million (1966)
Heist comedy film directed by William Wyler, starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole.
Story: The daughter of an art forger teams up with a burglar to steal one of her father’s forgeries and protect his secret. (IMDB)
The Graduate (1967)
Romantic comedy-drama film starring Dustin Hoffman.
Story: A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter. (IMDB)
The music, the performances, the precision in capturing the post-college malaise – The Graduate’s coming-of-age story is indeed one for the ages.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Graduate among the top comedies of the 1960s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
✓ The American Film Institute ranked this as the #17 Greatest Movie of All Time.
The Producers (1967)
Satirical black comedy film written and directed by Mel Brooks, starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder.
Story: A stage-play producer devises a plan to make money by producing a sure-fire flop. (IMDB)
A hilarious satire of the business side of Hollywood, The Producers is one of Mel Brooks’ finest, as well as funniest films, featuring standout performances by Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Producers among the greatest comedy movies of the 1960s?
✓ Featured in Roger Ebert’s Great Movies list.
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
Horror comedy film directed by and co-starring Roman Polanski.
Story: A noted professor and his dim-witted apprentice fall prey to their inquiring vampires, while on the trail of the ominous damsel in distress. (IMDB)
This uneven but amiable 1967 vampire picture is part horror spoof, part central European epic, and 100 percent Roman Polanski, whose signature sensibility colors every frame.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
Comedy-drama film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn.
Story: A couple’s attitudes are challenged when their daughter introduces them to her African-American fiancé. (IMDB)
More well-intentioned than insightful in its approach to interracial marriage, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner succeeds thanks to the fizzy chemistry of its star-studded ensemble.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner among the greatest comedy films of the 1960s?
✓ Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
✓ Included among the American Film Institute’s list of the Top 100 Greatest American Movies.
The Party (1968)
Comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers.
Story: A clerical mistake results in a bumbling Indian film star being invited to an exclusive Hollywood party instead of being fired. (IMDB)
Why is The Party among the greatest comedies of the 1960s?
✓ It is widely considered a comic masterpiece and an influential classic cult film.
Barbarella (1968)
Science fiction comedy film starring Jane Fonda.
Story: Barbarella, an astronaut from the 41st century, sets out to find and stop the evil scientist Durand Durand, whose Positronic Ray threatens to bring evil back into the galaxy. (IMDB)
Unevenly paced and thoroughly cheesy, Barbarella is nonetheless full of humor, entertaining visuals, and Jane Fonda’s sex appeal.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Barbarella among the funniest movies of the 1960s?
✓ One of the most popular comedies of the 1960s.
✓ Widely praised for its visuals and cinematography.
The Odd Couple (1968)
Buddy comedy film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Story: Two friends try sharing an apartment, but their ideas of housekeeping and lifestyles are as different as night and day. (IMDB)
Enlivening Neil Simon’s crackerjack script with their harmonious rapport, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are a perfect pairing as The Odd Couple.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Odd Couple among the funniest films of the 1960s?
✓ Included among the American Film Institute’s list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
✓ Successful with critics and audiences, it became one of the most popular comedies of the 1960s.
The Italian Job (1969)
British comedy caper film starring Michael Caine.
Story: A British crook robs gold ingots in Italy by having a computer expert cause a traffic jam. (Rotten Tomatoes)
The Italian Job is a wildly fun romp that epitomizes the height of Britannia style.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Italian Job among the most popular comedy movies of the 1960s?
✓ Voted #36 on the BFI’s 100 Greatest British Films of the 20th century.
✓ Since its release, the popularity of the film has led to parodies and allusions in other films and productions.
Take the Money and Run (1969)
Mockumentary comedy film written, directed by and starring Woody Allen.
Story: The life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber. (IMDB)
Why is Take the Money and Run among the best 1960s comedy films?
✓ Included among the American Film Institute’s list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
✓ The first widely-released “mockumentary.”
✓ One of the most popular comedies of the 1960s.
…end of the reel…
So there you have it: The 21 Greatest Comedies of the 1960s
If you want to take a look at the movies listed above, without all that info between the titles, here’s a quick recap:
 | The Apartment (1960) |
 | La Dolce Vita (1960) |
 | Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) |
 | Charade (1963) |
 | The Pink Panther (1963) *Part of the Collection: Peter Sellers’s Pink Panther Franchise |
 | It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) |
 | Dr. Strangelove (1964) |
 | Mary Poppins (1964) |
 | A Hard Day’s Night (1964) |
 | Zorba the Greek (1964) |
 | Batman: The Movie (1966) |
 | How to Steal a Million (1966) |
 | The Graduate (1967) |
 | The Producers (1967) |
 | The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) |
 | Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) |
 | The Party (1968) |
 | Barbarella (1968) |
 | The Odd Couple (1968) |
 | The Italian Job (1969) |
 | Take the Money and Run (1969) |
Ready for another journey?
Explore the best comedies of other decades too!
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