The Best Teen Movies Of The 1960s

The 1960s heralded an era of cinematic innovation, birthing classics across a spectrum of genres. Among its varied contributions, this vibrant decade is particularly celebrated for pioneering the quintessential Teen Beach Movies, a genre that encapsulates the youthful exuberance and cultural zeitgeist of the time. Critics and aficionados alike often credit the 60s with the genesis of this iconic genre.

Yet, the decade’s influence on teen cinema extends far beyond the sun-soaked shores of beach films. The 1960s crafted a diverse array of films tailored to the younger audience, many of which have stood the test of time, inspiring contemporary remakes and adaptations. In this exploration, we delve into some of the most iconic teen movies of the 60s, offering a glimpse into the films that captured the hearts of a generation. For aficionados of the macabre, a separate journey through the top horror movies of the 1960s awaits at the provided link.

Beach Party

"Beach Party" - Advertisement from 1963

“Beach Party,” a movie that came out in 1963, featured stars like Annette Funicello and Vincent Price. Directed by William Asher, it kicked off a bunch of beach-themed movies by American International Pictures, all made for teenagers. This first “Beach Party” movie is known for starting the whole beach movie trend.

The story is about a man named Professor Robert Sutwell, who studies teenagers in Southern California. He’s intrigued by their unique way of talking and their love for the beach. As he spends more time there, he gets wrapped up in the beach drama among the teens.

The idea for “Beach Party” was inspired by an Italian movie about an older man and a younger woman at a beach resort. The beach setting was the main draw, with the movie aiming to provide fun escape entertainment. After “Beach Party,” more related movies came out, featuring some of the same actors and also doing well. Also, if you need info on the most important film festivals around the world, check out the link provided.

The Parent Trap

Theatrical poster for the film The Parent Trap (1961 film)

Many young people today, from millennials to Gen Z, might know Lindsay Lohan for playing twins in the 1998 movie “The Parent Trap.” But this film is actually a new version of an older movie from 1961 with the same name. The original starred Maureen O’Hara and John Mills, and featured Hayley Mills playing both twin sisters.

This funny love story is about teenage twins who find out they were split up when they were very little. They come up with a clever plan to get their mom and dad back together, and their plan works!

The original movie was made by Walt Disney Productions and made more than $25 million when it was shown in theaters. It was a big deal back then, leading to three more TV movies, a remake in 1998, and a special TV showing. It even got nominated for two Oscars and was released on LaserDisc in 1986, and later on DVD and VHS in 2002. If you’re into television in the 60s, this movie and its follow-ups are worth checking out.

Bye Bye Birdie

“Bye Bye Birdie,” a fun musical movie from 1963, stars Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke. Directed by George Sidney, it’s based on a musical play of the same name. This movie is special because it’s Dick Van Dyke’s first big movie. He plays the character Albert Peterson, just like he did on Broadway. Ann-Margret and some other actors also brought their Broadway characters to the big screen.

The story was inspired by a big event in 1957 when famous singer Elvis Presley had to join the US Army. In the movie, a singer named Conrad Birdie is supposed to represent Elvis. The movie’s makers wanted Elvis for the role, but his manager didn’t agree because he thought the movie made fun of Elvis.

Ed Sullivan, who hosted a popular TV show, plays himself in the movie. “Bye Bye Birdie” made Ann-Margret very famous, and she even starred with Elvis in the movie “Viva Las Vegas” the next year.

The premise of this movie is about a successful rock and roll musician who has to go and serve in the Army. Naturally, this is devastating news for his fans. Dick Van Dyke plays a struggling songwriter, though he also has a biochemistry degree. Van Dyke comes up with a plan along with his girlfriend, played by Janet Leigh. He wants the music star to sing to his song and then kiss a random high school girl before leaving.

There are several twists and turns in this movie, but it has a happy ending eventually. Fans of romantic comedies will certainly enjoy this offering, especially with some of the major 60s fashion trends on display.

To Sir, with Love

This movie from 1967 stars Sidney Poitier and Lulu and was directed by James Clavell. It’s a British drama that talks about big issues like race and society in a city school. The story is based on a true story from a book written by E.R. Braithwaite.

The movie’s main song, sung by Lulu, was a big hit and stayed at the top of the charts in the U.S. for 5 weeks. It was the most popular song in the U.S. for the whole year. The movie is also famous and was even listed as one of the best high school movies by a magazine. Later, in 1996, they made a TV show follow-up with Sidney Poitier playing the same main character.

The movie tells the story of Mark Thackeray, who comes from British Guiana to Britain. He’s waiting for an engineering job but starts teaching in the meantime. His students are tough and don’t fit in, but he puts away the textbooks and starts treating them like grown-ups.

Even though some people said the movie wasn’t totally realistic, it’s still loved by many. Both teenagers and adults find it inspiring, and even today’s critics think it’s pretty good.

West Side Story

Theatrical poster for the American release of the 1961 film West Side Story, based on the musical of the same name

This movie from 1961 stars Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno and is one of the biggest hits of the 60s. It’s a love story with lots of songs and dances, based on a famous play from 1957, which was inspired by “Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare.

The story is set in the 1950s in a part of New York City called the Upper West Side. Back then, it was a working-class area with people from different backgrounds living together. The story is about two rival groups, the Sharks and the Jets, who don’t get along because they come from different places. But things get complicated when the Jets leader’s best friend falls in love with the Sharks leader’s sister. The movie is pretty serious and talks about big issues like racism and violence, but it also has beautiful music and big dance numbers.

When it came out, everyone loved it. It made the most money that year, got nominated for 11 Oscars, and won 10! People still say “West Side Story” is one of the best musical movies ever made. It’s even been called an important piece of American culture. And there might be a new version of it coming out in December 2021, made by Steven Spielberg.

A Hard Day’s Night

“A Hard Day’s Night” is a funny movie with music that came out in 1964. It stars the famous band the Beatles – Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison – when everyone was crazy about them. Alun Owen wrote the story, and it was put out by United Artists. The movie takes us through 36 hours of the Beatles’ life as they get ready to go on a TV show.

Right away, this movie was a big hit, both with people watching and in making money. It was even up for an award for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. 40 years later, Time magazine said it was one of the best 100 movies ever. It’s known for being super important in the world of musical movies and has influenced a lot of pop music videos, spy movies, and TV shows.

Lolita

Ontario Theatre advertisement for the film, Lolita. 6 July 1962

“Lolita” is a movie from 1962 directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on a book by Vladimir Nabokov with the same name. The movie is about a man named Humbert Humbert, who is much older, and his wrong and complicated feelings for a young girl called “Lolita.” Kubrick, the director, handles this tricky story in a careful way, adding some dark humor, especially showing the culture of America in the 1960s.

Gidget Goes Hawaiian

“Gidget Goes Hawaiian” from 1961 is a fun beach movie and the next part after the popular “Gidget” movie from 1959. In this movie, Francie Lawrence (played by Deborah Walley) and her surfer boyfriend Jeff Matthews (played by James Darren) have some trouble in their relationship. Gidget ends up going to Hawaii with her parents, where she meets a TV dancer named Eddie Horner (played by Michael Callan).

Just when Gidget starts getting close to Eddie, her dad brings Moondoggie (Jeff) to Hawaii, thinking it might fix things between them. If you’re interested, we have an article about James Darren where you can learn more about his work and life.

Where the Boys Are

Osocales theater advertisement for the comedy film, Where the Boys Are, 13 January 1961

“Where the Boys Are” is a funny movie from 1960 about four young women named Angie, Melanie, Tuggle, and Merritt. They’re tired of their regular college life in the Midwest and decide to look for love and fun in sunny Florida during spring break. While they’re there, they run into all the crazy parties and meet new people. Merritt starts liking a guy named Ryder Smith, and Tuggle meets TV Thompson, who’s not the smartest but still charming. But as their holiday goes on, the girls realize that there’s more to life than just chasing fun. They end up learning some important lessons from their adventures.

Romeo and Juliet

Franco Zeffirelli and Olivia Hussey while filming Romeo and Juliet in 1967

The 1968 movie “Romeo and Juliet” directed by Franco Zeffirelli, is a famous version of Shakespeare’s love story. It’s about Romeo and Juliet, two young people who fall in love even though their families don’t get along. The movie is set in the beautiful city of Verona in Italy and shows how their love causes more trouble between their families. Leonard Whiting plays Romeo and Olivia Hussey plays Juliet. This movie is special because it really shows the beauty and sadness of their love story in a very detailed and lovely way.

In Cold Blood

“In Cold Blood” is a movie based on a book by Truman Capote. It’s about two former prisoners, Perry Smith (played by Robert Blake) and Richard “Dick” Hickock (played by Scott Wilson), who decide to steal from the Clutter family in Kansas, thinking they have a lot of money. But when they break into the house, they find out there’s no money, and in anger, they end up killing the whole family. Afterward, they try to escape, but as they run from the police, they start to realize they will have to face the terrible thing they’ve done and think about what will happen to them in the end.

Last Summer

“Last Summer” (1969) is about three friends, Sandy, Dan, and Peter, who spend their summer at a fancy place called Fire Island in New York. All three of them are interested in Sandy, who is very pretty. Things get even more complicated when Rhoda, who doesn’t know what the others are like, joins them. She becomes the one they all focus on for their mean tricks, especially Sandy, who is not nice to her.

The Graduate

“The Graduate” is a movie from the 1960s about a young man named Benjamin Braddock, who just finished college and is trying to figure out what to do with his life. He feels confused and lost. Then, he meets Mrs. Robinson, who is much older than him and a friend of his parents. She starts a secret relationship with him, which makes things even more complicated. Later, Benjamin falls in love with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine, which leads to a lot of awkward and tricky situations.

The movie is famous for its music by Simon & Garfunkel, including the song “Mrs. Robinson,” and for showing how young people in the 60s were trying to find their way in a world that was changing a lot.

Rebel Without a Cause

US theatrical release poster for the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause

“Rebel Without a Cause” is a classic movie from the 1950s that became very popular into the 60s and beyond. It stars James Dean as Jim Stark, a troubled teenager who moves to a new town and struggles to fit in. Jim is dealing with a lot of inner turmoil and conflicts with his parents, who he feels don’t understand him.

The film captures the feelings of frustration and confusion that many young people feel as they grow up. Jim makes friends with Judy, played by Natalie Wood, and Plato, played by Sal Mineo, who are also struggling with their own issues. Together, they form a bond as they try to navigate the challenges of adolescence.

“Rebel Without a Cause” is famous for its intense and emotional scenes, and James Dean’s powerful performance. The movie deals with themes like teenage angst, the search for identity, and the clash between generations. It’s remembered as a symbol of youth rebellion and has had a lasting impact on popular culture.

Conclusion

The top teen movies of the 1960s brought us sunshine-filled adventures, heartwarming romances, family fun, and thrilling horror. Diving into these films, you might spot some familiar faces from their younger days. If these movies catch your fancy, you might also enjoy exploring the top Disney movies made in the 1960s for more timeless classics. And for those curious about the entertainment world of that era, our article “Which Game Shows Defined the 1960s Television Experience?” offers a fascinating glimpse into the game shows that defined the 1960s television experience.