AWARDS 1960

1960
*The Apartment. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine were both nominated for best performance in this film about an ambitious young office worker (Jack Lemmon) climbs the corporate ladder by lending his apartment to the philandering executives of his company for their afternoon romantic trysts, but he finds himself in a pickle when he falls in love with his boss's latest girlfriend (Shirley MacLaine).


The Alamo starred John Wayne. Wayne and a chosen group had researched the facts of the Alamo as he wanted the story told just as it was. There was a riff about it and John walked off the set. He was to play a bit part and direct, however the studio wanted him in a leading role. Wayne was nominated for his part of Houston.

Elmer Gantry was nominated and Burt Lancaster won the award for the best actor and Shirley Jones for best actress. a drunken, dishonest street preacher allegedly patterned on Billy Sunday, wrangles a job with the traveling tent ministry conducted by Sister Sharon Falconer played by Jean Simmons. Thanks to Gantry's enthusiastic hellfire-and-brimstone sermons, Sister Sharon's operation rises to fame and fortune, enough so that Sharon realizes her dream of building her own enormous tabernacle. These ambitions are put in jeopardy when a prostitute, played by Shirley Jones, a former minister's daughter who'd been deflowered by Gantry years earlier, lures Gantry into a compromising situation and has photographs taken. It took several years for any Hollywood studio to take a chance with Sinclair Lewis' novel. Lewis' book is more explicit.

Sons and Lovers is set in an English mining town, the film focuses on Paul Morel, played by Dean Stockwell the sensitive son of a rough hewn, alcoholic miner Trevor Howard and his gentle, repressed wife. Intent on becoming an artist, Paul is not above depending upon the financial kindnesses of the young women of the town. Many of the girls carry a torch for him, but his strong bonds to his mother leave him emotionally sapped.

The Sundowners. Deborah Kerr was nominated for best actress; Glynis Johns for supporting in this film which takes place in Australia. The leading man is Robert Mitchum, who drives sheep and has no wish to settle in one place while the wife, Kerr, puts money down on a farm.

Psycho Phoenix office worker Marion Crane is fed up with the way life has treated her. She has to meet her lover Sam in lunch breaks and they cannot get married because Sam has to give most of his money away in alimony. One Friday, Marion is trusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. Seeing the opportunity to take the money and start a new life, Marion leaves town and heads towards Sam's California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother. Janet Leigh is nominated for the part she played as Marion Crane. Tony Perkins plays Norman

Best Actress for the year is Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8. She plays a high price call girl. It also starred Laurence Harvey.Taylor had been very ill and the rumor was she may die.

Other movies to consider are in the field of 368 are:

Inherit the Wind with Spencer Tracy. Based on a real-life case in 1925, two great lawyers argue the case for and against a science teacher accused of the crime of teaching evolution. Also called the Monkey Movie.

North to Alaska with John Wayne. Sam and George strike gold in Alaska. George sends Sam to Seattle to bring George's fiancee back to Alaska...

World of Suzie Wong with William Holden. Robert Lomax tired of working in an office, wants to be an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting. Finding a cheap hotel he checks in, only to find it's used by prostitutes and their 'dates' who meet in the bar downstairs. Since he never picks up any of ladies, they all want to know more about him. Eventually he does hire one to model for him, but soon falls in love. But, since he's on a limited budget, he can't afford her exclusively, and doesn't want to 'share' her.

Oceans Eleven 1960 The gang plans the elaborate New Year's Eve heist with the precision of a military operation. Josh (Davis) takes a job driving a garbage truck while others work to scope out the various casinos. Demolition charges are planted on an electrical transmission tower and the backup electrical systems are covertly rewired in each casino.
At exactly midnight, while everyone in every Vegas casino is singing, the tower is blown up. Remade in 2001 starring George Clooney.

Please Don’t Eat the Daisies with Doris Day and David Niven. Drama critic Larry McKay, his wife Kay, and their four sons move from their crowded Manhattan apartment to an old house in the country. While housewife Kay settles into suburban life, Larry continues to enjoy the theater and party scene of New York. Kay soon begins to question Larry's fidelity when he mentions a flirtatious encounter with Broadway star Deborah Vaughn. Remade for television 1965 starring Pat Crowley


Magnificent Seven with Yul Brunner. An oppressed Mexican peasant village assembles seven gunfighters to help defend their homes. Remade in 1998
Wackiest Ship in the Army with Jack Lemmon. Lieutenant Rip Crandall is hoodwinked into taking command of the "Wackiest Ship in the Navy" - a real garbage scow with a crew of misfits who don't know a jib from a jigger. What none of them knows, including Crandall, is that this ship has a very important top-secret mission to complete in waters patrolled by the Japanese fleet. Their mission will save hundreds of allied lives - if only they can get there in one piece. Ricky Nelson sings.

Wild Ride with Jack Nicholson. A rebellious punk of the beat generation spends his days as an amateur dirt track driver in between partying and trouble making. Although it may be a lame movie, Jack Nicholson still has the devilish smile.

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