USCCB - (Film and Broadcasting) - Ten Best List for the Year 1965

Ten Best List for the Year 1965

Darling -- Realistic British examination of the emptiness that characterizes the purposeless lives of the jet set. Directed by John Schlesinger with unrelenting honesty, the episodic movie follows the rise of a young woman (Julie Christie) through a series of affairs until she marries a wealthy prince whose palace becomes a sterile prison. A-IV-adults with reservations (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
The Greatest Story Ever Told -- While it is obviously not the greatest movie ever made, director George Stevens' vision of the Gospel story presents a consistent, traditional view of Christ as the God Incarnate. The movie, despite its epic Hollywood scale, is well-acted, tastefully and realistically written, beautifully photographed and Max von Sydow's believable portrayal of the Christ is the most essential element in its success. A-I-general patronage (G) 1965
A High Wind in Jamaica -- Some children fall into the hands of pirates (Anthony Quinn and James Coburn) who see to it that they are unharmed in the hazardous events that follow. Director Alexander Mackendrick's exciting adventure is an excursion into the uncertain world of childish logic but the action is too intense for younger children. A-II-adults and adolescents (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
Juliet of the Spirits -- Federico Fellini's first movie in color centers on a middle-aged woman (Giulietta Masina) trying to take stock of her life by sorting through her problems, memories and illusions. Fellini's imaginative imagery and Masina's aging gamin make the reveries and evocations a delight to the eye and the spirit. Ambiguous treament of mature themes. A-IV- adults with reservations (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
Nobody Waved Goodbye -- Perceptive Canadian drama about a know-it-all adolescent (Peter Kastner) whose mounting troubles with middle-class parents, teachers and pregnant girlfriend (Julie Biggs) end with his running away. Directed in semi-documentary fashion by Don Owen, the result has a sense of spontaneity and unpretentious realism that makes it convincing both as drama and as social commentary. Assorted problems of a troubled youth. A-II-adults and adolescents (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
Nothing But a Man -- Black railroad worker (Ivan Dixon) tires of life on the rails and settles down in a southern town where he and his wife (Abbey Lincoln) are confronted by a hostile community that deprives him of one job after another. Directed by Michael Roemer and Robert Young, the movie is episodic and anything but slick, yet it has the ring of documentary reality as well as a story that has universal implications about human dignity. Some intense violence and a few profanities. A-III-adults -- (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
The Overcoat -- Fine adaptation of the Gogol short story of a poor clerk (Roland Bykov) in desperate need of a new coat to get through the Russian winter. Director Aleksei Batalov's 1959 production runs its inevitably tragic course with genuine pathos, some gentle humor and much satire poked at office bureaucracy. A-II-adults and adolescents (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
A Patch of Blue -- A blind girl (Elizabeth Hartman), living in a dismal tenement, falls in love with the gentle black neighbor (Sidney Poitier) who befriends her, despite the shrill opposition of her mother (Shelley Winters). Director Guy Green takes an honest look at racial relations, avoids most of the obvious cliches and scores some points for human values. Mature theme. A-III-adults (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965
The Sound of Music -- Particularly fine screen version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about the formative years of the Trapp Family Singers in Austria between the two world wars. Its interesting story, solid cast (headed by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer), lovely music and intelligent lyrics, colorful scenery and pleasant fantasy will entertain the mind and enliven the spirit. Directed by Robert Wise, the movie has held up over the years as thoroughly refreshing family entertainment. A-I-general patronage (G) 1965
World Without Sun -- Documentary made by oceanaut Jacques-Yves Cousteau details the human conquest of underwater space. It is an opportunity to see and experience an incredibly beautiful part of creation, till now hidden from human eyes. A-I-general patronage (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America) 1965