Best Movies of 1961

The highest-rated films from 1961 according to MovieMagicScore. Rankings based purely on what viewers actually think.

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Yojimbo

1961 · 1,653 ratings

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

8.1

Judgment at Nuremberg

1961 · 877 ratings

In 1947, four German judges who served on the bench during the Nazi regime face a military tribunal to answer charges of crimes against humanity. Chief Justice Haywood hears evidence and testimony not only from lead defendant Ernst Janning and his defense attorney Hans Rolfe, but also from the widow of a Nazi general, an idealistic U.S. Army captain and reluctant witness Irene Wallner.

8.0

Breakfast at Tiffany's

1961 · 4,342 ratings

Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. But when young writer Paul Varjak moves into her apartment building, her past threatens to get in their way.

7.6

La Notte

1961 · 712 ratings

A day in the life of an unfaithful married couple and their steadily deteriorating relationship in Milan.

7.9

The Hustler

1961 · 1,025 ratings

Fast Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary Minnesota Fats to a high-stakes match.

7.7

Divorce Italian Style

1961 · 505 ratings

Ferdinando Cefalù is desperate to marry his cousin, Angela, but he is married to Rosalia and divorce is illegal in Italy. To get around the law, he tries to trick his wife into having an affair so he can catch her and murder her, as he knows he would be given a light sentence for killing an adulterous woman. He persuades a painter to lure his wife into an affair, but Rosalia proves to be more faithful than he expected.

7.9

Through a Glass Darkly

1961 · 518 ratings

Karin hopes to recover from her recent stay at a mental hospital by spending the summer at her family's cottage on a tiny island. Her husband, Martin, cares for her but is frustrated by her physical withdrawal. Her younger brother, Minus, is confused by Karin's vulnerability and his own budding sexuality. Their father, David, cannot overcome his haughty remoteness. Beset by visions, Karin descends further into madness.

7.8

The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer

1961 · 199 ratings

After the Japanese defeat to the Russians, Kaji leads the last remaining men through Manchuria. Intent on returning to his dear wife and his old life, Kaji faces great odds in a variety of different harrowing circumstances as he and his fellow men sneak behind enemy lines.

8.4

Accattone

1961 · 499 ratings

A pimp with no other means to provide for himself finds his life spiralling out of control when his prostitute is sent to prison.

7.7

#10

The Innocents

1961 · 636 ratings

A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted by ghosts and that the children are being possessed.

7.5

#11

The Children's Hour

1961 · 381 ratings

An unruly student at a private all-girls boarding school scandalously accuses the two women who run it of having a romantic relationship.

7.7

#12

One Hundred and One Dalmatians

1961 · 6,494 ratings

When a litter of dalmatian puppies are abducted by the minions of Cruella De Vil, the parents must find them before she uses them for a diabolical fashion statement.

7.2

#13

West Side Story

1961 · 1,968 ratings

In the slums of the upper West Side of Manhattan, tensions are high as a gang of Polish-Americans compete against a gang of recently immigrated Puerto Ricans, but this doesn't stop two romantics from each gang falling in love.

7.2

#14

Last Year at Marienbad

1961 · 520 ratings

In a strange and isolated chateau, a man becomes acquainted with a woman and insists that they have met before.

7.4

#15

The Guns of Navarone

1961 · 829 ratings

A team of allied saboteurs are assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.

7.3

#16

One, Two, Three

1961 · 402 ratings

C.R. MacNamara is a managing director for Coca Cola in West Berlin during the Cold War, just before the Wall is put up. When Scarlett, the rebellious daughter of his boss, comes to West Berlin, MacNamara has to look after her, but this turns out to be a difficult task when she reveals to be married to a communist.

7.5

#17

A Woman Is a Woman

1961 · 389 ratings

Longing for a baby, a stripper pursues another man in order to make her boyfriend jealous.

7.3

#18

Splendor in the Grass

1961 · 285 ratings

A fragile Kansas girl's unrequited and forbidden love for a handsome young man from the town's most powerful family drives her to heartbreak and madness.

7.4

#19

A Difficult Life

1961 · 126 ratings

Silvio refuses to fight for the fascists and joins the resistance with Elena. After the war, his vitriolic newspaper articles cause him to be sentenced to imprisonment.

8.0

#20

Il Posto

1961 · 164 ratings

With his family mired in financial troubles, Domenico moves to Milan, Italy, from his small town to get a job in lieu of furthering his education. A lack of options forces him to take a position as a messenger at a big company, where he hopes to receive a promotion soon. There, Domenico meets Antonietta, a young woman in a similar situation as himself. The two form a tentative relationship, but the soulless nature of their jobs threatens to keep them apart.

7.6

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About 1961 Movies

These are the best-rated movies released in 1961 according to MovieMagicScore. Our ranking system aggregates genuine viewer ratings to give you an honest picture of what audiences actually think about these films.

From blockbusters to indie gems, discover what made 1961 memorable in cinema based on the collective opinion of movie lovers worldwide.

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