I had so much fun writing my first reflection on a specific year of classic films (1960) that I’m back with another. Now that I’ve finally watched and reviewed Last Year at Marienbad (laborious but must-see) and La Notte (not must-see), it’s time to reflect on all titles from 1961!

Here are a few thoughts and highlights:

• Out of a total of 68 films from 1961, I once again voted Yes (i.e., “must see”) on 32 — nearly the exact same ratio as for 1960. (I wonder if I will see similar patterns as I look back at other years; I’m now motivated to go and check… )
• Of these 32 must-see titles, 14 (nearly half) are non-American, with 7 British titles, two Spanish (though one of these — Jess Franco’s The Awful Dr. Orloff — was dubbed), two French, one Italian (Divorce, Italian Style), one Japanese (Yojimbo), and one Czech.
  
• Speaking of the latter title, Karel Zeman’s The Fabulous Baron von Munchausen remains a truly unique treat — especially for lovers of animated features. As I wrote in my review, “It’s impossible to describe the sheer wealth of visual enjoyment Munchausen has to offer… The narrative basically consists of one bizarre, humanly impossible adventure after the other, and is written with a droll sense of humor.”
  
• Disney had a couple of authentic hits that year, including One Hundred and One Dalmatians (featuring one of cinema’s most enduring villainesses, Cruella de Vil):
  
  … and The Parent Trap, which is flawed (certain narrative elements strain credulity) but well worth a revisit simply for its cult status — and for Hayley Mills x 2.
• Marilyn Monroe fans won’t want to miss her noteworthy performance in John Huston’s The Misfits, where “it’s literally impossible to keep your eyes off of her, and we instantly understand why all the other characters want to be near her.”
  
• Among Spanish director Luis Buñuel’s considerable output, his b&w classic Viridiana (co-starring Fernando Rey and Silvia Pinal) remains an accessible highlight, showcasing “the futility of noble intentions in the face of a thankless and debased humanity.”
  
• Another not-to-be-missed title is Stanley Kramer’s Judgment at Nuremberg, which should probably be required viewing for all humans, not just film fanatics; but be forewarned that it’s “a uniquely challenging courtroom drama to sit through” given the complexities of the issues at stake.
  
• Speaking of films with challenging topics and/or characters, there were plenty to go around in 1961 — including Robert Rossen’s The Hustler, featuring Paul Newman’s standout performance as “Fast Eddie” Felsen:
  
  … Sam Fuller’s Underworld U.S.A., a “morally challenging” “long-con revenge tale”:
  
  … and the original cinematic adaptation (featuring Sidney Poitier) of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, in which “the toxicity of societal racism comes through loud and clear.”
  
• Finally, a few personal favorites from 1961 include Jack Clayton’s highly atmospheric adaptation of Henry James’s “The Turn of the Screw,” retitled The Innocents:
  
  … Victim, which took a bold cinematic step towards addressing legally sanctioned homophobia:
  
  … and Bryan Forbes’ little-seen Whistle Down the Wind (an excellent choice for Christmas viewing).
  

It was another good year for cinema!