A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)

Once a year, the richest men in the territory get together for a marathon poker game in the back room of a saloon/hotel. On that same day, a family is forced to stop for wagon repairs and take a room for the night, but it's clear that the husband 1) is dying to get into the game and 2) shouldn't be risking the family's savings to these high rollers.

It does take a while to pick up steam, but it's a lot of fun once it gets rolling.

B

The Shooting (1966)

Suspicious Willett and gullible Coley agree to guide a woman who's light on the details to a nearby town. When the woman insists on taking a detour to follow a barely discernible trail, the circumstances get dangerous as they're running out of water, food and horses. They're joined by another of her cohorts, the dangerous Billy Spear, who only ratchets up the tension.

The unease develops so naturally that I could feel my muscles tightening. It's a shame that the payoff is both too sudden and too small.

C

The Professionals (1966)

Rich Texan with a pretty Mexican bride hires a group of men to rescue her from a revolutionary across the border. The trip down is long and brutal. The rescue is daring and exciting. The escape is made all the more difficult for the fact that bride doesn't want to leave.

You see the ending coming a mile away, but that doesn't hurt it much.

B

Ten Little Indians (1966)

Ten people are gathered together at a remote mountain-top mansion at the invitation (or hiring) of a man none of them have ever met. After each is accused of a crime via record player, the group is understandably on edge. But once one of them dies by poison, they realize that they are all in danger.

This is effective while managing to retain a light tone. It's a fun watch.

B+

Torn Curtain (1966)

Paul Newman plays a scientist who pretends to defect to East Berlin, but is actually spying to gain weapons intelligence. Too bad he didn't fill his fiancé in on this plan... if he had, most of what follows could've been avoided. And, my goodness, I would've loved to avoided this movie because it's overlong and deadly dull.

D+

Khartoum (1966)

British General Gordon leads an Egyptian army in the defense of Sudanese Khartoum against "Mahdi" a Muslim leader. They both believe they are doing the will of God and have mutual respect for the other, but stand in stark opposition.

There's drama with the British government wanting to pull Gordon out without looking weak and Gordon refusing to leave though even Mahdi wants him out before he attacks. But it doesn't really matter because this movie was just so repetitively boring. 

D+

Georgy Girl (1966)

Georgina is a frumpy young woman with a gorgeous roommate. She’s never been kissed and the only one to cast an eye her way is the master of the house in which her parents serve.

The way that Georgy navigated her life was interesting: comfortable with who she is, but unimpressed by the options that come with being less-than-stunning. She ultimate “gets what she always wanted” (as the horrible theme song chirps over the end credits) but I was extremely disappointed both on her behalf and for the man she eventually marries.  Couldn’t she have gotten the prize without ruining her life and the life of someone who loved her in the process? What a sour way to end her story.

C+

Hawaii (1966)

Missionaries in the early 1800s head out to the wild islands of Hawaii. Once there, the humorless Rev. Hale shames the locals out of their marriage customs and scares them with hellfire. His only redeeming feature is that he arrived with his wife, played by the lovely Julie Andrews.

The movie does a great job of highlighting the beauty of the land and the rigidity of colonialism, but says it with about as much finesse as an old-fashioned sermon and takes about four times as long as one.

C-

The Wrong Box (1966)

As I was watching the opening credits, Gary comes through and says "what's this?" I said, "a British comedy from the '60s that has Michael Caine and Peter Sellers in it." He goes, "that could go either way."

Pity it didn't go my way.

D+

Morgan! (1966)

Eccentric (read "crazy asshole") man won't leave his ex-wife and her new fiancé alone. This is ultra-stalking complete with bombs under the bed and kidnapping. Only good thing about this is Redgrave…and she's very good.

C-

You're a Big Boy Now (1966)

There's this whole group of '60s movies -- including The Landlord & The Knack and How to Get it -- that I just don't understand. They seem to delight in nonsense and irritation and don't give a flip if there's no reason to care about anyone or anything on the screen. This falls squarely into that genre & I hated it.

F

The Shop on Main Street (1966)

A Czechoslavakian peasant quietly rolls his eyes at the new Nazi movement in his town. When he's appointed the Aryan leader of a Jewish shop, he's dragged into the fray full force and finds he can't easily stay on the fence anymore. He watches. He winces. He hopes nothing will be expected of him. An amazing bit of acting by the lead man, as he tries to do what he knows stronger men could do, as he attempts to rekindle the fire in his soul and finds it too long cold to revive.

A