1961

The Young Savages is a 1961 crime drama film directed by John Frankenheimer, starring Burt Lancaster, and written by Edward Anhalt from a novel by Evan Hunter. The supporting cast includes Dina Merrill, Shelley Winters, and Edward Andrews, and The Young Savages was the first film featuring Telly Savalas, who plays a police detective, foreshadowing his later role as Kojak. Often categorized as a "thinking man's movie", it has received mixed reviews.

The Young Ones (US title: It's Wonderful to Be Young!) is a 1961 British film musical, directed by Sidney J. Furie and featuring Cliff Richard, Robert Morley as his character's father, Carole Gray as his love interest, and The Shadows as his band. The screenplay was written by Peter Myers and Ronald Cass, who also wrote most of the songs. Herbert Ross choreographed the dance scenes.

Yojimbo is a 1961 jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It tells the story of a ronin, portrayed by Toshiro Mifune, who arrives in a small town where competing crime lords vie for supremacy. The two bosses each try to hire the newcomer as a bodyguard.

A Woman Is a Woman (French: Une femme est une femme) is a 1961 French film directed by Jean-Luc Godard, featuring Anna Karina, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean-Claude Brialy. It is a tribute to American musical comedy and associated with the French New Wave. It is notable for being the first film Jean-Luc Godard shot in color and Cinemascope.

Wild in the Country is a 1961 American drama film directed by Philip Dunne and starring Elvis Presley, Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld, and Millie Perkins. Based on the 1958 novel The Lost Country by J. R. Salamanca, the film is about a troubled young man from a dysfunctional family who pursues a literary career. The screenplay was written by playwright Clifford Odets.

Wife Number 13 is a 1962 Egyptian film, written by Abo El Seoud El Ebiary and directed by Fatin Abdel Wahab. It was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival.

Whistle Down the Wind is a 1961 British film, directed by Bryan Forbes, screenplay by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, from the novel by Mary Hayley Bell.

When the Trees Were Tall is a 1961 Soviet drama film directed by Lev Kulidzhanov. The film was screened at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.

What a Whopper is a 1961 British comedy film, written by Terry Nation, from a story by Jeremy Lloyd and Trevor Peacock.

West Side Story is a 1961 American romantic musical drama film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris, and was photographed by Daniel L. Fapp, A.S.C., in Super Panavision 70.

We Were Young is a 1961 Bulgarian drama film directed by Binka Zhelyazkova and written by Hristo Ganev. The film is centres on the Bulgarian resistance to Nazism in Sofia during the Second World War.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is an American science fiction film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, released by 20th Century Fox in 1961. The story was written by Irwin Allen and Charles Bennett. Walter Pidgeon starred as Admiral Harriman Nelson, with Robert Sterling as Captain Lee Crane. The supporting cast included Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, Michael Ansara, and Peter Lorre. The theme song was sung by Frankie Avalon, who also appeared in the film.

Viridiana is a 1961 Mexican film directed by Luis Buñuel and produced by Mexican Gustavo Alatriste. It is loosely based on Halma, a novel by Benito Pérez Galdós.

Victim is a 1961 British suspense film directed by Basil Dearden, starring Dirk Bogarde and Sylvia Syms. It is notable in film history for being the first English language film to use the word "homosexual". The world premiere was at the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square on 31 August 1961. On its release in the United Kingdom it proved highly controversial to the British Board of Film Censors, and in the U.S. it was refused a seal of approval from the American Motion Picture Production Code.

Underworld U.S.A. (also known as Underworld USA) is a 1961 American neo-noir film produced, written and directed by Samuel Fuller. It tells the story of a fourteen-year-old boy who goes to enormous lengths to get revenge against the mobsters who beat his father to death. It stars Cliff Robertson, Dolores Dorn, and Beatrice Kay.

Two Rode Together Eastman Color (1961) is a western film directed by John Ford, and starring James Stewart, Richard Widmark and Shirley Jones. The supporting cast includes Linda Cristal, Andy Devine and John McIntire. The movie was based upon the novel Comanche Captives by Will Cook.

Two Loves is a 1961 American drama film directed by Charles Walters. It is based on the book Spinster by Sylvia Ashton-Warner. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival.

Two Living, One Dead is a 1961 British-Swedish existentialist thriller film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Patrick McGoohan, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers.

Town Without Pity (German: Stadt ohne Mitleid) is a 1961 American, Austrian and West German international co-production drama film directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. Produced by The Mirisch Corporation, the film stars Kirk Douglas, Christine Kaufmann, and E. G. Marshall.

Too Late Blues is a black-and-white American film directed in 1961 by John Cassavetes, with stars Bobby Darin, Stella Stevens and Everett Chambers. It is the story of jazz musician "Ghost" Wakefield and his relationship with both his fellow band members and his love interest, Jess, a beautiful would-be singer. The film was written by Cassavetes and Richard Carr.

A Thunder of Drums is a 1961 Western directed by Joseph M. Newman, starring Richard Boone, George Hamilton and Luana Patten.

Through a Glass Darkly (Swedish: Såsom i en spegel) is a 1961 Swedish film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, and produced by Allan Ekelund. The film is a three-act "chamber film", in which four family members act as mirrors for each other. It is the first of many Bergman films to be shot on the island of Fårö. Fårö is part of Gotland, the largest island in Sweden.

Teen Kanya is a 1961 Indian Bengali anthology film directed by Satyajit Ray, and based upon short stories by Rabindranath Tagore. The title means "Three Girls", and the film's original Indian release contained three stories. However, the international release of the film contained only two stories, missing out the second ("Monihara: The Lost Jewels"). This version was released on VHS in 1997 under the title Two Daughters. However, there are now DVD versions available that contain all three films.

A Taste of Honey is a 1961 British film adaptation of the play of the same name by Shelagh Delaney. Delaney adapted the screenplay herself, aided by director Tony Richardson, who had previously directed the first production of the play. It is an exemplar of a gritty genre of British film that has come to be called kitchen sink realism and was the inspiration behind the song "Your Mother Should Know", which is on the 1967 album Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles.

Then Nilavu (English: Honey Moon) is a 1961 Indian Tamil romantic comedy film written and directed by C. V. Sridhar through his Chitralaya Films. The film stars Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala in the lead, with M. N. Nambiar, K. A. Thangavelu and M. Saroja as the ensemble cast. The film was produced and directed by C. V. Sridhar. The film's score was composed by A. M. Rajah while the lyrics were penned by Kannadasan.

Taste of Fear (US title: Scream of Fear) is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Seth Holt, shot in black-and-white by Douglas Slocombe, and released by Hammer Films. The film stars Susan Strasberg, Ronald Lewis, Ann Todd, and Christopher Lee, the latter, one of Hammer's most bankable stars, in a supporting role.

Tammy Tell Me True is a 1961 romantic comedy film and is the second of the four Tammy films. It stars Sandra Dee as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree, taking over from Debbie Reynolds.

Susan Slade is a 1961 American Technicolor drama film released by Warner Bros. The film was directed by Delmer Daves and stars Troy Donahue, Connie Stevens. The screenplay was based upon the 1961 novel The Sin of Susan Slade (1961) by Doris Hume.

Summer and Smoke is a 1961 American drama film directed by Peter Glenville based on the Tennessee Williams play of the same name.

The Steamroller and the Violin is a 1961 featurette directed by Andrei Tarkovsky and from a screenplay written by Andrei Konchalovsky and Andrei Tarkovsky. The film tells the story of the unlikely friendship of Sasha (Igor Fomchenko), a little boy, and Sergey (Vladimir Zamansky), the operator of a steamroller. The film was Tarkovsky's diploma film at the State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), but was made at the Mosfilm studio.

Splendor in the Grass is a 1961 Technicolor romantic drama film that tells a story of a teenage girl navigating her feelings of sexual repression, love, and heartbreak. Written by William Inge, who appears briefly as a Protestant clergyman and won an Oscar for his screenplay, the film was directed by Elia Kazan and features a score by jazz composer David Amram.

A Song About the Gray Pigeon (Slovak: Piesen o sivém holubovi) is a 1961 Czechoslovak film directed by Stanislav Barabás. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.

Something Wild is a 1961 independent rape and revenge drama film directed by Jack Garfein and starring Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker and Mildred Dunnock. The film follows a young New York City college student (Baker) who, after being brutally raped, is taken in and held captive by a mechanic (Meeker) who witnessed her suicide attempt on the Manhattan Bridge.

A Soldier's Prayer is a 1961 Japanese film directed by Masaki Kobayashi. It is the third part of The Human Condition trilogy.

The Sins of Rachel Cade is a 1961 drama film starring Angie Dickinson in the title role as well as Peter Finch and Roger Moore.

Seeta Rama Kalyanam is a 1961 Telugu film starring N. T. Rama Rao.

The Secret Ways is a 1961 American thriller film based on Alistair MacLean's novel The Last Frontier. It stars Richard Widmark.

The Second Time Around is a 1961 Western comedy film starring Debbie Reynolds as a widow who relocates her family from 1911 New York to the Arizona Territory. It is based on the novel Star in the West by Richard Emery Roberts.

Scarlet Sails is a 1961 Soviet film produced by Mosfilm and directed by Alexandr Ptushko. It is based on Alexander Grin's 1923 adventure novel of the same name and stars Vasily Lanovoy and Anastasiya Vertinskaya. The story is a romantic fantasy and is described as a "fairy tale", though it contains no overtly supernatural elements.

Sanctuary (1961) is a drama film directed by Tony Richardson. The film, based on the William Faulkner novels Sanctuary and Requiem for a Nun, is about the black maid of a white woman who kills the latter's newborn in order to give her employer a way out of a predicament, and then faces the death penalty.

Sail a Crooked Ship is a 1961 comedy heist film starring Robert Wagner, Dolores Hart, Carolyn Jones, Frankie Avalon, Ernie Kovacs and Frank Gorshin. It was directed by Irving Brecher and was based on the novel of the same name by Nathaniel Benchley, published in 1960.

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone is a 1961 British film made by Seven Arts-Warner Bros. It was directed by José Quintero and produced by Louis De Rochemont with Lothar Wolff as associate producer. The screenplay was written by Gavin Lambert and Jan Read and based on the novel by Tennessee Williams. The music score was by Richard Addinsell and the cinematography by Harry Waxman.

The Right Approach is a 1961 film directed by David Butler. It stars Juliet Prowse, Frankie Vaughan and Martha Hyer.

Return to Peyton Place is a 1961 drama film produced by Jerry Wald and directed by José Ferrer. The screenplay by Ronald Alexander is based on the 1959 novel Return to Peyton Place by Grace Metalious. The film is a sequel to Peyton Place.

The Rebel (1961) (US title: Call Me Genius) is a satirical comedy film. Starring the British comedian Tony Hancock, it was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The film was made by Associated British Picture Corporation and distributed by Warner-Pathé (ABPC's distribution arm).

A Raisin in the Sun is a 1961 drama film, starring Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Roy Glenn, and Louis Gossett, and adapted from the play of the same name by Lorraine Hansberry. It follows a black family that wants a better life away from the city.

Question 7 is a 1961 film directed by Stuart Rosenberg and starring Michael Gwynn, Margaret Jahnen and Christian de Bresson. It won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film. It was also entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival.

Professor Mamlock is an East German drama film. It was released in 1961.

Il Posto (1961) is an Italian film directed by Ermanno Olmi. An extension of Italian Neorealism, it explores many of the dehumanizing practices of the corporation from the viewpoint of an Italian adolescent. The film, shot in Milan, is in part a satire on Italy's "economic miracle."

Portrait of a Mobster is a 1961 film directed by Joseph Pevney. It stars Vic Morrow and Leslie Parrish.

Pocketful of Miracles is a 1961 American comedy film starring Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, and directed by Frank Capra. The screenplay by Hal Kanter and Harry Tugend is based on the screenplay Lady for a Day by Robert Riskin, which was adapted from the Damon Runyon short story "Madame La Gimp".

The Pleasure of His Company (1961) is a comedy film starring Fred Astaire and Debbie Reynolds, directed by George Seaton and released by Paramount Pictures. It is based on the 1958 play of the same name by Samuel A. Taylor and Cornelia Otis Skinner.

Please, Not Now! (original French title La Bride sur le cou, is a French comedy film released in 1961, directed by Roger Vadim and starring his former wife, Brigitte Bardot.

Plácido is a 1961 Spanish black comedy film directed by Luis García Berlanga. It was nominated to the Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film. It was also entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.

The Pit and the Pendulum is a 1961 horror film directed by Roger Corman, starring Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, and Luana Anders. The screenplay by Richard Matheson was based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name. Set in sixteenth-century Spain, the story is about a young Englishman who visits a forbidding castle to investigate his sister's mysterious death. After a series of horrific revelations, apparently ghostly appearances and violent deaths, the young man becomes strapped to the titular torture device by his lunatic brother-in-law during the film's climactic sequence.

Pigs and Battleships is a 1961 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. The film depicts the mutually exploitative relationship that exists between the U.S. military and the lower elements of Japanese society at Yokosuka. It is based on the novel by Kazu Otsuka.

Peace to Him Who Enters is a 1961 Soviet film written and directed by Aleksandr Alov and Vladimir Naumov. Set in World War II, it tells the story of three Soviet soldiers who try to rescue a trapped pregnant German woman by taking her on a dangerous drive to a hospital.

Parrish is a 1961 American drama film made by Warner Bros.. It was written, produced and directed by Delmer Daves, based on the novel by Mildred Savage. The music score was by Max Steiner, the cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr., the art direction by Leo K. Kuter and the costume design by Howard Shoup.

Paris Blues (1961) is an American feature film made on location in Paris, starring Sidney Poitier as expatriate jazz musician Eddie Cook, and Paul Newman as trombone-playing Ram Bowen. The two men romance two vacationing American tourists, Connie Lampson (Diahann Carroll) and Lillian Corning (Joanne Woodward) respectively. The film also deals with American racism of the time contrasted with Paris's kinder treatment of African Americans. The film was based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Harold Flender.

Paris Belongs to Us (French: Paris nous appartient, sometimes translated as Paris Is Ours) is a 1960 French mystery film directed by Jacques Rivette and starring Betty Schneider. Begun in 1957 and completed three years later, it was then-critic Rivette's first full-length film as a director and one of the first works of the French New Wave, though it was not released theatrically until 1961.

The Parent Trap is a 1961 Walt Disney film. It stars Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith in a story about teenage twins on a quest to reunite their divorced parents. The screenplay by the film's director David Swift was based upon the 1949 book Lottie and Lisa (Das Doppelte Lottchen) by Erich Kästner. The Parent Trap was nominated for two Academy Awards, was broadcast on television, saw three television sequels, was remade in 1998 with Lindsay Lohan, and has been released on digital stereo LaserDisc format in 1986 as well as VHS and DVD in 2000. The original film was Mills' second of six films for Disney.

The Outsider is a 1961 biopic film about Ira Hayes, a Native American who fought in World War II in the United States Marine Corps and was one of the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. The film stars Tony Curtis as Hayes. It was directed by Delbert Mann.

One, Two, Three is a 1961 American comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and written by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond. It is based on the 1929 Hungarian one-act play Egy, ketto, három by Ferenc Molnár, with a "plot borrowed partly from" Ninotchka, a 1939 film co-written by Wilder. The comedy features James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin, Arlene Francis, Leon Askin, Howard St. John, and others. It would be Cagney's last film appearance until Ragtime, 20 years later.

One Hundred and One Dalmatians, often written 101 Dalmatians, is a 1961 American animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Productions and adapted from Dodie Smith's 1956 novel of the same name. It is the 17th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It stars Rod Taylor and Cate Bauer as, respectively, the voices of Pongo and Perdita, its canine protagonists, and Betty Lou Gerson as the voice of Cruella de Vil, its antagonist who kidnaps their puppies.

One-Eyed Jacks, a 1961 Western, is the only film directed by actor Marlon Brando. The picture was originally planned to be directed by Stanley Kubrick from a screenplay by Sam Peckinpah, but studio disputes led to their replacement by Brando and Guy Trosper. Brando portrays the lead character Rio, and Karl Malden plays his partner "Dad" Longworth. The supporting cast features Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson, and Slim Pickens.

Nude on the Moon is a 1961 sexploitation film co-written and co-directed by Doris Wishman and Raymond Phelan under the shared pseudonyms "O. O. Miller" and "Anthony Brooks". The film was produced in 1960 but was not released theatrically until 1961. Doris Wishman went on to become a significant filmmaker and noteworthy director of sexploitation movies. Wishman is also credited as the film's co-producer.

La Notte (English: The Night) is a 1961 Italian drama film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau and Monica Vitti (Umberto Eco appeared in a cameo). Filmed on location in Milan, the film is about a day in the life of an unfaithful married couple and their deteriorating relationship. In 1961 La Notte received the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, as well as the David di Donatello Award for Best Director. La Notte is considered the central film of a trilogy beginning with L'Avventura (1960) and ending with L'Eclisse (1962).

No Love for Johnnie is a 1961 British drama film directed by Ralph Thomas. It was based on the book of the same title by the Member of Parliament Wilfred Fienburgh and stars Peter Finch.

Nefertiti, regina del Nilo (English Translation: Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile) is a 1961 Italian Sword-and-sandal historical drama written and directed by Fernando Cerchio and produced for MAX Film by Ottavio Poggi. The film stars Jeanne Crain, Edmund Purdom, and Vincent Price. Purdom had previously starred in The Egyptian (1954), which has a similar plot and characters.

Nazrana is a 1961 Black-and-white melodrama Hindi film produced by S. Krishnamurthy and directed by C. V. Sridhar in his Hindi directional debut. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala in the lead with Usha Kiran, Achala Sachdev and Agha as an ensemble cast while South Star Gemini Ganesan has an extended cameo appearance. The music is by Ravi.

The Naked Edge is a 1961 thriller film starring Gary Cooper and Deborah Kerr. The movie was a British-American co-production distributed by United Artists, directed by Michael Anderson and produced by George Glass and Walter Seltzer with Marlon Brando Sr. as executive producer. The screenplay was by Joseph Stefano and Max Ehrlich, the music score by William Alwyn and the cinematography by Erwin Hillier and Tony White. The production design was by Carmen Dillon.

Mysterious Island (UK: Jules Verne's Mysterious Island) is a 1961 science fiction adventure film about civil war prisoners who escape in a balloon and then find themselves stranded on a remote island that's populated by giant mutated animals. Based very loosely upon the novel The Mysterious Island (L'Île mystérieuse) by Jules Verne, the film was produced by Charles H. Schneer and directed by Cy Endfield. Shot in Spain and at Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, England, the film serves as a showcase for Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation effects. Like several of Harryhausen's classic productions, the musical score was composed by Bernard Herrmann.

Murder, She Said is a 1961 murder mystery film directed by George Pollock, based on the novel 4.50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie. The production starred Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple along with Arthur Kennedy and Muriel Pavlow, and features Rutherford's real life husband, Stringer Davis.

Mothra is a 1961 kaiju/tokusatsu film from Toho Studios, directed by genre regular Ishiro Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It is the genre film debut of screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa, whose approach to Toho's monster and fantasy films grew to prominence during the 1960s. The film stars Frankie Sakai, a popular comedian in Japan at the time, and Hiroshi Koizumi, in the first of many academic roles he would adopt in tokusatsu. Jerry Ito (transliterated as "Jelly Ito" in the credits of the U.S. release) stars in the film, his only appearance in a Toho monster film. Ito did however appear in 1958's Japanese/US co-production The Manster, and in Toho's 1961 end-of-the-world feature The Last War.

Mother Joan of the Angels is a 1961 drama film on demonic possession, directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, based on a novella of the same title by Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.

The Misfits is a 1961 American drama film written by Arthur Miller, directed by John Huston, and starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. The supporting cast features Thelma Ritter, Eli Wallach and Kevin McCarthy. The motion picture was the final film appearance for both Gable and Monroe. For Gable, the film was a posthumous release, while Monroe died the following year. The plot centers on a recently divorced woman (Monroe) and her time spent with a cowboy (Gable) and his rodeo-riding friend (Clift) in the Western Nevada desert in the 1960s. The movie was not a commercial success at the time of its release but received positive critical comments for its script and performances and is highly regarded today.

The Miracle of Father Malachia (German: Das Wunder des Malachias) is a 1961 West German black-and-white film directed by Bernhard Wicki and starring Horst Bollmann. The film is based on the 1938 novel Father Malachy's Miracle by Bruce Marshall and tells the story of a supposed miracle in a West German town that is soon exploited and sensationalized by the media and profiteers. The film won several awards and was the official West German submission to the 34th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Mask (re-released as Eyes of Hell) is a 1961 Canadian horror film produced in 3-D by Warner Bros. It was directed by Julian Roffman, and stars Paul Stevens, Claudette Nevins, and Bill Walker. It was shot in Toronto, Ontario and is the first Canadian horror film.

The Marriage-Go-Round is a 1958 play written by Leslie Stevens. The 1961 film adaptation of the same name, written and produced by Stevens, stars Susan Hayward, James Mason and Julie Newmar.

The Mark is a 1961 film which tells the story of a convicted child molester, now out of prison, who is suspected in the molestation and beating of another child. The picture stars Stuart Whitman, Maria Schell, Rod Steiger and Brenda De Banzie.

Marines, Let's Go is a 1961 CinemaScope colour Korean War film about three Marine buddies (Tom Tryon, David Hedison and Tom Reese) on shore leave in Japan and at war in Korea. It was produced and directed by Raoul Walsh, who also wrote the story. Walsh had previously had successes with films about the U.S. Marine Corps in World War I (What Price Glory?), the 1920s (The Cock-Eyed World and Sadie Thompson), and World War II (Battle Cry).

Man-Trap is a 1961 American drama film about a Korean War veteran who becomes involved in a scheme to steal $3.5 million from a Central American dictator. The film was directed by Edmond O'Brien, and stars Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen, and Stella Stevens.

A Majority of One is a play by Leonard Spigelgass.

Mad Dog Coll is a 1992 film directed by Greydon Clark. It stars Eddie Bowz and Christopher Bradley. It was released in the United States as Killer Instinct.

Lover Come Back is a 1961 Eastmancolor romantic comedy released by Universal Pictures and directed by Delbert Mann. The film stars Doris Day and Rock Hudson in their second film together. The supporting cast includes Tony Randall, Edie Adams, Ann B. Davis, and Donna Douglas.

The Lovemakers (Italian: La Viaccia) is a 1961 Italian drama film directed by Mauro Bolognini based on a novel by Mario Pratesi. The film stars Claudia Cardinale and Jean-Paul Belmondo. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.

Look in Any Window (1961) is a black-and-white film starring Paul Anka, Gigi Perreau, and, in his film debut, Jack Cassidy. The film was directed by William Alland and released by Allied Artists.

The Long and the Short and the Tall (released as Jungle Fighters in the USA and Canada) is a 1961 British war film directed by Leslie Norman, which stars Richard Todd, Richard Harris, Laurence Harvey, David McCallum and Ronald Fraser. The film, which is based on a 1959 play with the same name, by Willis Hall, takes place in a Burmese jungle in 1942 during the Malayan Campaign.

The Long Absence (French: Une aussi longue absence) is a 1961 French film directed by Henri Colpi. It tells the story of Therese (Alida Valli), a café owner mourning the mysterious disappearance of her husband sixteen years earlier. A tramp arrives in the town and she believes him to be her husband. But he is suffering from amnesia and she tries to bring back his memory of earlier times.

Lola, is a 1961 film, the debut film directed by Jacques Demy as a tribute to director Max Ophüls and is described by Demy as a "musical without music". Anouk Aimée starred in the title role. The film was restored and re-released by Demy's widow, French filmmaker Agnès Varda.

Léon Morin, Priest (French: Léon Morin, prêtre) is a 1961 film directed and scripted by Jean-Pierre Melville, and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Emmanuelle Riva. Belmondo was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor. It is based on the 1952 Prix Goncourt-winning novel The Passionate Heart (French: Léon Morin, prêtre) by Béatrix Beck.

L'Année dernière à Marienbad (released in the US as Last Year at Marienbad and in the UK as Last Year in Marienbad) is a 1961 French film directed by Alain Resnais from a screenplay by Alain Robbe-Grillet.

The Last War is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1961. Its special effects were created by Eiji Tsuburaya who is also known for working on Godzilla and Ultraman.

The Last Time I Saw Archie is a 1961 comedy film set in the waning days of World War II. Robert Mitchum stars as Arch Hall Sr., a lazy, scheming American in an aviation school for pilots too old to fly aircraft but not too old to fly military gliders and liaison aircraft. Jack Webb produced, directed and costarred.

The Last Sunset is a 1961 western movie starring Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, and Dorothy Malone, and was directed by Robert Aldrich.

The Last Judgement (Italian: Il giudizio universale) is a 1961 commedia all'italiana film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It was coproduced with France.

The Ladies Man is a 1961 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on June 28, 1961 by Paramount.

The Knife (Dutch: Het Mes) is a 1961 Dutch drama film directed by Fons Rademakers. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.

King of Kings is a 1961 American biblical epic film made by Samuel Bronston Productions and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Directed by Nicholas Ray, the film is a dramatization of the story of Jesus Christ from his birth and ministry to his crucifixion and resurrection, with much dramatic license.

Judgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American drama film dealing with non-combatant war crimes against a civilian population (i.e., crimes committed in violation of the Law of Nations or the Laws of War), the Holocaust, and with post-World War II geo-political complexity of the Nuremberg Trials. The picture was written by Abby Mann and directed by Stanley Kramer, and stars Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, William Shatner, and Montgomery Clift. An earlier version of the story was broadcast as a television episode of Playhouse 90. Schell and Klemperer played the same roles in both productions.

The Innocents is a 1961 British supernatural gothic horror film directed and produced by Jack Clayton, and starring Deborah Kerr, Michael Redgrave and Megs Jenkins. Based on the novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, the plot follows a governess who watches over two children and comes to fear that the house is haunted by ghosts and that the two children are being possessed. The title of the film was taken from William Archibald's stage adaptation of James' novella. Falling within the subgenre of psychological horror, the film achieves its effects through lighting, music and direction rather than conventional shocks. Its atmosphere was created by cinematographer Freddie Francis, who employed deep focus in many scenes, as well as bold, minimal lighting. It was partly shot on location at the Gothic mansion of Sheffield Park in Sussex.

Immortal Love is a 1961 Japanese drama film directed by Keisuke Kinoshita. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Hustler is a 1961 American drama film directed by Robert Rossen from Walter Tevis's 1959 novel of the same name, adapted for the screen by Rossen and Sidney Carroll. It tells the story of small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson and his desire to break into the "major league" of professional hustling and high-stakes wagering by high-rollers that follows it. He throws his raw talent and ambition up against the best player in the country; seeking to best the legendary pool player "Minnesota Fats." After initially losing to Fats and getting involved with unscrupulous manager Bert Gordon, Eddie returns to try again, but only after paying a terrible personal price.

The Houseguest and My Mother is a 1961 South Korean film directed by Shin Sang-ok. It is based on a best-selling novel by Chu Yo-Sup, it was given the Best Film award at the 1961 Asia Pacific Film Festival. The film was also selected as the South Korean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 35th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

The Human Condition is a Japanese epic film trilogy made between 1959 and 1961, based on the six-volume novel published from 1956 to 1958 by Junpei Gomikawa. It was directed by Masaki Kobayashi and stars Tatsuya Nakadai. The trilogy follows the life of Kaji, a Japanese pacifist and socialist, as he tries to survive in the totalitarian and oppressive world of World War II-era Japan. Altogether, the trilogy is 9 hours, 47 minutes long, not including intermissions.

The Hoodlum Priest is a 1961 film by Irvin Kershner, based on the life of Father Charles Clark of St. Louis, who ministered to street gangs. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival. The movie stars Don Murray who also co-produced and co-wrote the screenplay under the pseudonym Don Deer.

The Honeymoon Machine is a 1961 film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Steve McQueen, Brigid Bazlen, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Jack Mullaney, and Dean Jagger, based on the 1959 Broadway play The Golden Fleecing by Lorenzo Semple Jr.. In the film, three men devise a plan to win at roulette with a United States Navy computer. The scheme works until an admiral ruins their plans.

Homicidal is a 1961 thriller film produced and directed by the self-proclaimed "King of Showmanship", William Castle. Written by Robb White, the film stars Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Eugenie Leontovich, Alan Bunce, Richard Rust, and Joan Marshall (billed as Jean Arless). It was released with a "fright break" that allowed patrons to receive a refund if they were too scared to stay for the climax of the film.

Pigs and Battleships is a 1961 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. The film depicts the mutually exploitative relationship that exists between the U.S. military and the lower elements of Japanese society at Yokosuka. It is based on the novel by Kazu Otsuka.

Havoc in Heaven, also translated as Uproar in Heaven, is a Chinese animated feature film directed by Wan Laiming and produced by all four of the Wan brothers. The film was created at the height of the Chinese animation industry in the 1960s, and received numerous awards. It earned the brothers domestic and international recognition. The story is an adaptation of the novel Journey to the West.

Harry and the Butler (Danish: Harry og kammertjeneren) is a 1961 Danish film directed by Bent Christensen. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.

The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 British-American epic adventure war film directed by J. Lee Thompson. The screenplay by producer Carl Foreman was based on Alistair MacLean's 1957 novel The Guns of Navarone, which was inspired by the Battle of Leros during the Dodecanese Campaign of World War II. The film stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Stanley Baker and Anthony Quayle. The book and the film share the same basic plot: the efforts of an Allied commando team to destroy a seemingly impregnable German fortress that threatens Allied naval ships in the Aegean Sea, and prevents 2,000 isolated British troops from being rescued.

Gunga Jumna is a 1961 dacoit drama Bollywood film produced in Technicolor by Dilip Kumar and directed by Nitin Bose. The film stars Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala in the lead with Nasir Khan, Azra, Leela Chitnis, Kanhaiyalal, Anwar Hussain, Nazir Hussain and Helen forming an ensemble cast. Notable for its use of Bhojpuri dialect and its rustic setting, the film features real life brothers Dilip Kumar and Nasir Khan in the title role, is on the story of two brothers, Gunga and Jumna, the poignancy of two brothers on opposite sides of the law.

The Greengage Summer (called The Loss of Innocence in the USA) is a 1961 British drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Kenneth More and Susannah York (in her first leading role). It was based on the novel Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden. Set in Épernay, in the Champagne region of France, it is the story of the transition of a teenage girl into womanhood.

The Great Impostor is a 1961 movie based on the true story of an impostor named Ferdinand Waldo Demara.

Gorgo is a 1961 British science fiction monster film directed by Eugène Lourié. The film focuses on Gorgo, an ancient large sea monster brought back to London for exploitation, and his even larger mother, who rampages across London to search for him. The film was featured in an episode of the cult movie-mocking television show Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Goodbye Again, released in Europe as Aimez-vous Brahms?, is a 1961 romantic drama film produced and directed by Anatole Litvak. The screenplay was written by Samuel A. Taylor, based on the novel Aimez-vous Brahms? by Françoise Sagan. The film, released by United Artists, stars Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Yves Montand, and Jessie Royce Landis.

Go Naked in the World is a 1961 American drama Metrocolor film in CinemaScope written and directed by Ranald MacDougall and co-directed by an uncredited Charles Walters, produced by Aaron Rosenberg, and starring Gina Lollobrigida, Anthony Franciosa, and Ernest Borgnine. it is based on a 1959 novel of the same name by Tom T. Chamales.

Girl with a Suitcase (Italian: La ragazza con la valigia) is a 1961 Italian romantic drama film by Italian Director Valerio Zurlini starring Claudia Cardinale as a naive nightclub singer who lives on the good will of others. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.

Gidget Goes Hawaiian is a 1961 musical romantic comedy film starring Deborah Walley and James Darren. Released by Columbia Pictures, the film is a sequel to the 1959 Sandra Dee "beach movie" vehicle Gidget. Dee was under contract to Universal for the rival series film Tammy Tell Me True (1961) and wouldn't be released to Columbia to reprise her hit role.

The George Raft Story is a 1961 American biographical film of Hollywood film star George Raft. Ray Danton portrays Raft and the film was directed by Joseph M. Newman. The picture was retitled Spin of a Coin for release in the United Kingdom, a reference to Raft's character's nickel-flipping trick in Scarface (1932), the film that launched Raft's career as an actor known for portraying gangsters.

The Frightened City is a 1961 British film about extortion rackets and gang warfare in the West End of London. It stars Sean Connery, who plays a burglar called Paddy Damion. He is lured into a protection racket by oily mobster Harry Foulcher (Alfred Marks), in order to support his partner in crime (Kenneth Griffith), who is injured in a robbery. However Damion has his wits about him.

Francis of Assisi is a 1961 DeLuxe CinemaScope film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on the novel The Joyful Beggar by Louis de Wohl. It was shot entirely in Italy. The film was a box office loss. It starred Bradford Dillman in one of his few sympathetic leading film roles (he usually played a villainous character onscreen, despite having originated the role of Jamie in the original stage version of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night in 1956).

Flower Drum Song is a 1961 film adaptation of the 1958 Broadway musical Flower Drum Song, written by the composer Richard Rodgers and the lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The film and stage play were based on the 1957 novel of the same name by the Chinese American author C. Y. Lee.

Los Inundados is a 1961 Argentine film directed by Fernando Birri.

Five Golden Hours is a 1961 Italian-British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi and written by Hans Wilhelm, starring Ernie Kovacs, Cyd Charisse and George Sanders, and featuring Dennis Price and John Le Mesurier.

A Fever in the Blood is a 1961 late noir or neo-noir film featuring a roster of Warner Bros. television contract players, often miscast according to the film's producer and screenwriter Roy Huggins in his Archive of American Television interview, about crooked political dealings. It is based on the 1959 novel of the same name by William Pearson.

The Fascist (Italian: Il federale) is a 1961 Italian film directed by Luciano Salce. It was coproduced with France. It was also the first feature film scored by Ennio Morricone.

Fanny is a 1961 American Technicolor drama film directed by Joshua Logan. The screenplay by Julius J. Epstein is based on the book for the 1954 stage musical of the same title by Logan and S.N. Behrman, which in turn had been adapted from Marcel Pagnol's trilogy: Marius (1929) and Fanny (1932), plays which he adapted to film a year or two later; and César, the film he wrote and directed for the screen in 1936 (and later adapted for the stage).

The Explosive Generation is a 1961 film directed by Buzz Kulik. It stars William Shatner and Patty McCormack.

The Exiles (1961) is a film by Kent MacKenzie chronicling a day in the life of a group of twenty-something Native Americans who left reservation life in the 1950s to live in the district of Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, California. Bunker Hill was then a blighted residential locality of decayed Victorian mansions, sometimes featured in the writings of Raymond Chandler, John Fante, and Charles Bukowski. The structure of the film is that of a narrative feature, the script pieced together from interviews with the documentary subjects. The film features Yvonne Williams, Homer Nish, and Tommy Reynolds.

Everything's Ducky is a 1961 comedy film directed by Don Taylor and written by Benedict Freedman annd John Fenton Murray. The film stars Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett, Jackie Cooper, Joanie Sommers, Roland Winters and Elizabeth MacRae. The film was released on December 20, 1961, by Columbia Pictures.

The Errand Boy is a 1961 American comedy film directed, co-written and starring Jerry Lewis.

A Morte Comanda o Cangaço is a 1960 Brazilian Western action film directed by Carlos Coimbra and Walter Guimarães Motta. Shot in Pernambuco, it stars Alberto Ruschel, Aurora Duarte, and Milton Ribeiro in a fiction about cangaço. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival. The film was also selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 33rd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

The End of Summer is a 1961 film directed by Yasujiro Ozu. It was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival. The film was his penultimate; only An Autumn Afternoon (1962) followed it.

El Cid is a 1961 historical epic film, a romanticized story of the life of the Christian Castilian knight Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called "El Cid" (from the Arabic as-sidi, meaning "The Lord"), who, in the 11th century, fought the North African Almoravides and ultimately contributed to the unification of Spain. The film stars Charlton Heston in the title role and Sophia Loren as Doña Ximena.

Dondi was a daily comic strip about a large-eyed war orphan of the same name. Created by Gus Edson and Irwin Hasen, it ran in more than 100 newspapers for three decades (September 25, 1955 to June 8, 1986).

Divorce Italian Style (Italian: Divorzio all'italiana) is a 1961 Italian comedy film directed by Pietro Germi. The screenplay was written by Ennio De Concini, Pietro Germi, Alfredo Giannetti, and Agenore Incrocci; based on the novel Un delitto d'onore (Crime of Honor) by Giovanni Arpino. It stars Marcello Mastroianni, Daniela Rocca, Stefania Sandrelli, Lando Buzzanca, and Leopoldo Trieste.

A Difficult Life (Italian: Una vita difficile) is a Commedia all'italiana or Italian-style comedy film directed by Dino Risi in 1961. Parts of the movie scenes were filmed in Lierna, Lake Como.

The Devil at 4 O'Clock is a 1961 American Eastman Color disaster film, starring Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Based on a 1959 novel with the same title by British writer Max Catto, the film was a precursor to the disaster films of the 1970s, such as The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, and The Towering Inferno.

Dersu Uzala is a 1961 Soviet film, adapted from the books of Vladimir Arsenyev, about his travels in Russian Far East with a native trapper, Dersu Uzala.

The Deadly Companions is a 1961 Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith, Steve Cochran, and Chill Wills. Based on the novel of the same name by A. S. Fleischman, the film is about an ex-army officer who accidentally kills a woman's son, and tries to make up for it by escorting the funeral procession through dangerous Indian territory. The Deadly Companions was Sam Peckinpah's motion picture directorial debut.

The Day the Earth Caught Fire is a British science fiction disaster film starring Edward Judd, Leo McKern and Janet Munro. It was directed by Val Guest and released in 1961, and is one of the classic apocalyptic films of its era. The film opened at the Odeon Marble Arch in London on 23 November 1961.

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) is a British film based on the novel The Werewolf of Paris by Guy Endore. The film was made by the British film studio Hammer Film Productions and was shot at Bray Studios. The leading role of the werewolf was Oliver Reed's first credited film appearance. Benjamin Frankel's score is notable for its use of twelve-tone serialism, rare in film music.

Cry for Happy (1961) is an American movie, filmed in Eastmancolor and CinemaScope, directed by George Marshall, and released by Columbia Pictures.

Come September is a 1961 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan, and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin.

The Comancheros is a 1961 Western Deluxe CinemaScope color film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on a 1952 novel of the same name by Paul Wellman, and starring John Wayne and Stuart Whitman. The supporting cast includes Ina Balin, Lee Marvin, Nehemiah Persoff, Bruce Cabot, Jack Elam and Edgar Buchanan. Also featured are western film veterans Bob Steele, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams and Harry Carey, Jr. in uncredited supporting roles.

Il Colosso di Rodi (English title: The Colossus of Rhodes) is a 1961 Italian sword and sandal film directed by Sergio Leone. Starring Rory Calhoun, it is a fictional account of the island of Rhodes during its Classical period in the late third century before coming under Roman control, using the Colossus of Rhodes as a backdrop for the story of a war hero who becomes involved in two different plots to overthrow a tyrannical king: one by Rhodian patriots and the other by Phoenician agents.

The Coachman is a 1961 South Korean film directed by Kang Dae-jin. At the 11th Berlin International Film Festival in 1961, The Coachman became the first Korean film to win a major international award. It was nominated for the Golden Bear Award and won the Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize.

Chronicle of Flaming Years is a 1961 Soviet drama film directed by Yuliya Solntseva. Solntseva won the award for Best Director at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.

These Three is a 1936 American drama film directed by William Wyler. The screenplay by Lillian Hellman is based on her 1934 play The Children's Hour.

The Children's Hour (released as The Loudest Whisper in the United Kingdom) is a 1961 American drama film directed by William Wyler. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes is based on the 1934 play of the same title by Lillian Hellman. The film stars Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and James Garner.

A cavallo della tigre is an Italian film written and directed by Luigi Comencini in 1961. It was released as Jailbreak in the UK and On the Tiger's Back in the U.S. In 2002 the film was remade. Giuseppe Mazzacurati directed and Fabrizio Bentivoglio starred in the new version.

Cash on Demand is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Quentin Lawrence and starring Peter Cushing and André Morell. The film company Hammer Film Productions invested the equivalent of £37,000 in 2009 currency to produce the film. Columbia began distribution of the film in the United States on 20 December 1961, and screenings continued until April in some major cities.

Carry On Regardless was the fifth in the series of Carry On films to be made being released in 1961. By now a fairly regular team was established with Sid James, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Kenneth Williams all having appeared in previous entries. Hattie Jacques - who was also a regular - makes a cameo appearance during a hospital scene. "Professor" Stanley Unwin appears in a guest role, playing his trademark "gobbledegook" speaking act. This would be the final appearance in the series for early regular Terence Longdon. Liz Fraser makes her debut in Carry On Regardless and would appear in a further three Carry On films. This Carry On film was the only one to be filmed over 2 years, being filmed in both 1960 and 1961.

By Love Possessed is a 1961 drama film distributed by United Artists. The movie was directed by John Sturges, and written by Charles Schnee, based on the novel by James Gould Cozzens.

Bridge to the Sun is a 1961 film, directed by Etienne Périer, starring Carroll Baker, James Shigeta, James Yagi, Tetsuro Tamba, and Sean Garrison. It is based on the 1957 autobiography Bridge To The Sun by Gwen Terasaki, which detailed events in Gwen's life and marriage.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1961 American romantic comedy film starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, and featuring Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney. The film was directed by Blake Edwards and released by Paramount Pictures. It is loosely based on the novella of the same name by Truman Capote.

Bootleggers or Moonshiners is a 1961 Soviet short film directed by Leonid Gaidai.

A Bomb Was Stolen is a 1961 Romanian dialogue-free spy film directed by Ion Popescu-Gopo. It was entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.

The Salonika Terrorists also known as The Assassins from Salonika is a 1961 Yugoslav film. It follows the story of the Boatmen of Thessaloniki.

Blue Hawaii is a 1961 American musical romantic comedy film set in the state of Hawaii and starring Elvis Presley. The screenplay by Hal Kanter was nominated by the Writers Guild of America in 1962 in the category of Best Written American Musical. The movie opened at no. 2 in box office receipts for that week and despite mixed reviews from critics, finished as the 10th top-grossing movie of 1961 and 14th for 1962 on the Variety national box office survey, earning $5 million. The film won a fourth place prize Laurel Award in the category of Top Musical of 1961.

Una Americana en Buenos Aires (English: An American in Buenos Aires) is a 1961 Argentine film directed by George Cahan. The film was based on the story by Antonio de Lara. The film starred Mamie Van Doren and Jean-Pierre Aumont.

Blast of Silence is an American crime/thriller film released in 1961. It was written and directed by Allen Baron and produced by Merrill Brody who was also the cinematographer.

Black Silk is a 1961 Thai crime drama film written and directed by Rattana Pestonji.

The Big Gamble is a 1961 adventure film directed by Richard Fleischer. It stars Stephen Boyd.

The Big Bankroll is a 1961 American crime film directed by Joseph M. Newman, produced by Samuel Bischoff and starring David Janssen, Dianne Foster, Diana Dors and Jack Carson. During the prohibition era the gangster Arnold Rothstein rises to be a major figure in the criminal underworld. It is also known by the alternative title King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein. It was based on a book by Leo Katcher.

Barabbas is a 1961 religious epic film expanding on the career of Barabbas, from the Christian Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark and other gospels. The film stars Anthony Quinn as Barabbas, features Silvana Mangano, Katy Jurado, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Andrews, Ernest Borgnine, Vittorio Gassman, and Jack Palance, and was distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was conceived as a grand Roman epic, was based on Nobel Prize-winning Pär Lagerkvist's 1950 novel of the same title. A previous film version of the novel, in Swedish, had been made in 1953.

Banditi a Orgosolo (Bandits of Orgosolo) is a 1960 Italian film drama directed by Vittorio De Seta. The film stars Vittorina Pisano. De Seta won an Award for the film at the Venice Film Festival.

Back Street is a 1961 film made by Universal Pictures, directed by David Miller, and produced by Ross Hunter. The screenplay was written by William Ludwig and Eleanore Griffin based on the novel by Fannie Hurst. The music score is by Frank Skinner. The film stars Susan Hayward, John Gavin and Vera Miles.

Bachelor in Paradise is a 1961 Metrocolor romantic comedy film starring Bob Hope and Lana Turner. Directed by Jack Arnold, it was written by Valentine Davies and Hal Kanter, based on a story by Vera Caspary.

Babes in Toyland is a 1961 Walt Disney Christmas musical film in Technicolor, directed by Jack Donohue, and distributed to theatres by Buena Vista Distribution. It stars Ray Bolger as Barnaby, Annette Funicello as Mary Contrary, Tommy Sands as Tom Piper, and Ed Wynn as the Toymaker.

Atlantis, the Lost Continent is a 1961 science fiction film, directed by George Pal and starring Anthony Hall, also called Sal Ponti, about the destruction of Atlantis during the time of Ancient Greece.

The Assassin (Italian: L'assassino) is a 1961 Italian crime film directed by Elio Petri. It is the feature film debut of Petri. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival.

Ogniomistrz Kalen (English: The Artillery Sergeant Kalen) is a Polish war movie released in 1961. The movie was directed by Ewa Petelska and Czeslaw Petelski. The movie is about the fate of Polish soldier named Kalen (acted by Wieslaw Golas) who fought with UPA in 1945.

Armored Command is a 1961 World War II film directed by Byron Haskin filmed in Hohenfels, Bavaria but takes place in the Vosges Mountains during the Southern France campaign. It stars Howard Keel and Tina Louise.

Antigone is a 1961 Greek film adaptation of the Ancient Greek tragedy Antigone by Sophocles. It stars Irene Papas in the title role and was directed by Yorgos Javellas.

Angel Baby is a 1961 American drama film directed by Paul Wendkos and is also Burt Reynolds' film debut.

And Love Has Vanished (Serbian: Dvoje) is a 1961 Yugoslavian drama film directed by Aleksandar Petrovic. It was entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.

All in a Night's Work is a 1961 romantic screwball comedy starring Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine, and directed by Joseph Anthony.

Ada is a 1961 American political drama film made by Avon Productions and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Daniel Mann and produced by Lawrence Weingarten, with a screenplay by Arthur Sheekman and William Driskill based on the novel Ada Dallas by Wirt Williams. The musical score was by Bronislau Kaper and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. The art direction was by Edward Carfagno and George W. Davis and the costume design by Helen Rose.

Accattone is a 1961 Italian drama film written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Despite being filmed from an original screenplay, academics perceive Accattone as a cinematic rendition of Pasolini's earlier novels, particularly Boys of Life and A Violent Life. It is Pasolini's first film as director, employing what would later be seen as trademark Pasolini characteristics; a cast of non-professional actors hailing from where the movie is set, and thematic emphasis on impoverished individuals.

The Absent-Minded Professor is a 1961 American film distributed by Walt Disney Productions based on the short story "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor. The title character was based in part on Hubert Alyea, a professor emeritus of chemistry at Princeton University, who was known as "Dr. Boom" for his explosive demonstrations. The film stars Fred MacMurray as Professor Ned Brainard.