Best film of 1960? Part One - Adventure.

Remember the Alamo?  Not the real one, of course. The 1960 release starring John Wayne, Richard Widmark and, in a wild bit of casting, Laurence Harvey. (oh, and let's not forget Frankie Avalon).

A group of plucky Texans led by Congressman (and former King of the Wild Frontier) Davy Crockett (Wayne), mount a futile but heroic last stand against the forces of the Mexican General, Santa Anna.  Amongst this doughty number is another all-American hero, Jim Bowie (he of the knife), played by Richard Widmark. Representing the "stuffed shirt" approach to martyrdom, is cavalry officer, William B. Travis (Harvey).

For those of you who haven't yet seen it, a warning. This might be one of those films in which even John Wayne gets killed...

Of course, what the heroes of the Alamo really needed was a gang of mercenaries with hearts of gold...

(psssst!  say nothing to Akiro Kurasawa about this!)

The seven guys who turn out to be magnificent, start out as a bunch of rogues (for the most part). 1960 was a good year for adventures featuring loveable or at least admirable rogues - sometimes out for themselves. Long before George Clooney put together his team, Frank Sinatra was Danny Ocean:

Meanwhile, in not yet swinging Britain, disgruntled ex-army officer, Jack Hawkins was signing up a crack team of his own:

The British film industry was still making capital from the events of the second world war and, if Jack Hawkins was busy playing a soldier gone to the bad, there was always Kenneth More to turn to:

Adventure stories aren't just for grown-ups though and 1960 saw Disney get in the act with this classic children's live action film, starring John Mills (who of course, also won the war on several occasions) :

Science fiction had passed its first heyday (Klaatu had long since barada'ed his nikto). Nevertheless, before George Lucas reinvented the genre with Star Wars, 1960 saw the release of one of the classic sci-fi films. Long before there was Kylie, and even a little bit before there was Rolf, there was Rod Taylor - Australia's finest?

But if you wanted adventure, if you wanted heroism, if you wanted excitement, romance and high Olivier camp, in 1960, you probably wanted this:

Classic film moment...mind you, my Dad always wondered why they didn't just point out some corpse and say "that's Spartacus, over there. That dead 'un!"

Burton and Taylor - the great romance of the sixties

It was one of the great romances in human history - a beautiful, powerful woman and a rough but charming hero. Their passion was epic, as were their fights.  One way or another, the earth clearly moved whenever these two were in the room together.  Antony and Cleopatra - re-incarnated for the fortunate sixties.

Elizabeth Taylor was Hollywood to the core - the pretty child star who grew to claim the title of the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" whilst maturing into one the finest screen actors (or as they were known in the sixties - actresses) of her generation.

'For her own person, It beggared all description'

After several attempts at marriage (Nicky Hilton, Michael Wilding, Mike Todd, and Eddie Fisher) this queen of Hollywood finally found her Mark Antony, both figuratively and literally.

Richard Burton was born Richard Jenkins in Port Talbot (1925). One of thirteen children, his acting career was inspired by a teacher, Philip Burton who encouraged, mentored and eventually adopted him.

When Richard and Elizabeth met and fell for one another, on the set of the epic 1963 film,  Cleopatra, she was still married to Fisher (and he to his first wife, Sybil). Exit stage left, two spouses, enter, stage right, perhaps the greatest romance of the age.

They would remain linked for the rest of their lives - marrying twice and divorcing twice, along the way.  Glamorous and talented, they also became extremely rich (Burton, a charismatic stage and screen presence, became major box office through his link with Taylor).

Taylor and Burton in 1966's Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff for which she won her 2nd Oscar.

And then, of course, there were the gifts...

Elizabeth wearing the 69.42 carat cartier diamond, later known as the Taylor-Burton diamond.

...and...the gifts...

The engagement ring - the Krupp diamond - a mere 33.19 carats.  Call that love?! 

The intensity - fuelled by "impressive" alcohol consumption (especially on his part) - led to divorce in 1974. 

The very next year, they remarried but, as with many second chances, it didn't last. Nine months later they parted again, though it is said he rang her every day for the rest of his life.

Richard Burton died in 1984. Still remembered as one of the great acting voices of the 20th century (Listen to Under Milk Wood or his narration of the 1970s cult album War of the Worlds), he was one of a generation of British 'hell-raisers' (which included Richard Harris, Oliver Reed and Peter O'Toole). 

He was also a man who loved a certain woman...