The 60s were a turbulent time, known for Civil Rights battles, anti-war protests, and a presidential assassination. With such high tensions, it's no wonder that the decade inspired so many remarkable mystery films.
Of course, considering that they were made about 60 years ago, not all of the content in these flicks have aged very well. But the intrigue sure has.
Are you looking for a seminal, hair-raising thriller? Or maybe something a little cozier that taps into your romantic side?
The Swinging Sixties delivered it all. Here are the best mystery and thriller movies of the 1960s!
Psycho
Of course we had to include Alfred Hitchcock's psychological horror thriller on this list.
Secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) embezzles a substantial sum of money from her employer and goes on the run. But when she stops at a remote motel, she finds that the owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his overbearing mother are not what they seem.
As trouble arises, Marion's sister, Lila (Vera Miles), and a private investigator, Arbogast (Martin Balsam), begin to investigate the establishment.
Charade
This romantic comedy mystery is one of my all-time favorites.
American expatriate Regina "Reggie" Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) finds herself in a world of trouble after her husband is murdered. Three men pursue her through Paris in search of a fortune her husband had stolen years ago.
But as she grows closer to the charming Peter Joshua (Cary Grant), she wonders who she should trust…
Bunny Lake Is Missing
This unsettling psychological mystery stars Carol Lynley and Laurence Olivier.
When single mother Ann Lake (Lynley) goes to pick her young daughter up from school, the girl appears to be missing. However, as the authorities help her search, it seems there is no proof any such daughter every existed…
Blow-Up
Fashion photographer Thomas (David Hemmings) grows bored of his work for the day and takes to the park, where he photographs a pair of lovers he happens upon. But reviewing his film, he is convinced that he's also happened upon a terrible crime.
This psychological mystery is a perfect snapshot—forgive the pun—of the 60s, embracing the fashions and trends as well as the mindset toward sexual liberation.
In the Heat of the Night
Another one of my favorite mysteries, In the Heat of the Night taps into the high racial tensions of the decade.
Black Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is down south in Mississippi when a white officer, Sam Wood (Warren Oates), arrests him at the train station.
He's been brought in for murder and robbery, but when police chief Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) learns he's a homicide detective, Tibbs is released.
Despite the racist attitudes of the local authorities, Tibbs stays behind to help them investigate the murder. Although Tibbs is a brilliant investigator—or perhaps because of it—the hostile attitudes seem to only rise.
Seconds
This sci-fi thriller follows New York banker Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) who is deeply unhappy with his life. Hamilton finds himself undergoing an extreme procedure that will change his life forever.
Completely changing his appearance, he takes on the identity of Antiochus Wilson (Rock Hudson). But this remarkable change comes with a price…
Cape Fear
Eight years ago, attorney Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck) intervened in a sexual assault and testified against the rapist. Now the criminal, Max Cady (Robert Mitchum), has gotten out of prison, and he's hungry for revenge.
Though Cady stalks and threatens the Bowden family, they are helpless, as no one can prove any wrongdoing on Cady's behalf.
Wait Until Dark
A woman smuggling heroin into New York City nervously offloads a drug-stuffed doll to a random plane passenger, Sam Hendrix (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.).
The thugs descend upon the Hendrix home, manipulating Sam's blind wife, Susy (Audrey Hepburn) into helping them find the hidden stash.
