Image credit: Warner Bros., Cinema Center Films, Frankovich Productions, Universal Pictures, Joseph E. Levine Productions, Nob Hill Productions Inc., Walt Disney, Boulting Brothers, Grandon Productions, Venice Productions
The 1960s were a treasure trove of romantic comedies that often don't get the attention they deserve. Some of them hold up surprisingly well even now in 2023.
10. "Any Wednesday" (1966) In a nutshell? A businessman, John Cleves, rents an apartment for his extramarital trysts with Ellen, but guess what? A younger guy named Cass, who's a client of John, unknowingly gets the keys to the same place. Chaos and love triangles ensue. John tries to keep his affair a secret, but Cass starts falling for Ellen. To add a cherry on top, Ellen thinks Cass is actually John's wife Dorothy's lover!
9. "The April Fools" (1969) Howard Brubaker, a wealthy businessman, is kinda over his loveless marriage. Enter Catherine, a stunning woman who catches his eye at a party.
Twist? She's the wife of his boss. They instantly click and decide they wanna start anew, away from their unfulfilling marriages. Oh, but it's never that easy, is it? They spend a whirlwind day in New York City together, dodging Howard's boss and exploring their newfound feelings.
8. "How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life" (1968) This one opens up with David, a bachelor with strong views on marriage (mostly against it), deciding to save his friend Harry's marriage by romancing his mistress. Only he mixes up the women! Instead of the mistress, he starts wooing Harry's co-worker, Carol, who is actually interested in settling down. David thinks he's freeing Harry while he's actually muddling up his life even more.
7. "The Family Way" (1966) Imagine getting hitched and then – gulp – not being able to, y'know, consummate the marriage? That's the story of newlyweds Arthur and Jenny. Arthur gets performance anxiety on their wedding night, and suddenly they're the talk of the town. Their families are putting the pressure on, and it doesn't help that Arthur's dad gives him the world's most awkward pep talk.
6. "Goodbye Charlie" (1964) Charlie, a womanizing screenwriter, gets killed. But then he comes back as a woman, named Charlie! He returns to his best friend George, who can't believe it at first, but then slowly accepts the new Charlie. With her insider understanding of the male psyche, Charlie navigates life and love, finding herself attracted to a rich playboy.
This one is a reminder of the good ol' days when body-switching was comedic gold.
5. "The Moon-Spinners" (1964) Who says romance and mystery can't mix? This Disney classic introduces us to Nikki Ferris, a young woman vacationing in Crete with her aunt. Nikki stumbles upon a jewel heist and an injured man named Mark.
Together, they go on the run to escape the criminals and solve the mystery. Oh, and they kinda fall for each other in the process – because nothing says "I love you" like evading criminals in a foreign country.
4. "Cactus Flower" (1969) Julian, a playboy dentist, tells his young girlfriend Toni that he's married to avoid commitment. When he decides he actually wants to marry her, he enlists his nurse, Stephanie, to pose as his soon-to-be-ex-wife. But, oh boy, it's a mess when Stephanie starts having feelings for Julian.
3. "The Grass is Greener" (1960) Imagine being an Earl, down on your luck, forced to open your stately home to public tours. That's Victor's life. Then along comes an American millionaire, Charles, who's utterly smitten by Victor's wife, Hilary. Despite being open about it, Charles still tries to woo Hilary. Victor and Hilary have to decide whether their marriage can survive this test.
2. "Man's Favorite Sport?" (1964) Meet Roger, a fishing expert who – plot twist – has never been fishing. His life spirals into comedic chaos when his boss enters him in a fishing tournament. Abigail, a feisty gal from the competition, finds out his secret and helps him bluff his way through the event. Sparks fly, lines get tangled (literally and figuratively), and Roger has to decide if he's hooked on fishing or just hooked on Abigail.
1. "Boys' Night Out" (1962) Four buddies – Fred, George, Doug, and Howard – share a bachelor pad for their extramarital flings. Only, they're all talk and no action until they hire a woman named Cathy, who's secretly a sociology student researching male behavior.
Each man thinks he's having a romantic escapade, but Cathy is just serving them platonic companionship and taking notes. As the guys catch feelings, Cathy starts to question the ethics of her study.
