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The Best R-Rated Movies of the 1960s

The Best R-Rated Movies of the 1960s

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Movie ratings have been the standard since 1968 when the Motion Picture Association of America (also known as MPAA) chose to establish a clear-cut system for parents to lean into. The system made it easier for parents to decide if a movie was family-friendly before allowing their children to watch it. Since then, if a film isn’t deemed appropriate for the eyes of a teenager or child, an R-rating will be slapped onto it. Movies from the 60s with R ratings are still intriguing to watch today – if you’re old enough.

When a movie is given an R-rating, anyone under the age of 17 is instantly restricted from watching. Kids who haven’t turned 18 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian to catch a glimpse. R-rated films contain adult material, which could touch on nudity, curse words and violence. Youngsters who hope to enjoy movies without trouble can peacefully watch family-friendly films that have been rated G, PG or PG-13.

Even though the 60s came to an end more than 50 years ago, there are still several movies from the unforgettable era to reflect on with admiration. One example would be “The Boston Strangler,” which landed in theaters in 1968. The thriller mystery told the story of detectives hunting down a vicious serial killer who was victimizing young females. Since the premise of the movie focused on violence against women, it received an R-rating before raking in $17.8 million at the box office.

Another example would be “Saturday Night and Saturday Morning” from 1960. The thriller drama sheds light on one man’s dire decision after discovering his mistress was pregnant with his baby. Since the lead character was blatantly cheating on his wife with someone else, “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning” ended up receiving an R-rating as well. (For more coverage of 60s movies, click here to uncover 20 of the most underrated movies from that decade.)

Here is the list of the best R-rated movies of the 1960s. 

25. Death Rides a Horse (1967)

Death Rides a Horse (1967) | Lee Van Cleef in Death Rides a Horse (1967)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists

N/A

  • Avg. IMDb rating 7 out of 10
  • Starring: Lee Van Cleef, John Phillip Law, Mario Brega

24. Spring Night, Summer Night (1967)

Source: Courtesy of Joseph Brenner Associates
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.1 out of 10
  • Starring: Larue Hall, Ted Heimerdinger, Marjorie Johnson

22. The Boston Strangler (1968)

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.1 out of 10
  • Starring: Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, George Kennedy

21. Easy Rider (1969)

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.2 out of 10
  • Starring: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson

20. Medium Cool (1969)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.2 out of 10
  • Starring: Robert Forster, Verna Bloom, Peter Bonerz

19. Mirage (2018)

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.2 out of 10
  • Starring: Adriana Ugarte, Chino Darín, Javier Gutiérrez

18. Faces (1968)

Source: Courtesy of Continental Distributing
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.4 out of 10
  • Starring: John Marley, Gena Rowlands, Lynn Carlin

17. The Damned (1969)

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.4 out of 10
  • Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Griem

16. If…. (1968)

If.... (1968) | Malcolm McDowell, Richard Warwick, and David Wood in If.... (1968)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

N/A

  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.4 out of 10
  • Starring: Malcolm McDowell, David Wood, Richard Warwick

15. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)

Source: Courtesy of Continental Distributing
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.5 out of 10
  • Starring: Albert Finney, Shirley Anne Field, Rachel Roberts

14. Belle de Jour (1967)

Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.6 out of 10
  • Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli

13. Seconds (1966)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.6 out of 10
  • Starring: Rock Hudson, Frank Campanella, John Randolph

12. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.7 out of 10
  • Starring: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard

11. Tystnaden (The Silence) (1963)

Tystnaden (The Silence) (1963) | Gunnel Lindblom, Jörgen Lindström, and Ingrid Thulin in The Silence (1963)
Source: Courtesy of Janus Films

N/A

  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.7 out of 10
  • Starring: Ingrid Thulin, Gunnel Lindblom, Birger Malmsten

10. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Source: Courtesy of United Artists
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.8 out of 10
  • Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Sylvia Miles

9. In Cold Blood (1967)

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.9 out of 10
  • Starring: Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, John Forsythe

8. The Wild Bunch (1969)

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts
  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.9 out of 10
  • Starring: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan

7. A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) | Sieghardt Rupp in A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists

N/A

  • Avg. IMDb rating 7.9 out of 10
  • Starring: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volontè, Marianne Koch

6. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 8 out of 10
  • Starring: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon

5. Skammen (Shame) (1968)

Source: Courtesy of Lopert Pictures Corporation
  • Avg. IMDb rating 8 out of 10
  • Starring: Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Sigge Fürst

4. Andrei Rublev (1966)

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 8.1 out of 10
  • Starring: Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolay Grinko

3. For a Few Dollars More (1965)

For a Few Dollars More (1965) | Clint Eastwood in For a Few Dollars More (1965)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists

N/A

  • Avg. IMDb rating 8.2 out of 10
  • Starring: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volontè

2. Psycho (1960)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
  • Avg. IMDb rating 8.5 out of 10
  • Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles

1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

  • Avg. IMDb rating 8.8 out of 10
  • Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef
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