All-Time Top 40

No, you’re not seeing double. Jessica starring Angie Dickinson was not only the top-viewed film of last year but has also racked up the most views since the Blog began in June 2020. Even a late rush of views for Once Upon a Time in the West could not prevent it taking the prize.

Given that the number of hits for the blog has quadrupled over the previous year, you might expect to see an entirely new Top 40. But that’s not been the case. And some films have shown remarkable staying power with a few stars featuring more than once. This covers films viewed since the launch of the Blog.

The figures in brackets represent the previous year’s position and NE means New Entry.

1. (30) Jessica (1962). Runaway winner with Angie Dickinson as a young widow incurring the wrath of wives in a small Italian town.
2. (NE) Once Upon a Time in the West (1969). Hot on the heels of the number one film this Sergio Leone masterpiece has been the fastest-grower of the year.
3. (1) The Secret Ways (1961). Alistair MacLean appears a perennial favorite in the Blog and this early adaptation sees Richard Widmark trapped in Hungary during the Cold War.  
4. (NE) The Swinger (1966). First of two Ann-Margret movies entering the all-time chart – sex comedy that manages a sprinkling of innocence.  
5. (NE) Fraulein Doktor (1969). Surprise entry for under-rated Suzy Kendall German spy in World War One.
6. (2) Oceans 11.  Frank Sinatra heads the Rat Pack line-up, first of four of his movies in the chart.
7. (3) Pharoah (1966). A genuine find. Polish epic set in Egypt continues to accrue followers.
8. (6) The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl (1968). Daniele Gaubert as a sexy cat burglar.
9. (NE) Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humpe and Find True Happiness? (1969). Self-indulgent oddity from singer Anthony Newley.
10. (7) Moment to Moment (1966). Unfairly forgotten twisty Jean Seberg thriller set in the South of France.  
11. (NE) Father Stu (2022). Box office flop that was hit in the Blog.
12. (12) Subterfuge (1968). Gene Barry-Joan Collins spy thriller proves surprisingly popular.
13. (NE) Blonde (2022). Andrew Dominik’s controversial reimagining of the life of Marilyn Monroe with Ana de Armas
14. (NE) Fade In (1968).Burt Reynolds disowned this romance but blog readers think better.
15. (NE) The Sisters (1969). Complicated menage a trois that borders on the semi-incestuous starring Nathalie Delon and Susan Strasberg.
16. (NE) For a Few Dollars More (1965). Leone, Eastwood, Van Cleef: violence abounds.
17. (18) Pressure Point (1962). No escape for racist patient bobby Darin when psychiatrist Sidney Poitier is around.
18. (9) 4 for Texas (1963). Instead of the rest of the Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin make do with Ursula Andress and Anita Ekberg.
19. (NE) A Place for Lovers (1968). Faye Dunaway and Marcello Mastroianni in Vittorio De Sica doomed romance.
20. (8) It’s Not All Rock’n’Roll (2021). Rock musician fits home life around maintaining his music dreams.
21. (5) The Venetian Affair (1966). Robert Vaughn tangles with ex-wife Elke Sommer in spy romp.
22. (NE) Deadlier than the Male (1967). Venomous female villains target Bulldog Drummond.
23. (17) A House Is Not a Home (1964). Not when it’s a brothel. Shelley Winters is the madam.
24. (NE) P.J. / New Face in Hell (1967). George Peppard finds Raymond Burr tough to handle.
25. (26) Maroc 7 (1967). Another Gene Barry adventure, this one set in Morocco.
26. (NE) The Brotherhood (1968). Brothers at war Mafia-style with Kirk Douglas and Alex Cord.  
27. (NE) The Double Man (1967). Yul Brynner espionage thriller with Britt Ekland..
28. (NE) Sodom and Gomorrah (1962). Rosanna Podesta and Stewart Granger in Biblical tale.
29. (NE) Water Gate Bridge / Battle at Lake Changjin II. (2022). Chinese point-of-view of the Korean War.
30. (NE) Harlow (1965). Blonde bombshell Carroll Baker plays blonde bombshell.
31. (4) Age of Consent (1969). Helen Mirren captivates artist James Mason.
32. (NE) Baby Love (1969). Morality tale as orphaned Linda Hayden tries to fit into an upper-class London household.
33. (24) Dark of the Sun (1968). Rod Taylor in adaptation of Wilbur Smith bestseller.
34. (16) The Naked Runner (1967). Frank Sinatra sucked into the Cold War.
35. (NE) Secret Ceremony (1968). Elizabeth Taylor, Mia Farrow and Robert Mitchum in atmospheric Joseph Losey drama.
36. (NE) Lady in Cement (1969). Raquel Welch meets Frank Sinatra.
37. (NE) Texas Across the River (1966).  Alain Delon acts against type in Dean Martin comedy western.
38. (11) Stiletto (1969). Mafia assassin Alex Cord wants to retire.
39. (15) The Sicilian Clan (1969). Fabulous French gangster picture with Alain Delon.
40. (NE) Stagecoach (1966). Alex Cord (again) and Ann-Margret (again) in decent remake of famous western.