“The Swinger” Dethrones “Jessica”

Ann-Margret’s The Swinger has staved off tough competition from the fast-rising Sergio Leone to take over the top spot in our All-Time Chart from Angie Dickinson in Jessica. It’s generally a mystery to me why some films attract more attention than others, but even I have been surprised at Ann-Margret’s popularity ahead of, for example, more popular female stars of the 1960s such as Raquel Welch. The last time I did an all-time chart it was back in September 2022 when The Swinger placed fifth. For reasons that escape me, I only filled you on the Top Ten places rather than the Top 30, so now I’m amending that.

1 (5) The Swinger (1966). She sings, she dances, she shakes her booty. Who care about the storyline?

2 (2) Once Upon a Time in the West (1969). Awesome music, stunning opening and operatic finale and now regarded as the best western ever made.

3 (1) Jessica (1962). Widow ruffles female feathers in small Italian town.

4(6) Fraulein Doktor (1969). Suzy Kendall as German World War One spy leading Kenneth More a merry dance.

5 (3) The Secret Ways (1961). Richard Widmark in polished Alistair MacLean spy thriller set in Hungary. Early appearance by Senta Berger.

6 (4) Oceans 11 (1960). The Rat Pack slides into action, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin organising a heist in Las Vegas.

7 (8) The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl (1968). Daniele Gaubert as a sexy cat burglar.

8 (7) Pharoah/Pharon (1966). Polish epic about love and religion in ancient Egypt.

9 (-) Can Heiroymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humpe and Find True Happiness? (1969). Anthony Newley’s Fellini-esque musical ode to hiumself.

10 (-) Vendetta for the Saint (1968). Roger Moore as Simon Templar.

11 (10) Moment to Moment (1966). French-set Hitchcockian thriller starring Jean Seberg and Honor Blackman.

12 (-) Sisters (1969).Intense French drama starring Nathalie Delon and Susan Strasberg.

13 (-) Subterfuge (1968). Gene Barry uncovers a mole in British Intelligence with the help of Joan Collins.

14 (-) Stagecoach (1966). Ann-Margret again in remake of the classic John Ford western.

15 (-) Lady in Cement (1969). Frank Sinatra in his second outing as private eye Tony Rome coming to grips with gangster’s moll Raquel Welch.

16 (-) A House Is Not a Home (1965). Shelley Winters gives both barrels, acting-wise, as the madam of a notorious brothel.

17 (-) Fade In (1968). The drama Burt Reynolds preferred you didn’t see. A romance set around the filming of Blue (1968).

18 (-) Supercar (1961-1962) in color. Episodes of the much-loved Gerry and Sylvia Anderson British television series with added color.

19 (9) Father Stu (2022). Impressive performance by Mark Wahlberg as a priest,

20 (-) Baby Love (1969). Orphaned Linda Hayden is taken advantage of by a wealthy London couple and their son. 

21 (-) Blonde (2022). Ana de Armas in potent reimagining of Marilyn Monroe’s life.

22 (-) Pressure Point (1962). Prison psychiatrist Sidney Poitier tries to understand racist Bobby Darin.

23 (-) Beat Girl/Wild for Kicks (1960). Teenager Gillian Hills mixes with the wrong crowd  in London-based drama best known for a supporting cast including Christopher Lee, Adam Faith and Shirley Anne Field.

24 (-) Sodom and Gomorrah. (1962). Robert Aldrich Biblical epic.

25 (-) The Girl on the Motorcycle (1968). Singer Marianne Faithful heats up the screen in leathers and often a lot less.

26 (-) A Place for Lovers (1968). Faye Dunaway and Marcello Mastroianni in doomed romance.

27 (-) Deadlier than the Male. Richard Drummond reinvents Bulldog Drummond as he battles sadistic pair Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina.

28 (-) The Venetian Affair. Robert Vaughn as disgraced CIA agent caught up in nuclear threat.

29 (-) 4 for Texas (1963). Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress and Anita Ekberg. A cast to die for in this Robert Aldrich western.

30 (-) For a Few Dollars More (1965/1967). Clint Eastwood in the second of the Sergio Leone western trilogy. The Man with No Name meets The Man in Black.