The year 1968 in film involved some significant events, with the release of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as two highly successful musical films, Funny Girl and Oliver!, the former earning Barbra Streisand the Academy Award for Best Actress (an honour she shared with Katharine Hepburn for her role in The Lion in Winter) and the latter winning both the Best Picture and Best Director awards.
Top-grossing films (U.S.)
The top ten 1968 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
Events
November 1 – The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.
Awards
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): canceled due to events of May 1968
Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): Die Artisten in der Zirkuskuppel: Ratlos (Artists under the Big Top: Perplexed), directed by Alexander Kluge, West Germany
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): Ole dole doff (Who Saw Him Die?), directed by Jan Troell, Sweden
Films released
US unless stated
January–March
January 1968
January 3
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
January 8
Wild 90
January 12
Nobody's Perfect
January 17
The Biggest Bundle of Them All
January 18
Spider Baby
January 24
Danger: Diabolik (Italy/U.S.) Firecreek Maryjane Sebastian January 25 Up the Junction January 29 How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life February 1968 February 7 The Anniversary Sol Madrid February 8 Blackbeard's Ghost Sweet November February 11 Charlie Bubbles February 18 The Money Jungle February 21 Bye Bye Braverman The Power February 24 Kuroneko (Japan) February 29 The Secret War of Harry Frigg March 1968 March 1 Day of the Evil Gun March 5 Romeo and Juliet March 6 P.J. Psych-Out March 8 A Man Called Gannon Stay Away, Joe March 11 Otley March 13 Counterpoint March 18 The Producers March 20 No Way to Treat a Lady Gamera vs. Viras (Japan) March 21 The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band March 27 Arizona Bushwhackers March 29 Madigan
April–June
April 1968
April 2
A Dandy in Aspic
The Scalphunters
April 3
2001: A Space Odyssey
Planet of the Apes
April 4
The Party
April 10
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Hammerhead
Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows
Will Penny
April 14
The Bofors Gun
April 17
The Bride Wore Black (France) The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell April 20 Baby Love April 23 Blue April 24 Yours, Mine and Ours April 26 Je t'aime, je t'aime (France) May 1968 May 1 Countdown Don't Just Stand There! The Mini-Skirt Mob Tarzan and the Jungle Boy May 2 The Odd Couple May 10 Project X May 15 The Devil's Brigade The Swimmer Witchfinder General (aka The Conqueror Worm) May 17 Journey to Shiloh May 23 Kona Coast Prudence and the Pill May 24 The Savage Seven What's So Bad About Feeling Good? May 28 Boom! The Detective May 29 Madigan's Millions Villa Rides Wild in the Streets June 1968 June 1 Bandolero! June 5 Angels from Hell Chubasco For Singles Only Jigsaw June 8 Kill! (Japan) June 10 Petulia June 12 Rosemary's Baby Speedway The Sweet Ride June 19 The Green Berets The Thomas Crown Affair The Lost Continent Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? June 21 Salt and Pepper June 25 The Secret Life of an American Wife June 26 Never a Dull Moment
July–September
July 1968
July 3
Dark of the Sun
Eve
July 12
Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River
A Lovely Way to Die
July 14
Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? July 15 Interlude July 17 For Love of Ivy July 19 Inspector Clouseau July 20 The Devil Rides Out July 23 Isabel July 24 Anzio The Strange Affair July 29 In Enemy Country July 31 5 Card Stud The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter August 1968 August 1 Destroy All Monsters (Japan) August 3 Hang 'Em High August 7 Farewell, Friend (France) With Six You Get Eggroll August 15 Targets A Time to Sing August 18 Stolen Kisses (France) August 20 How Sweet It Is! August 22 Nobody Runs Forever August 24 A Stranger in Town August 26 Rachel, Rachel August 28 The Hell with Heroes September 1968 September 2 Negatives September 11 The Young Runaways September 12 Spirits of the Dead (France/Italy) September 15 Song of Summer (U.K.) September 18 Funny Girl Pretty Poison September 19 Hot Millions September 22 The Split September 23 Charly September 26 Oliver! (U.K.)