The '60s (TV 1999)

The Herlihys are a working class family from Chicago whose three children take wildly divergent paths: Brian joins the Marines right out of High School and goes to Vietnam, Michael becomes ... See full summary »

Director:

Mark Piznarski

Writers:

Bill Couturié (story), Robert Greenfield (story),

Stars:

Josh Hamilton, Julia Stiles, Jerry O'Connell

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Josh Hamilton	...	Michael Herlihy
Julia Stiles	...	Katie Herlihy
Jerry O'Connell	...	Brian Herlihy
Jeremy Sisto	...	Kenny Klein
Jordana Brewster	...	Sarah Weinstock
Leonard Roberts	...	Emmet Taylor
Bill Smitrovich	...	Bill Herlihy
Annie Corley	...	Mary Herlihy
Donovan Leitch	...	Neal Reynolds
David Alan Grier	...	Fred Hampton
Cliff Gorman	...	Father Daniel Berrigan
Charles S. Dutton	...	Reverend Willie Taylor (as Charles Dutton)
April Mills	...	Constance
Marc Blucas	...	Buddy Wells
Jenna Byrne	...	Melissa

Storyline

The Herlihys are a working class family from Chicago whose three children take wildly divergent paths: Brian joins the Marines right out of High School and goes to Vietnam, Michael becomes involved in the civil rights movement and after campaigning for Bobby Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy becomes involved in radical politics, and Katie gets pregnant, moves to San Francisco and joins a hippie commune. Meanwhile, the Taylors are an African-American family living in the deep South. When Willie Taylor, a minister and civil rights organizer, is shot to death, his son Emmet moves to the city and eventually joins the Black Panthers, serving as a bodyguard for Fred Hampton.

---

Plot Keywords:

civil rights | commune | hippie | black panthers | vietnam | 

---

Taglines:

You only really know what you have when your'e about to lose it.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for drug use, violence and sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 February 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

60-luku - muutosten sukupolvi

Filming Locations:

Fillmore, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lynda Obst Productions, NBC Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

172 min 240 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Katie and her baby are walking through the Haight-Ashbury after she's just quit her job at the strip club, the man she walks by prior to having her purse stolen is clearly supposed to be Charles Manson.

---

Goofs

At the end during the BBQ, the mother asked "How's my boy today?" there is a boom mic visible.

---

Quotes

Michael Herlihy: Wait, I forgot Something
Sarah Weinstock: What?
Michael Herlihy: My Heart.

---

Connections

Followed by The '70s (2000)

---

Soundtracks

"Like A Rolling Stone"
Written and Performed by Bob Dylan

User Reviews

I was there

oh ya, I was there and can vouch for the veracity of many of the scenes in this series. My background was that of a naive shy geeky type and it took me a long time to come to terms with what happened during the 60s. A time of very rapid and huge social change. The course of the decade is mirrored in the story presented in this excellent representation. The remnants of the bobbysoxer era gave way to some pretty horrid psychedelic tunes but then Jimi Hendrix hit the air waves. His legacy will in 200 years be similar to Amadeus Mozart: they both revolutionized music, lived on the edge, died young and broke. The difference is we have Jimi's live recordings and know his resting place. The characters then undergo some defining moments, and the war in southeast Asia spills over. The end of the film was rather abrupt and bewildering, same goes for that decade. I was there when the hippie era ended in a similar fashion.

Plausibility of this story ranges from dead on to highly unlikely. But you have to remember the hippie era was partly based on a lot of media hype and voyeurism. This range of views is correctly portrayed.

Julia Stiles was uniquely outstanding in her role as the wayward daughter who struggles against the downside of a society that in some cases was determined to devour its young. I too was kicked out of the house at a young age but I deserved it having chosen to sport long hair and argue with my parents at every opportunity. Fortunately I had a job at the time and all was forgiven eventually. Gee, thats exactly what happens in this movie. Its no wonder Ms Stiles has gone on to many more film projects and I hope to see her in roles that extend her talent.

Out of all the portrayals I have seen of that period, 'The 60s' is the most accurate. I was there, I should know. I even lived in a hippie house the summer of 1970. It was a farm house converted to a non-denominational church and some teens from around Canada and one chap from Jamaica were there on an exchange program. Music, motorcycles, pot, hitch-hikers, stern faced members of the establishment, oh ya, I had some flashbacks watching this one.

You can look back but you can never go back.