The No. 1 Movie On July 24, 1969 Was A Rom-Com With Two Legendary Actors

It can be interesting to find out about the films that topped the box office charts back in the day. In the 1960s, romantic comedies could easily get to the top spot among the highest-grossing movies in the U.S., as aptly demonstrated by the number one movie on July 24, 1969: "The April Fools" starring Jack Lemmon and Catherine Deneuve. Directed by Stuart Rosenberg of "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Amityville Horror" fame, "The April Fools" beat out some tough competition to claim the top spot, including John Wayne's Western classic "True Grit" and the Disney car comedy "The Love Bug." 

As summer movies go, "The April Fools" is the kind of sentimental fun that's hard to beat. Here, Howard Brubaker (Lemmon) visits the party of his womanizing boss, Ted (Peter Lawford). Ted instructs Howard to let his hair down and pick up someone, and the protagonist indeed forms a deep connection with a woman called Catherine Gunther (Deneuve). The two ditch the party for a night full of shenanigans and emerging love, but there are speed bumps on their highway to happiness: Not only is Howard married, but so is Catherine — to Ted, no less. 

On paper, the adulterous premise suggests that "The April Fools" is the kind of blockbuster Hollywood might not make today. In practice, however, it's a pretty charming film about two people stuck in loveless marriages finding each other.

While "The April Fools" doesn't feature on Looper's list of the best romantic comedies of all time, it's an effective film that makes good use of Deneuve's elegant screen presence and Lemmon's signature everyman aura. It also doesn't hurt that the two stars were burning brightly at the time of this collaboration. Lemmon had already won the first of his two Academy Awards for his role in the World War II comedy-drama "Mister Roberts" and he had also been nominated a further three times for "Some Like It Hot," "The Apartment," and "Days of Wine and Roses" in quick succession during the early '60s.

Catherine Deneuve was also a well-known name at this point. The Paris-born actress starred in one of the best French movies of all time in 1964's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," which turned her into a star. She cemented her  reputation the following year with "Repulsion," a psychological thriller helmed by Roman Polanski. She and Lemmon meshed well in "The April Fools," and they were backed by a strong supporting cast that includes the likes of Jack Weston, Sally Kellerman, Myrna Loy, and Charles Boyer. "The April Fools" remains a great choice for those who like their romcoms with an old school vibe and a stylish flair.