There's something special about 60/70s Era movies.

Older films have a sincerity that is lacking today.

I was thinking about this a little when Chinatown was on TV recently. There's a visual quality to peak film technology/experimentation in the pre-digital era that holds up. Even some movies that I've seen enough to not care about the stories anymore, I can still leave on just for the color, lighting, and overall ambience. They're like moving paintings.

Plus, I guess they had gotten more mobile and were able to do more outdoors or in real settings away from the soundstage.

To me one of the big differences in older movies is they have musical scores whereas almost every single movie these days uses rock/hip hop soundtracks. It just creates an entirely different feel in the movies.

Now that's of course not the only difference but to me it's a big one that is often overlooked.

They brought Spanish moss from Louisiana (or Florida) to make California look like the deep south.

Joy knew how to audition as well:

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The blonde Joy Harmon was cast for the scene where she teases the prisoners by washing her car after her manager, Leon Lance, contacted the producers. She auditioned in front of Rosenberg and Newman wearing a bikini, without speaking.

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Rosenberg wanted the cast to internalize life on a chain gang and banned the presence of wives on set. After Harmon arrived on location, she remained for two days in her hotel room, and was not seen by the rest of the cast until shooting commenced.[30] Despite Rosenberg's intentions, the scene was ultimately filmed separately.[17] Rosenberg instructed an unaware Harmon of the different movements and expressions he wanted.[30] Originally planned to be shot in half a day, Harmon's scene took three. For the part of the scene featuring the chain gang, Rosenberg substituted a teenage cheerleader, who wore an overcoat.[17]

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Authenticity.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of those 60s movies that transformed how Westerns were made from then on. It has style, humor, music and pathos

I watched Cool Hand Luke this past Christmas. Movies in that era had a lot of dead time with no acting or speaking. Panoramic vistas that lasted for minutes with an awesome background soundtrack.

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The drama seemed less contrived.

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There was more mystery with actors, not knowing every single thought that crossed their minds. It lended itself towards an audience being able to separate the character from the man playing him.