Private Detectives
by tiltedsun | created - 21 Feb 2014 | updated - 7 months ago | PublicA list of my favorite mysteries featuring professional gumshoes.
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1. Night Moves (1975)
R | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Los Angeles private investigator Harry Moseby is hired by a client to find her runaway teenage daughter. Moseby tracks the daughter down, only to stumble upon something much more intriguing and sinister.
Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Gene Hackman, Jennifer Warren, Edward Binns, Harris Yulin
Votes: 17,695
2. The Long Goodbye (1973)
R | 112 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Private investigator Philip Marlowe helps a friend out of a jam, but in doing so gets implicated in his wife's murder.
Director: Robert Altman | Stars: Elliott Gould, Nina van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden, Mark Rydell
Votes: 37,198 | Gross: $0.96M
3. Zero Effect (1998)
R | 116 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
The world's greatest detective Daryl Zero aided by his associate Steve Arlo investigates a complex and mysterious case of blackmail and missing keys for shady tycoon Gregory Stark who is less than forthcoming about what is really happening!
Director: Jake Kasdan | Stars: Bill Pullman, Ben Stiller, Ryan O'Neal, Kim Dickens
Votes: 15,330 | Gross: $2.09M
4. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
R | 103 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
After being mistaken for an actor, a New York thief is sent to Hollywood to train under a private eye for a potential movie role, but the duo are thrown together with a struggling actress into a murder mystery.
Director: Shane Black | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bernsen
Votes: 237,334 | Gross: $4.24M
5. Klute (1971)
R | 114 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
A small-town detective searching for a missing man has only one lead: a connection with a New York prostitute.
Director: Alan J. Pakula | Stars: Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Charles Cioffi, Roy Scheider
Votes: 29,603 | Gross: $17.44M
6. Chinatown (1974)
R | 130 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez
Votes: 349,693
7. The Two Jakes (1990)
R | 137 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The sequel to Chinatown (1974) finds J.J. "Jake" Gittes investigating adultery and murder, and the money that comes from oil.
Director: Jack Nicholson | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly, Madeleine Stowe
Votes: 15,488 | Gross: $10.01M
8. Cutter's Way (1981)
R | 109 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Richard spots a man dumping a body, and decides to expose the man he thinks is the culprit with his friend Alex Cutter.
Director: Ivan Passer | Stars: Jeff Bridges, John Heard, Lisa Eichhorn, Ann Dusenberry
Votes: 7,631 | Gross: $1.73M
9. Brick (2005)
R | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lukas Haas, Emilie de Ravin, Meagan Good
Votes: 110,038 | Gross: $2.06M
10. Blood Simple (1984)
R | 99 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The owner of a seedy small-town Texas bar discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife. A chaotic chain of misunderstandings, lies, and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh
Votes: 105,175 | Gross: $2.15M
11. Kill Me Again (1989)
R | 94 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A young detective becomes involved with a beautiful woman on the run from the mob and her psychopath boyfriend.
Director: John Dahl | Stars: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Pat Mulligan, Nick Dimitri
Votes: 5,678 | Gross: $0.28M
12. Dead Again (1991)
R | 107 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A woman who has lost her memory is taken in by a Los Angeles orphanage, and a private eye is enlisted to track down her identity, but he soon finds that he might have a past life connection to her that endangers their lives.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Andy Garcia, Lois Hall
Votes: 30,373 | Gross: $38.02M
13. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
R | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A Black war hero is hired to find a mysterious woman, and gets mixed up in a murderous political scandal in 1948 Los Angeles.
Director: Carl Franklin | Stars: Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle
Votes: 24,174 | Gross: $16.03M
14. Everybody Wins (1990)
R | 97 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Angela (Debra Winger) hires/lures a P.I. (Nick Nolte) to prove a convicted teenager is innocent of his uncle's murder.
Director: Karel Reisz | Stars: Debra Winger, Nick Nolte, Will Patton, Judith Ivey
Votes: 1,371 | Gross: $1.37M
15. The Drowning Pool (1975)
PG | 108 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Harper's a big-city PI, who travels to Louisiana to help an old girlfriend who's worried her husband will find out she's been cheating on him.
Director: Stuart Rosenberg | Stars: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Murray Hamilton
Votes: 6,185
16. The Thin Man (1934)
TV-PG | 91 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Former detective Nick Charles and his wealthy wife Nora investigate a murder case, mostly for the fun of it.
Director: W.S. Van Dyke | Stars: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton
Votes: 32,525
17. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Passed | 100 min | Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery
San Francisco private detective Sam Spade takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar and their quest for a priceless statuette, with the stakes rising after his partner is murdered.
Director: John Huston | Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre
Votes: 166,527 | Gross: $2.11M
18. The Maltese Falcon (1931)
Passed | 80 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
A lovely dame with dangerous lies employs the services of a private detective, who is quickly caught up in the mystery and intrigue of a statuette known as the Maltese Falcon.
Director: Roy Del Ruth | Stars: Bebe Daniels, Ricardo Cortez, Dudley Digges, Una Merkel
Votes: 3,345
19. The Big Sleep (1946)
Passed | 114 min | Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a wealthy family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail and what might be love.
Director: Howard Hawks | Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers
Votes: 90,491 | Gross: $6.54M
20. Twilight (1998)
R | 94 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A retired detective accepts a simple task, unaware that it will tear open old, forgotten, but deadly wounds.
Director: Robert Benton | Stars: Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, Reese Witherspoon
Votes: 14,154 | Gross: $15.03M
21. Hammett (1982)
PG | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Fictional account of real-life mystery writer Dashiell Hammett, and his involvement in the investigation of a beautiful Chinese cabaret actress' mysterious disappearance in San Francisco.
Director: Wim Wenders | Stars: Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner, Roy Kinnear
Votes: 3,685 | Gross: $0.04M
22. The Missing Person (2009)
Not Rated | 95 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Private detective John Rosow is hired to tail a man on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Rosow gradually uncovers the man's identity as a missing person. Persuaded by a large reward, ... See full summary »
Director: Noah Buschel | Stars: Michael Shannon, Frank Wood, Amy Ryan, Linda Emond
Votes: 1,706
23. Too Late (I) (2015)
Not Rated | 107 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Explores the tangled relationship between a troubled private investigator and the missing woman he's hired to help find.
Director: Dennis Hauck | Stars: Dichen Lachman, Natalie Zea, Jeff Fahey, John Hawkes
Votes: 3,909 | Gross: $0.06M
24. Marlowe (1969)
PG | 96 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A young woman from Kansas hires LA private detective Philip Marlowe to find her missing brother.
Director: Paul Bogart | Stars: James Garner, Gayle Hunnicutt, Carroll O'Connor, Rita Moreno
Votes: 4,016
25. Murder, My Sweet (1944)
Approved | 95 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
After being hired to find an ex-con's former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit.
Director: Edward Dmytryk | Stars: Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley, Otto Kruger
Votes: 14,701
26. The Big Sleep (1946)
Passed | 114 min | Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a wealthy family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail and what might be love.
Director: Howard Hawks | Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers
Votes: 90,491 | Gross: $6.54M
27. The Fat Man (1951)
Passed | 78 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
A dentist's murder is investigated by hefty sleuth Brad Runyan.
Director: William Castle | Stars: J. Scott Smart, Julie London, Rock Hudson, Clinton Sundberg
Votes: 558
28. Death on the Nile (1978)
PG | 140 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board. Can Poirot identify the killer before the ship reaches the end of its journey?
Director: John Guillermin | Stars: Peter Ustinov, Mia Farrow, Simon MacCorkindale, Jane Birkin
Votes: 39,804
29. Death on the Nile (2022)
PG-13 | 127 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
While on vacation on the Nile, Hercule Poirot must investigate the murder of a young heiress.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Kenneth Branagh, Russell Brand
Votes: 188,471 | Gross: $45.63M
30. Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
PG | 128 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In December 1935, when his transcontinental luxury train is stranded by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before, with a multitude of suspects.
Director: Sidney Lumet | Stars: Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery
Votes: 69,105 | Gross: $0.07M
31. Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
PG-13 | 114 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
When a murder occurs on the train on which he's travelling, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot is recruited to solve the case.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench
Votes: 296,388 | Gross: $102.83M
32. Evil Under the Sun (1982)
PG | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Trying to find how a millionaire wound up with a phony diamond brings Hercule Poirot to an exclusive island resort frequented by the rich and famous. When a murder is committed, everyone has an alibi.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Peter Ustinov, James Mason, Maggie Smith, Colin Blakely
Votes: 20,171 | Gross: $6.11M
33. Chinatown (1974)
R | 130 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez
Votes: 349,693
34. The Two Jakes (1990)
R | 137 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The sequel to Chinatown (1974) finds J.J. "Jake" Gittes investigating adultery and murder, and the money that comes from oil.
Director: Jack Nicholson | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly, Madeleine Stowe
Votes: 15,488 | Gross: $10.01M
35. Appointment with Death (1988)
PG | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
When a former prison wardress who dominates the lives of her three adult stepchildren and her daughter is found dead at an archaeological dig near the Dead Sea, there are a great many suspects.
Director: Michael Winner | Stars: Peter Ustinov, Lauren Bacall, Carrie Fisher, John Gielgud
Votes: 6,040 | Gross: $0.96M
36. Marlowe (2022)
R | 109 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
In late 1930s Bay City, a brooding, down on his luck detective is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress.
Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Brenda Rawn
Votes: 11,725
37. The Big Sleep (1978)
R | 99 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Grizzled American private detective in England investigates a complicated case of blackmail turned murder involving a rich but honest elderly general, his two loose socialite daughters, a pornographer and a gangster.
Director: Michael Winner | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Sarah Miles, Richard Boone, Candy Clark
Votes: 5,432
38. The Dain Curse (1978)
360 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Private eye investigates diamond theft, and becomes involved with an ancient family curse.
Stars: Tom Bower, David Canary, Malachy McCourt, Hattie Winston
Votes: 358
39. Poodle Springs (1998 TV Movie)
95 min | Crime, Drama
An aging Phillip Marlowe gets mixed up with blackmail and murder amongst the elite social set in 1963.
Director: Bob Rafelson | Stars: James Caan, Dina Meyer, David Keith, Tom Bower
Votes: 994
40. Harper (1966)
Not Rated | 121 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Cool private investigator Lew Harper is hired by a wealthy California matron to locate her kidnapped husband.
Director: Jack Smight | Stars: Paul Newman, Lauren Bacall, Julie Harris, Arthur Hill
Votes: 10,865
41. Knives Out (2019)
PG-13 | 130 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis
Votes: 773,304 | Gross: $165.36M
42. L.A. Confidential (1997)
R | 138 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.
Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger
Votes: 617,541 | Gross: $64.62M
43. Glass Onion (2022)
PG-13 | 139 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista
Votes: 440,885
44. Nero Wolfe (1981)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The short-lived adventures of portly detective Nero Wolfe, who would rather eat and tend to his orchids than hit the streets tracking down leads. That's why he hired hunky Archie Goodwin, ... See full summary »
Stars: William Conrad, Lee Horsley, George Voskovec, Robert Coote
Votes: 402
45. A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–2002)
TV-PG | 46 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
Genius detective Nero Wolfe and his right-hand man: Archie Goodwin, solve seemingly impossible crimes, in 1950's New York.
Stars: Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, Colin Fox, Bill Smitrovich
Votes: 1,989
46. The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2000 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 94 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A street kid interrupts Nero Wolfe's dinner with his eyewitness account of a kidnapping. The next day, the boy is dead and his mother comes to the detective with her son's meager savings and dying wish to hire Wolfe to solve his murder.
Director: Bill Duke | Stars: Maury Chaykin, Timothy Hutton, Bill Smitrovich, Mimi Kuzyk
Votes: 588
47. The Canary Murder Case (1929)
Passed | 82 min | Crime, Mystery
A beautiful showgirl, nicknamed 'the Canary', is a scheming nightclub singer. Blackmailing is her game and soon ends up dead. But who killed 'the Canary'. All the suspects who knew her had ... See full summary »
Directors: Malcolm St. Clair, Frank Tuttle | Stars: William Powell, Jean Arthur, James Hall, Louise Brooks
Votes: 829
48. The Kennel Murder Case (1933)
Passed | 73 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Philo Vance, accompanied by his prize-losing Scottish terrier, investigates the locked-room murder of a prominent and much-hated collector whose broken Chinese vase provides an important clue.
Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: William Powell, Mary Astor, Eugene Pallette, Ralph Morgan
Votes: 4,077
49. Calling Philo Vance (1940)
Passed | 62 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Despite an exclusive contract with the U.S. government, designer Archer Coe's design is being bid on by German, Japanese, and Italian agents - until he's murdered.
Director: William Clemens | Stars: James Stephenson, Margot Stevenson, Henry O'Neill, Edward Brophy
Votes: 490
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