Top 10 Murder Mystery Movies
Put on your sleuthing cap and bring along a trusty sidekick because the films on this list are real whodunits. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 murder mystery movies. For this list, we're looking at films that stray from the formulaic plot structure that makes it easy for audiences to follow and that keep the killers in the dark from the audience until the very end.
Special thanks to our users Chris Black for submitting the idea using our interactive suggestion tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
Top 10 Murder Mystery Movies
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Put on your sleuthing cap and bring along a trusty sidekick because the films on this list are real whodunits. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 murder mystery movies. For this list, we’re looking at films that stray from the formulaic plot structure that makes it easy for audiences to follow and that keep the killers in the dark from the audience until the very end. As a result, we’ll be skipping over movies in which the acts of murder are committed in the beginning, are witnessed by the main characters and/or the audience, and as such, there is less mystery around the cases. Examples include "Silence of the Lambs,” "Rear Window” and “Psycho”, with the latter also being an instance of a film where, while we don’t know who the killer is, there isn’t actually someone trying to uncover any mystery throughout per se.
#10: “Vertigo” (1958)
John “Scottie” Ferguson, a private eye with a fear of heights, tails a friend’s wife for an investigation. Not only does he fall madly in love with Madeleine, but his condition also appears to cause her death. However, after the fact, Scottie continues to see a woman that looks eerily similar to his deceased love interest. Was Madeleine’s death faked to cover the true crime being committed? This Hitchcock classic is a masterpiece that confronts the ideas of obsession and doomed love. It is also the first film to feature the dolly zoom technique that has become a staple in the industry to evoke feelings of confusion, suspense, and disorientation.
#9: “In the Heat of the Night” (1967)
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When a wealthy investor is murdered, the police are under pressure to make an arrest. Despite initially being suspected of the murder, black detective Virgil Tibbs reluctantly agrees to help identify the true killer. Tibbs is forced to work with prejudiced Chief Bill Gillespie, but the two slowly begin to foster respect for one another as they investigate the case. Set in a fictional small town in Mississippi during the height of the civil rights movement, this film deals with the deeply embedded racism associated with the South. Notably, it was one of the first mainstream films to show a black man strike a white man in self-defense.
#8: “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974)
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This film is a classic example of the “dark house horror” genre except for the fact that it takes place on a train. In this British flick, a group of strangers is trapped in an isolated location due to the amount of snow on the tracks. After a number of threats are made on his life, Ratchett implores detective Hercule Poirot for protection. Uninterested in taking the case, Poirot declines, and the next morning, Ratchett is found dead in his cabin. With the murder on his conscience and a train full of passengers, Ratchett must figure out who murdered the well-to-do businessman and the result is a stylish and entertaining flick.
#7: “Memento” (2000)
From the critically acclaimed Christopher Nolan, Memento is one of the director’s most ambitious departures from the traditional narrative structure. The neo noir film follows the journey of Leonard, a man searching for his wife’s killer despite his anterograde amnesia. Unable to form new memories, Leonard must utilize a system of photographs and tattoos to keep track of the clues he gathers. Chronological black and white sequences give the audiences the background leading up to the murder while color sequences follow the murder in reverse chronological order. The effect is a masterfully complicated story that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats until the separate portions meet at the end and make “Memento” a truly unforgettable flick.
#6: “L.A. Confidential” (1997)
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This entry contrasts the investigative methods of three drastically different detectives in 1950s’ L.A. Ed Exley serves as the righteous hand of the law, agreeing to testify against crooked cops. Bud White is the hot-head with a penchant for roughing up criminals. Jack Vincennes is just in it for the money he can make giving hot tips to tabloids about the latest celebrity arrests. Though their cases differ, the intricate way these detectives work together to solve them has made it both a critic and a fan favorite. Much of the story is based off of real events involving police brutality and gang-related crime, and that realism shows.
#5: “The Usual Suspects” (1995)
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A brutal gunfight on a ship leaves all but two dead, and police must try to locate the infamous mobster Keyser Söze. The bulk of the film is told through flashbacks by a two-bit con artist named “Verbal”. After meeting in a police lineup, five criminals enter into a scheme to pull off a heist together. However, it soon becomes clear that the job isn’t what they bargained for. Söze has engineered the entire situation to exhort the group into a dangerous job; otherwise he will kill everyone they love. This film is beloved by many thanks to the seemingly random events that are woven into a cohesive narrative and of course, for its shocking plot twist.
#4: “Clue” (1985)
Who says a murder mystery has to be dark and ominous? This film, based on the classic board game and featuring a who’s who ensemble comedy cast, brings out the lighter side of murder when anonymous guests at a dinner party realize that Mr. Boddy has invited them all because he has access to their darkest secrets. Faced with blackmail, one of the guests takes the opportunity to murder him while the power is out. Now the guests must discover the true identity of the killer before they are killed next! When the film was originally released, different theaters were given one of three endings to create a unique viewing experience for each audience, so it’s not surprising that “Clue” ultimately attained cult status.
#3: “Chinatown” (1974)
This Roman Polanski film tells the story of Jake Gittes -- a small-time P.I. who spends his days chasing cheating husbands. While investigating an engineer for the L.A. Department of Water and Power, Jake realizes he’s been set up. The woman who hired him wasn’t the real wife, and the next day the engineer is found dead in a reservoir. In a place as dry as Los Angeles county, the price of water is going up, and someone is killing to control where it goes. The title symbolizes the feelings of confusion and frustration police often felt while investigating in Chinatown, while the neo-noir flick itself earned 11 Oscar nods and a spot in the National Film Registry.
#2: “M” (1931)
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The oldest movie on our list comes from Austrian-German filmmaker Fritz Lang. After a series of child murders, the police try desperately to find the killer by shaking down known criminals. Upset by the interruption of their businesses, the crime bosses take the matter into their own hands. M criticizes the ability of police to catch murderers despite the new forensic tools at their disposal and warn parents about child neglect. Lang also presents the moral contradiction of criminals, including other murderers, who take it upon themselves to catch the killer. His first sound film, M is also notable for Lang’s use of several new techniques that made it a cinematic masterpiece. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011) “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988) “Mystic River” (2003) “Se7en” (1995) “The Third Man” (1949)
#1: “The Maltese Falcon” (1941)
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Approached by a beautiful bombshell to find her missing sister, Detective Sam Spade quickly finds himself in a complicated murder plot with a priceless falcon figurine in the middle. This film is notable for both the top-notch casting of Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre as well as the technical direction of John Huston. Despite “The Maltese Falcon” being his first film, Huston was able to use peculiar lighting and unusual camera angles to make it an iconic film. Huston also challenged the physical limits of cameras at the time with intricate, flowing shots. All of these aspects combined make it a classic film noir murder mystery you can’t miss. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite murder mystery movie? For more intriguing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
