The 10 best mystery movies of all time
The mystery is a peculiar genre that has given us some of the most exciting moments in both literature and film. Pioneered by authors such as Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler, it has since thrived in cinema, helped by auteurs such as Alfred Hitchcock and Brian De Palma.
From the psychological form to the comedic, the simple question of who is the murderer or the puppet master has kept us interested for decades. It is so scintillating that even Hitchcock’s 1927 silent film The Lodger remains one of the most intriguing titles that fall into this category.
Whilst the mystery genre in books might be more extensive, it is in the realm of cinema that it has really come into its own, with a director’s vision bringing words to life and making characters such as Christie’s Poirot or Chandler’s Philip Marlowe more authentic than ever. These characters have had multiple different people play them, with Marlowe being taken on by Humphrey Bogart, Elliott Gould and Robert Mitchum, and all have done their bit to elevate Chandler’s creation and sear him into the collective consciousness.
It’s an exciting genre because it can be controversial. Some might find the characters or actors annoying. Others, the script too convoluted, whereas those who are unyielding fans of the mystery enjoy the tale regardless of quality, as, before all else, it is meant to be fun. The mystery gets the imagination going, and for this reason, it will continue to be a form that is used in cinema, with the excitement surrounding the Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion, reflecting this.
Duly, today we’ve listed the ten best mysteries in the film. From the outlandish to those based on real life, there are adventures to be had here and a host of fascinating plots.
The 10 best movie mysteries:
Rear Window (Alfred Hitchock, 1954)
Although Alfred Hitchcock gave us many stellar mysteries, which includes 1960s Psycho, I’d argue that Rear Window is the finest he delivered. Based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story, It Had to Be Murder, James Stewart and Grace Kelly star in this masterpiece.
It follows the story of Stewart’s Jeff, a professional photographer stuck in his apartment after breaking his leg. During a heatwave, he begins to spy on his neighbours as they leave their windows open to keep cool, and before too long, he uncovers some suspicious goings-on that have us on the edge of our seats.
It’s an interesting take on the mystery, as it removes the protagonist from the action, making him and us the spectator, as is the nature of the modern world.
The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman, 1973)
It has long been accepted that Humprehy Bogart’s performance as Philip Marlowe in 1946’s The Big Sleep is the ultimate depiction of Raymond Chandler’s character and the definitive big-screen adaptation of his work. However, people forget that Elliot Gould was stellar in the role in Robert Altman’s 1973 outing, The Long Goodbye.
Based on Chandler’s 1953 novel of the same name, this hazy film draws on the hippie subculture of the era and blends it with intriguing subject material. We follow Marlowe as he uncovers the truth behind the murder of his friend’s wife, for which he is accused of being an accomplice. Keep your eyes out for an uncredited David Carradine.
Se7en (David Fincher, 1995)
Bar Alfred Hitchcock, David Fincher makes a solid claim to be the finest mystery director in history. Zodiac, Gone Girl and The Game are all highlights, but the darkness of Se7en remains unmatched. Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow, it tells the story of a serial killer using the seven deadly sins as the motive for his gruesome crimes. We’re drip-fed information until the twist at the end leaves us breathless.
The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995)
The film might be slightly tainted now due to the presence of Kevin Spacey, but Bryan Singer’s 1995 outing is one of the all-time greats in the realm of mystery and is eternally rewatchable.
Boasting a cast of Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Chazz Palminteri and Pete Postlethwaite, it follows the interrogation of Verbal Kint, an inconspicuous con man who is one of only two survivors of a massacre at the Port of Los Angeles. Through flashbacks and narration, a twisting story evolves, with us locked in until the final reveal is made, which never fails to shock.
Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)
Although film buffs often malign Christopher Nolan, Memento speaks for itself. The script was taken from a pitch by Nolan’s brother, Jonathan Nolan, who then wrote the 2001 short story Memento Mori.
Guy Pearce plays the protagonist, Leonard Shelby, who suffers from anterograde amnesia, which gives him short-term memory loss and stifles him as he cannot form new memories. We follow him on his search to find those who attacked him and murdered his wife, wherein he uses tattoos and Polaroids to log the information he gathers. Moving between black and white and colour scenes, this was the mystery being dragged into the future.
Brick (Rian Johnson, 2005)
Long before Rian Johnson gave us Knives Out, he made Brick. It tells the story of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s high-schooler, Brendan Frye, and draws heavily on the works of Dashiell Hamett as Frye seeks to find out who killed his ex-girlfriend. Most of the characters are high school students, and through this prism, we uncover the dark underbelly of the suburbs and just how evil teenagers can be. This is a contemporary answer to Blue Velvet.
The Black Dahlia (Brian De Palma, 2006)
This entry will probably cause outrage, but it is a fantastic mystery. De Palma’s other titles, such as Dressed to Kill and Blow Out were strong contenders, but The Black Dahlia pipped them due to the subject matter and the revelation at the end, which even thinking of sends shivers down the spine.
Starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, and Hilary Swank, it is based on acclaimed crime writer James Ellroy’s novel of the same name, which is based on the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short in Los Angeles. It takes evident liberties from actual events, but regardless, the tale is scintillating and touches on Hollywood’s sinister side.
Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2010)
Martin Scorsese’s 2010 outing, Shutter Island, is one of his finest. Adapted from the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, we follow Leonardo DiCaprio’s US Marshal Teddy Daniels, who investigates the disappearance of a patient at a creepy psychiatric facility. Supported by Mark Ruffalo as his partner, the tale is so labyrinthine that we begin to doubt our sanity towards the end. A masterclass in deception, this is how a mystery should pan out.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher, 2011)
I could have included the original Swedish film. Despite this, Fincher’s version had to feature because it’s a standalone title and boasts a better cast, with the likes of Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Christopher Plummer all excellent, despite none being Swedish.
Adapted from the late Steig Larsson’s 2005 novel of the same name, the first in the Millenium series, this is one of the darkest mysteries ever brought to the big screen. Political intrigue, family secrets, Nazism and incest all appear, with the big bad at the end utterly horrifying. This is not for the faint-hearted.
Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2014 flick Inherent Vice is as polarising as they come. An adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s equally as indecipherable novel of the same name, the details of the plot are so deeply embedded within stark visuals, a heady soundtrack and authentic dialogue that it takes at least four watches even to begin to understand what the mystery is. However, when it clicks, it is hard to deny that this is one of the finest in the genre.
Boasting an all-star cast of Joaquin Phoenix – whose performance. is wholly underrated – Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Katherine Waterstone, Benicio del Toro and many more, Inherent Vice has much to offer. It is one of PTA’s most complete films.
