The modern mystery genre probably began with Edgar Allen Poe in the 1840s. It continued to grow in popularity with Sherlock Holmes, a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the 1870s. Technology deepened fans’ love of these “whodunit” narratives, starting with detective radio shows and later, the motion picture. Mystery films were favored by audiences as early as 1910, even before movies had sound.
Our fascination with these puzzling dramas and psychological thrillers is long-established. Most of the greatest mystery films of all time were created during Hollywood’s golden age (1910s-1960s). In fact, only five of the 20 films on our list were produced after this age of Tinseltown gold. Giants of the mystery genre such as Alfred Hitchcock directed these golden age films. Iconic actors such as Spencer Tracey, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Laurence Olivier, Gene Tierney, Cary Grant, James Stewart, Myrna Loy, and Sidney Poitier star in these classic pictures.
These movies will hold you in suspense, but we won’t. Let’s get right to it and explore the twenty greatest mystery films ever made. (For a look at the other side of the spectrum, click here for the 40 biggest box office bombs of the last decade.)
To determine the best mystery movies of all time, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of October 2023, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Directorial credits are from IMDb.
No Spoiler Alerts!
If you haven’t yet seen some of these classic films, don’t worry…we hate spoilers as much as you do. We’ll take our cues from the end of the No. 1 film on our list. During that movie’s ending credits, an announcer offered this plea to the audience: “The management of this theater suggests that for the greater entertainment of your friends who have not yet seen the picture, you will not divulge [the surprise ending] to anyone…” Words to live by, right?
20. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (20,596 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (5,853 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: John Sturges
“Bad Day at Black Rock” was released in 1955, but the setting for the movie was a decade earlier. The mystery film centers on John J. Macreedy who traveled by train to Black Rock, a very small town in the California desert. It was the first time the train had stopped in this tiny hamlet in four years. The locals were immediately suspicious of the newcomer, but when Macreedy announced that he was looking for a man named Komoko, the town turned on him. The film’s 1945 setting directly followed the period when the U.S. had held some 120,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II. Residents attempted to kill Macreedy in order to keep their town’s mysterious secret.
Spencer Tracy won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of John J. Macreedy. He was also nominated for an Oscar, as was the film’s director, John Sturges.
“Bad Day at Black Rock” was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry (NFR) in 2018.
It is available on multiple streaming services such as YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu.
19. The Conversation (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (105,754 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (35,231 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (57 reviews)
- Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
In this 1974 mystery film, Harry Caul experiences a crisis of conscience. He is an electronic surveillance expert who has been hired by a mysterious unnamed client. The client, known only as “The Director,” contracted Caul to surveil a young couple who met in a loud and crowded Union Square. Caul was instructed to capture an audio recording of their conversation as well as photographs of the couple. This surveillance was to be immediately returned to “The Director,” no questions asked. However, Caul became concerned that the young couple may be in great danger, especially since three other people whom he had recently surveilled had been killed. Should he remain morally detached and simply give the surveillance to “The Director” per their initial agreement, or should he allow himself to be pulled into this mystery?
“The Conversation” won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the Oscars. The Library of Congress selected the film for inclusion in the NFR in 1995.
The film is available on a myriad of streaming platforms, including Hulu, Showtime, Sling TV, and Prime Video..
18. Rope (1948)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (136,102 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (39,058 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Is there such a thing as “the perfect murder?” Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan seemed to think so. The two New York college students strangled their friend, David Kentley, to prove their superiority in committing an unsolvable crime. They were unintentionally encouraged by Rupert Cadell, their former school housemaster, who had previously espoused similar concepts of superiority from Nietzsche and De Quincey. The two college students stuffed Kentley’s body into a chest and then brazenly used that chest as a table for a dinner party attended by the dead man’s family and friends. Rupert, who was also a guest, became suspicious and the two murderers reacted in unpredictable and increasingly erratic ways.
“Rope” was directed by Alfred Hitchcock who insisted that the movie be shot with a single camera to give it the feeling of a stage play. The film itself was based on a 1929 play of the same name by Patrick Hamilton.
The 1948 mystery film is available on Prime Video, Redbox, Google Play, YouTube, and other streaming services.
17. Se7en (1995)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,517,067 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (468,879 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (82 reviews)
- Directed by: David Fincher
This 1995 mystery thriller centers on a psychotic killer known only as “John Doe.” This sociopath is obsessed with bringing vengeance on the world for its violation of the seven deadly sins. Two detectives are charged with deciphering the clues of these grisly murders to understand the killer’s bizarre motives and stop him before he kills again.
“Se7en” won a Saturn Award for Best Writing. It was nominated for four other Saturn Awards, including Best Action/Adventure Film, Best Actor (Morgan Freeman), Best Supporting Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow), and Best Director (David Fincher). ()
The movie can be streamed on Pluto TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Redbox, Google Play, Apple TV, and YouTube.
16. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (70,923 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (23,226 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (55 reviews)
- Directed by: Norman Jewison
“In the Heat of the Night” is a mystery film based on a 1965 novel of the same name written by John Ball. In the movie, a black police detective named Virgil Tibbs was arrested for the murder of a prominent wealthy businessman in Sparta, Mississippi. After the accusations against Tibbs were dropped, the police chief reluctantly asked for his help. Tibbs was the top detective in his city of Philadelphia, but unraveling this mystery in the midst of the supercharged racial hostilities in the Deep South would become the most dangerous assignment of his career. ()
A television series loosely based on the film was produced over 20 years after the movie was released. The “In the Heat of the Night” TV series aired on NBC and CBS from 1988-1995.
The 1967 film took home the coveted Best Picture award at the Oscars. It also won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rod Steiger), Best Sound, and Best Film Editing. Norman Jewison received an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
“In the Heat of the Night” was selected for preservation in the NFR in 2002. It can be streamed on YouTube, Prime Video, Vudu, and Google Play.
15. The Big Sleep (1946)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (82,715 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (33,542 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: Howard Hawks
“The Big Sleep” is an adaption of Raymond Chandler’s 1939 novel of the same name. The film was completed in 1944, but its release was delayed until 1946 due to World War II. The film’s producers made a great business decision in postponing the movie’s release, but not in the way they planned.
The film starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The two actors married in 1945, while “The Big Sleep” was sitting on the shelf. “Bogie and Bacall” became the hottest couple in Hollywood. The couple’s star power made “The Big Sleep” an instant success when it was finally released.
In the movie, Philip Marlowe was hired by a well-to-do man to investigate a blackmail plot against his daughter. The Los Angeles private investigator finds himself in the middle of love triangles, blackmail, and murder.
“The Big Sleep” was selected by the Library of Congress for the NFR in 1997. It is available for streaming on Prime Video, YouTube, Redbox, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu.
14. In a Lonely Place (1950)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (29,058 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (6,327 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (47 reviews)
- Directed by: Nicholas Ray
“In a Lonely Place” is an adaptation of Dorothy B. Hughes’ 1947 novel of the same name. The film centers on Dixon “Dix” Steele, a struggling screenwriter who has not had a successful movie in years. He is short-tempered and at his wit’s end.
Dix is given an opportunity to turn a bestselling book into a movie screenplay. Exhausted, he doesn’t read the book but instead listens to Mildred Atkinson tell him the story instead. His fears are realized when he hears the story. It is awful, just as he suspected. He sends Atkinson on her way, but she is murdered later that night. Given Dix’s hot-tempered reputation, he becomes a prime suspect in her death.
“In a Lonely Place” was chosen for inclusion in the NFR in 2007. It can be streamed on Tubi, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, and Prime Video.
13. Sleuth (1972)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (46,421 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (9,451 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (25 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Anthony Shaffer, screenwriter for “Sleuth,” based the film on his Tony Award-winning play of the same name. The mystery film centers on two men, Andrew Wyke and Milo Tindle, who come to a strange and sordid business arrangement. Wyke is a successful novelist who wishes to divorce his wife. Tindle just happens to be having an affair with Wyke’s wife, so Wyke devises a plan where Tindle “robs” him. After collecting the insurance on the staged robbery, Wyke planned to use the money to offset the alimony of his divorce. However, the plot becomes twisted and confused as each man tries to take advantage of the other.
Both Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine received Oscar nominations for their performances in “Sleuth.” Joseph Mankiewicz was also nominated for Best Director. The mystery film is available to stream on Prime Video.
A remake of the film was released in 2007, but it received a lackluster welcome from critics and audiences alike.
12. Laura (1944)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (44,794 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (10,807 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: Otto Preminger
Laura Hunt is dead and a detective named Mark McPherson is charged with solving her murder. As McPherson interviews suspects in his investigation, he finds that all these men seemed to be infatuated with Laura. Why would any of them have shot her? In a strange twist, the detective even finds himself entertaining romantic thoughts about the dead woman. However, nothing could have prepared him for the bizarre turn of events that would change everything.
“Laura” was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Clifton Webb), Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography for a black-and-white film.
The movie was selected for the NFR in 1999. It can be streamed on Vudu, Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.
11. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (67,341 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (12,420 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Otto Preminger
“Anatomy of a Murder” is based on Robert Traver’s 1957 novel of the same name.
The mystery film centers on Paul Biegler, a small-town lawyer who must defend Frederick Manion against a murder charge. Barney Quill had been murdered and Manion was accused of killing him. Manion claimed that Quill had assaulted and raped his wife. He also claimed to have no recollection of committing the murder.
However, Biegler soon learns that Manion is violent and intensely jealous. He also finds that Manion’s wife, Laura, is well-known for her flirtatious relationship with men. The lawyer is sure that the opposing attorneys will exploit the reputations of Manion and his wife to win the case, so Biegler must search for evidence that will exonerate his client.
“Anatomy of a Murder” was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor in a Leading Role (James Stewart). Arthur O’Connell and George C. Scott both received Oscar nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The movie was selected for preservation in the NFR in 2012.
The film is available for streaming on Apple TV, Vudu, and Prime Video.
10. Vertigo (1958)
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (382,223 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (102,724 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (83 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
In this 1958 mystery film, John “Scottie” Ferguson was a detective with the San Francisco police. He left the job after a fellow police officer fell to his death trying to rescue him. The experience intensified Scottie’s paralyzing fear of heights, forcing him into early retirement.
The detective was pressed back into duty by Gavin Elster, who feared his wife, Madeleine, was mentally disturbed and possibly suicidal. As Scottie follows her and documents her behavior, he becomes fixated on her. He also becomes obsessed with a second woman, Judy Barton, who resembles Madeleine. Scottie’s past, his obsession with these two women, and his acrophobia all crash together in this compelling mystery film.
“Vertigo” received lukewarm reviews after its release. It only garnered a couple of lower-level Oscar nominations. Since then, though, appreciation for the film has grown tremendously. Many argue that it is the best film Alfred Hitchcock ever directed.
The U.S. Congress established the NFR in 1988 with the passage of the National Film Preservation Act. Vertigo was selected for inclusion in the NFR the following year.
The film is available for streaming on Prime Video, Redbox, Vudu, and Apple TV.
9. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (153,406 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (57,929 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (60 reviews)
- Directed by: John Huston
“The Maltese Falcon” is not only one of the greatest mystery films of all time but it is considered by many critics as one of the best movies ever made. The film is based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett.
The film’s central figure is Sam Spade, a San Francisco detective who is approached by a beautiful woman named Ruth Wonderly. She asks Spade to help her find her sister whom she suspected was with a man named Floyd Thursby. However, Thursby was murdered that same evening, as was Spade’s detective partner, Miles Archer. What follows is a mystery filled with deceit, lust, and more murders, all centered around a coveted bird statuette: the Maltese Falcon.
This 1941 film received three Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Sydney Greenstreet). “The Maltese Falcon” was selected for preservation in the NFR in 1989, the same year as “Vertigo.” The film is available on Redbox, YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play.
This movie is not to be confused with a 1931 film of the same name. That movie was also based on Hammett’s novel. The 1931 edition was produced before the Hays Code was established. This code censored the content of movies from 1934-1968. Films made in Pre-Code Hollywood often featured strong sexual innuendos, intense violence, illicit drug use, and the like. The 1931 version of “The Maltese Falcon” featured a scene where Spade strip-searched Wonderly. Scenes like this were forbidden once the Hays Code was established, making the original movie unscreenable after 1934.
8. The Thin Man (1934)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (28,066 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (13,028 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (43 reviews)
- Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke
“The Thin Man” is the oldest movie on our list of the greatest mystery films of all time. It is based on a novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett, who also authored “The Maltese Falcon.”
The film is a mystery-comedy about Nick Charles and his wife, Nora. Charles was a former detective who was approached by Dorothy Wynant. Her father was the prime suspect in a high-profile murder. Charles was reticient to return to detective work, but he was pushed into it by his wife who found it all very exciting. Charles eventually invited all the murder suspects to a dinner party where he planned to reveal the identity of the killer.
The 1934 movie was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (W.S. Van Dyke), Best Actor in a Leading Role (William Powell), and Best Writing, Adaptation. “The Thin Man” was selected for NFR preservation in 1997.
The film can be streamed on Google Play, Vudu, and Prime Video.
7. Memento (2000)
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,169,429 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (381,352 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (181 reviews)
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
“Memento” is the most recent film on this list, produced in 2000. The movie’s main character, Leonard Shelby, sustained an injury that resulted in short-term memory loss. His wife was murdered, but Shelby’s condition makes his search for the killer near impossible. He takes Polaroids and leaves himself notes so he doesn’t forget the progress he has made. He even tattooed the name of the suspected killer on his body so it would serve as a permanent reminder. Shelby partners with other people in the search for his wife’s killer but consistently forgets who they are and whether or not they are actually on his side.
“Memento” won Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film at the Saturn Awards. Guy Pearce was also nominated for the Saturn Best Actor award. The film also received two Oscar nominations.
The Library of Congress selected “Memento” for preservation in the NFR in 2017.
The movie is available on Peacock, Tubi, PLEX, YouTube, Prime Video, and other streaming platforms.
6. Rebecca (1940)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (131,069 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (39,605 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (94 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
This mystery film was adapted from a 1938 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. The story is built around Rebecca de Winter, though she is never seen in the film because she died before the story begins. Rebecca’s husband, Maxim, is grieving the loss of Rebecca when he meets a young lady who will become his next wife. However, when Maxim and his new wife return to his stately manor in southwestern England, the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers is none too happy about it. She was a close confidant of Rebecca and has sinister intentions toward his new bride.
“Rebecca” made a huge splash at the Oscars, taking home the Best Picture Award. It also won Best Cinematography for black-and-white pictures. It received nine additional Oscar nominations. The movie was selected for inclusion in the NFR in 2018.
This mystery film can be streamed on Netflix.
5. Chinatown (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (309,557 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (78,076 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (76 reviews)
- Directed by: Roman Polanski
“Chinatown” is set in Los Angeles in 1937. Jake ‘J.J.’ Gittes is a private investigator specializing in infidelity cases. He is hired by Evelyn Mulwray who suspects her husband, Hollis, is having an affair. Hollis is the chief engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Gittes takes the case but soon finds himself embroiled in a mystery of political conspiracy and corruption where virtually no one is what they seem.
The film was met with critical acclaim and garnered a whopping eleven Oscar nominations, including a nomination for Best Picture. It won Best Writing for an Original Screenplay at the Oscars. “Chinatown” was selected for NFR preservation in 1991.
It can be streamed on Paramount+, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, and other platforms.
A sequel to “Chinatown” was released in 1990. Jack Nicholson starred in “The Two Jakes” as he had in the original film. While “Chinatown” is considered one of the best mystery films of all time, the sequel was met with tepid reviews.
4. North by Northwest (1959)
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (312,200 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (79,896 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (109 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
If you’re looking for directions to a great mystery flick, then just head “North by Northwest.” This Hitchcock mystery adventure film centers on Roger Thornhill, a Madison Avenue advertising executive. Thornhill was mistaken for CIA agent George Kaplan and was kidnapped by foreign spies. He escaped his captors but was then framed for murder. Thornhill boarded a train bound for Chicago where he met Eve Kendall who helped him on his mission to escape the authorities and clear his name, but Thornhill begins to question if she has an ulterior motive. Is there anyone he can trust?
“North by Northwest” received three Oscar nominations and was added to the NFR in 1995.
The film can be streamed on Sling TV, YouTube, Google Play, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu.
3. L.A. Confidential (1997)
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (551,824 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (150,890 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (115 reviews)
- Directed by: Curtis Hanson
“L.A. Confidential” was based on a 1990 novel of the same name by James Ellroy.
Organized crime was taking control of Hollywood in this movie set in the early 1950s. The movie features three Los Angeles police officers with vastly different styles and motives. Bud White is known to throw punches first and ask questions later. Jack Vincennes is a sleazy officer who is after recognition and fame. Ed Exley is a by-the-book cop. These three officers join forces to solve a murder case, but must navigate extensive police corruption and Hollywood scandals.
“L.A. Confidential” was nominated for nine Academy Awards. It won two Oscars, including Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kim Basinger). The film also won the Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film award at the Saturn Awards. The Library of Congress added the movie to the NFR in 2015.
This 1997 film can be streamed on PLEX, Vudu, Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.
2. Rear Window (1954)
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (465,467 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (151,019 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (122 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
This 1954 mystery thriller was adapted from “It Had to Be Murder,” a 1942 short story by Cornell Woolrich.
The film centers on photojournalist L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies. He was wheelchair-bound after breaking his leg while covering an auto race. Jeffries was accustomed to a life on the go, so he found himself overwhelmed with boredom while confined to his Manhattan apartment. To pass the time, he began spying on his neighbors through his apartment’s rear window. New York was in the grips of an intense heat wave, so the windows of all the neighboring apartments were left open. This allowed Jeffries to see and hear the folks inside these other apartments. One day, he observed what he perceived to be a cold-blooded murder inside one of these apartments, but what could the incapacitated Jeffries do to investigate? He enlisted the help of his girlfriend and his insurance nurse, both of whom were initially offended by Jefferies’ voyeurism. But, if there was a murder, how could they turn away?
“Rear Window” was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Director (Alfred Hitchcock). It was selected by the Library of Congress for NFR preservation in 1997.
This Hitchcock classic can be streamed on YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Redbox, and Prime Video.
1. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (116,454 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (9,011 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (33 reviews)
- Directed by: Billy Wilder
Agatha Christie is one of the most prolific mystery writers of all time. The 1957 film “Witness for the Prosecution” was based on her play of the same name.
The courtroom drama features attorney Sir Wilfrid Robarts. He was recovering from a heart attack and was instructed to only participate in low-stress civil cases. However, the allure of a high-profile murder case was too strong for him to resist. Robarts represented Leonard Vole, who was accused of murdering a wealthy widow. The defendant’s only alibi was his wife. However, everything changed when Vole’s wife appeared in court, not to testify on behalf of her husband, but rather as a witness for the prosecution.
The film garnered six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Charles Laughton), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Elsa Lanchester), and Best Director (Billy Wilder).
“Witness for the Prosecution” can be streamed on Pluto TV, MGM+, Tubi, Prime Video, Sling TV, and several other platforms.