Greatest Mystery, Detective Films

The ultimate murder mystery,, with one of the greatest suprise endings I have ever seen. Starring only Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine in their most compelling roles. You'll never watch a who dunnit the same way again. Winner of my Top Detective Mystery Films.

The one film that would best sum up Hitchcock's career, style and mastery. Great screenplay and acting from Stewart, and the most beautiful actress Grace Kelly. The story and smaller sub story's are amazing. Winner of my Greatest Alfred Hitchock Films.

Hitchock classic. Obsession and suspense combine in this eerie drama. His famous fear of heights and the tense score by Bernard Herrmann, considered by many film writers and scholars as Hitchcock's most ambitious film. I would agree.

Rated as the greatest British film by the BFI, I would hav to agree. One of the greatest villians ever to grace the screen Harry Lime (Welles) is the center of this twisty-turny mystery notable for its Academy Award-winning cinematography and distinctive, recurring strange music. A giant ferris wheel and a spectacular last chase scene in the sewers highlight this tale of intrigue. Set in a really tragic post-World War II Vienna. Winner of my Top Film Noir Films.

Cool, Intricate myster, revival of film noir. Roman Polanski's best film. Played brilliantly by private detective Nicholson. The unforgettable scene of sister/daughter the unbelieveable twists and turns and the memorable last line: "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown."

Daphne Du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca is ranked amongst the great novels written in the 20th century. It is only fitting that the film version be of similar rank and recognition. Rebecca is one of the greatest gothic mystery dramas ever brought to screen. it is the first Hitchock masterpeice. With the legendary cast of Fontaine, Olivier, George Sanders and Judith Anderson playing one of the greatest villians ever to creep on to the screen, Mrs Danvers. But all this comes second to unforgettable, infamous twist ending the truly makes Rebecca a timeless gothic classic without equal. Winner of my Grestest Film Plot Twists.

Bogart offers the definitive incarnation of detective Sam Spade. Aptation of Dashiell Hammett's detective story. The best example of American film "noir" with the femme fatale, Mary Astor, the corpulent Greenstreet and a creepy Lorre. "The stuff that dreams are made of."

One of Hitchcock's best second only to Psycho and Rear Window. Great mystery and cross-country chase. Cary Grant, my favourite actor is the Hitchcockian man caught up in a mystery. The best scenes include the thrilling crop-dusting airplane scene and the final mount Rushmore scene. Winner of my Top Road Films.

My favourite actor: Cary Grant, my favourite actress: Ingrid Bergman, my favourite supporting actor: Claude Rains and my favourite Director: Alfred Hitcock, all in one movie powerhouse.

Robert Altman is the master. The film is a masterpeice. Maggie Smith is perfect as always. Story, dialogue and chraracters give a whole new meaning to the Whodunit genre.

The words masterpeice, unbelieveable thriller and best in it's genre are usually associated with The Usual Suspects, but they were not the words that came to my mind whilist watching this film. The words non-linear, puzzling, too self-consciously twisted, clever, and predictable, came to my mind. The hype surrounding this film far out wieghs the actual content. If anything the film is memorable for it's shocking ending and Kevin Spacey's performance as a great villian but that's about it. The rest of the film is a confusing labyrinth with the ending as the monster in the middle of the maze. As a fan of the detective mystery thriller genre I find it insulting when people consider this to be the best of it's kind. The most important element of giving the audience enough clues to work out the mystery is missing and the mystery at the end isn't worth knowing. Still a great crime thriller, but not an all-time great movie

Hitchock's only remake of one of his own films raises the question of the superiority of his American work to his British work. This remak exceeds the original, more lavish with some of Hitchock's most powerful scenes ever. The films climaxes in the Albert Hall, one of Hitchock's best ever set peices. With the all time great song 'Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)' performed by Doris Day. And the amazing score by Bernard Herrmann, who appears in the film directing the orchestra, is one of his best.

Really, really gitty action drama with international heroin smugglers and a major drug operation. The spectacular car chase under the elevated train tracks is movie legend. I think this was Hackman's best performance.