The Mystery Deepens

There have been so many movies based on books. Here is my list of Ten great mystery movies. It was hard to just pick ten, but here they are.

10. The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)- Directed by John Huston, this movie was based on the 1961 novel written by Philip MacDonald. It was filmed in black and white and kept you guessing throughout.

The story concerned a writer named Adrian Messenger who asks his friend (played by the marvelous George C. Scott) to look into a list of people, without fully explaining why. When Messenger's plane goes down the real mystery begins. What makes this movie so interesting is the number of stars who appeared in cameos. This is revealed to the viewer at the end when actors reveal themselves by taking off their disguises.

9. Kiss the Girls (1997) - This movie is based on the 1995 James Patterson Novel, his second about Alex Cross, a very popular detective and forensic pathologist. It begins with his niece, a college student disappearing. He soon discovers she is one of a series of females who have disappeared.

The movie follows Cross's investigation into finding out what happened to these girls, who is responsible, and what is going on. Morgan Freeman is wonderful as Alex Cross and we want him to solve this mystery.

8. Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) - Directed by Sidney Lanfield, this movie adaptation from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel epitomizes Sherlock Holmes.

The story concerns whether or not there really is a curse on the Baskerville estate. It's the first of fourteen such films starting Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. It is their characterizations that lie at the charm of any of these Sherlock Holmes movies. And, if you have never had the pleasure of seeing them in action, this is the first one, and definitely deserves a look.

7. The Thin Man (1934) - This movie, directed by W.S. Van Dyke was based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett (also written in 1934). This was the first of six mysteries starring the very charming and vivacious Nick and Nora Charles (played to the hilt by William Powell and Myrna Loy).

Nick, a former detective and Nora his heiress wife are pulled into a mystery when his friend disappears. Drink in hand, and wittily bantering with his wife the two easily solve their crime. Their dog Asta was also fairly popular. These amusing movies are definitely worth viewing. Many have tried to copy, none have attained the charm of the original.

6. Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - This movie might not technically be a mystery but I loved it. It was a courtroom drama, directed by Otto Preminger, and based on the novel by Robert Traver (which was a pseudonym for Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker).

James Stewart is his brilliant self as a small town lawyer who takes the case of a man charged with the murder of the innkeeper, who apparently raped his wife. His opposing lawyer is played by the larger than life George C. Scott. Beigler attempts to get his client off using as defense a version of temporary insanity. This movie was also inspired by actual events. If you haven't seen it, nothing can beat the folksy charm of Jimmy Stewart.

5. Vertigo (1958) - Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, one of the best directors of all time, Vertigois based on the French novel Sueurs froides: d'entre les morts.
("Cold Sweat: From Among the Dead") by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac

James Stewart stars in this film as Scottie Ferguson, a detective with acrophobia (a fear of heights). Because of his fear, he experiences vertigo (severe dizziness) when looking down from heights. The story begins when he is asked to follow someone's wife. Of course in the pursuit of the mystery he will have to face his fear of heights. Will he overcome his fear? Only way to find out is to watch the movie. And believe me, no one makes them better than Hitchcock.

4. TheMaltese Falcon (1941) - Although not the first movie adaptation (the first in 1931) this one made my list. Based on the 1930 novel by Dashiell Hammet, this film stars Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade, a detective from San Francisco who has dealings with some nefarious and unscrupulous people as they search for a jewel-encrusted figurine in the shape of a Falcon.

With such luminaries as Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Mary Astor, and Walter Huston, this movie is a gem, a treasure to be sought out by everyone. Truly this movie is a classic for all generations.

3. Double Indemnity - Although not from a full length novel, this movie, directed by Billy Wilder, was adapted James M. Cain's story. The premise is based on the fact that some insurance policies will pay double if there is an accidental death.

Fred MacMurray is Walter Neff, an insurance salesman who is seduced by Phyllis Dietrichson (played very alluringly by Barbara Stanwyck) and convinced that the two of them can kill her husband. Knowing the tricks of the trade, Neff arranges for an "accident" where he falls out of a train. Edward G. Robinson plays the investigator who eventually realizes that Phyllis worked with "someone" to kill her husband, he just didn't know who. That is where the film begins, with Neff taping a confession. To see how he ended up making the confession, you need to watch it unfold. This movie was absolutely wonderful.

2. In the Heat of the Night (1967) - This movie was directed by Norman Jewison and was adapted from the novel by John Ball. This movie was so well received and loved by critics and movie goers that there were two sequels and a television series of the same name starring Carol O'Conner and Howard Rollins.

The film stars Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs, an African-American detective who is picked up in a southern town as a suspect in a murder case because of his color by Police Chief Gillespie (portrayed by Rod Steiger). After realizing his error, Gillespie works with Tibbs on the case and the two reluctantly develop a mutual respect for each other. This is one of my all time favorite movies.

1. Manchurian Candidate (1962) - This thriller was directed by John Frankenheimer and was based on the novel by Richard Condon. There was another adaptation more recently, but it doesn't compare to this version.

This film came out during the height of the Cuban missile crisis, so it was very current. It concerns Raymond Shaw (played by Laurence Harvey) who is a war hero as well as the son of a prominent political family, who is brainwashed to assassinate a presidential candidate. This movie is a psychological roller coaster as we wait to see whether Shaw will carry out his assignment. It's a wild ride and one that you will regret not trying.