10 Excellent Mystery Thriller Movies For Fans Of Agatha Christie

There have been plenty of great Agatha Christie movies over the years, but the author’s influence on cinema extends beyond adaptations of her own books. Many mystery thrillers have been inspired by Christie’s style over the years. Some of these movies are fairly straightforward with their allusions to Christie, from their settings to their eccentric detectives, but others are more subtle.

Agatha Christie is one of the most popular authors of all time, so it’s no surprise that she has reshaped the mystery genre in both literature and cinema. Her whodunnit mysteries often seem like they work from a simple formula, but a cast of enigmatic suspects, a charming sleuth and a memorable puzzle don’t necessarily mean that a movie will be as intriguing as Christie. Filmmakers still need their own unique ideas to put a spin on the genre.

10

See How They Run (2022)

See How They Run Wears Its Agatha Christie Influence With Pride

see how they run

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4/10

See How They Run

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Director

Tom George

Release Date

September 9, 2022

Cast

Saoirse Ronan
, Sam Rockwell
, Adrien Brody

See How They Run is a must-watch for Agatha Christie fans, as it features a Christie-style murder mystery that unfolds on the set of the West End play The Mousetrap. Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell play a couple of mismatched detectives, with Ronan as the overzealous youngster and Rockwell playing her jaded, streetwise superior. They strike up a hilarious comedic dynamic, and there are plenty of laughs as they dig deeper into the mystery.

Constable Stalker and Inspector Stoppard looking shocked in See How They Run

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Ronan and Rockwell are supported by a delightful ensemble cast which includes Adrian Brody, David Oyelowo and Harris Dickinson. Each actor in the stage adaptation of Christie’s work becomes a potential suspect when one of them is found dead. The mystery is just as twisted and surprising as Christie’s are, but See How They Run also takes a lovingly satirical view of the whole mystery genre.

9

Rear Window (1954)

Alfred Hitchcock Was A Master Of Mystery

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9/10

Rear Window

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Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Release Date

September 1, 1954

Cast

Thelma Ritter
, James Stewart
, Wendell Corey
, Grace Kelly
, Raymond Burr

Alfred Hitchcock had a flair for mystery thrillers, although he also produced classic movies in the horror, drama and action genres. Rear Window is one of his very best murder mysteries, along with the likes of Rope and Dial M for Murder. One key difference in Rear Window is that Hitchcock doesn’t reveal the solution too early. His other mysteries often used dramatic irony, so that the audience would know the answers that the characters are reaching for.

By examining voyeurism and obsession, Rear Window reflects the audience’s dark appetite for true-crime stories.

Rear Window revolves around two captivating performances from James Stewart and Grace Kelly, two of the biggest movie stars of their time, and for good reason. By examining voyeurism and obsession, Rear Window reflects the audience’s dark appetite for true-crime stories. Just as Jeff peers at his neighbors through his window, Hitchcock asks his audience to interrogate their love for watching murder mysteries on-screen.

8

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Tarantino’s Western Mystery Has A Unique Blend Of Influences

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6.5/10

The Hateful Eight

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Director

Quentin Tarantino

Release Date

December 25, 2015

Cast

Zoe Bell
, Jennifer Jason Leigh
, Michael Madsen
, Tim Roth
, Channing Tatum
, Bruce Dern
, Kurt Russell
, Samuel L. Jackson
, Walton Goggins
, James Parks

Quentin Tarantino has made no secret of his cinematic influences, whether it’s the nods to Asian martial arts movies in Kill Bill or the remixing of old war movies in Inglourious Basterds. The Hateful Eight is clearly inspired by gritty, blood-soaked westerns, but it also has a lot in common with Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries and single-setting stage plays by the likes of Harold Pinter and Edward Albee.

The Hateful Eight is clearly inspired by gritty, blood-soaked westerns, but it also has a lot in common with Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries.

Quentin Tarantino toys with this audience in The Hateful Eight, choosing carefully when to reveal new pieces of information. It’s a rather unusual mystery in the sense that it’s not just about when different characters learn new details; it’s also about when the audience are permitted to see events unfold from a different angle. Even if The Hateful Eight rarely ranks as one of Quentin Tarantino’s best movies, it’s definitely up there with his best scripts.

7

The Last Of Sheila (1973)

The Last Of Sheila Is A Fun Puzzle For Mystery Fans

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The Last of Sheila

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Director

Herbert Ross

Release Date

June 14, 1973

Cast

Dyan Cannon
, Richard Benjamin
, James Coburn
, Joan Hackett
, James Mason
, Ian McShane
, Raquel Welch
, Yvonne Romain
, Pierre Rosso
, Serge Citon
, Roberto Rossi
, Elaine Geisinger
, Elliot Geisinger
, Jack Pugeat
, Martial

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The Last of Sheila was written by Psycho star Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim, who based the story on the murder mystery parties they used to have with their friends. Hopefully, these games were a lot less intense than The Last of Sheila, which follows a group of friends spending a week together on a luxury yacht while they uncover each other’s clues and gradually find out new information about a suspicious death.

Like many of the best Agatha Christie stories, it’s an infectiously fun game that has dangerous implications for the participants.

The Last Sheila is a beautifully written puzzle, and it’s helped along by a great cast which includes James Mason, Ian McShane and Raquel Welch. Like many of the best Agatha Christie stories, it’s an infectiously fun game that has dangerous implications for the participants. Every member of the group is a suspect, but as the game drags on, they also become potential victims. The twist is brilliantly done, earning The Last of Sheila a place in the heart of mystery fans.

6

Scream (1996)

Scream Is A Slasher And A Whodunnit Rolled Into One

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9.2/10

Scream

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Director

Wes Craven

Release Date

December 20, 1996

Cast

Drew Barrymore
, Kevin Patrick Walls
, David Booth
, Carla Hatley
, Neve Campbell
, Skeet Ulrich

Scream is one of the defining movies of the slasher genre, polking fun at the tropes and strange rules of the horror movies from the inside. It’s also a surprisingly clever murder mystery, as the teens of Woodsboro, California scramble to figure out keeps picking off their classmates one by one. The Scream franchise has had its ups and downs, but the original is widely considered to be the best of the bunch.

Scream keeps its audience guessing, and its mystery has intense personal stakes for everyone involved.

Scream‘s iconic opening scene kicks things off in style, as Casey Becker is slaughtered in her own home by a masked man. This sets the tone for the gory slasher, and it tees up a compelling mystery. As Sidney and her friends push further into their investigation, potential suspects become victims and close friends become suspects. This all leads to a satisfying twist ending that the franchise is yet to beat. Scream keeps its audience guessing, and its mystery has intense personal stakes for everyone involved.

5

Clue (1985)

Clue Has A Lot Of Fun With The Mystery Genre

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Clue

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Director

Jonathan Lynn

Release Date

December 13, 1985

Cast

Eileen Brennan
, Tim Curry
, Madeline Kahn
, Christopher Lloyd
, Michael McKean
, Martin Mull

Clue is based on the murder mystery board game of the same name, but it’s clear to see the Agatha Christie influences shining through too. Just like the board game, Clue sets up a playful mystery with several mismatched characters in a large, opulent manor. Tim Curry plays the butler, who also acts as a conduit for the audience. He’s the closest thing to a detective in Clue, but the suspects have to work among themselves to decide who the guilty party is.

Agatha Christie movie montage

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Clue is famous for its multiple endings. When the movie originally played in theaters, audiences got to see just one ending, depending on which screening they were at. This is a unique gimmick, but Clue is better with each ending playing consecutively. The solution to a mystery is rarely as satisfying as the game of piecing together the details, so Clue finds a brilliant way of keeping the mystery going forever.

4

Sleuth (1973)

Sleuth Is A Captivating Two-Hander

Sleuth (1972) - Poster - Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine

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Sleuth

Director

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Release Date

December 10, 1972

Cast

Laurence Olivier
, Michael Caine
, Alec Cawthorne
, John Matthews
, Eve Channing
, Teddy Martin

The cast of Sleuth includes Alec Cawthorne, Eve Channing and Teddy Martin, but none of these people exist. These fake names were added to the credits by the studio to deceive audiences into thinking that Sleuth wasn’t just a two-hander starring Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier. This may have been a marketing trick to begin with, but it highlights the twisty, deceptive nature of the plot.

The cast of Sleuth includes Alec Cawthorne, Eve Channing and Teddy Martin, but none of these people exist.

Sleuth is an adaptation of Anthony Shaffer’s 1970 play, with Shaffer himself writing the screenplay. It’s an intoxicating drama that features a man who invites his wife’s lover to his estate for an intense conversation. Although Sleuth is limited to just two actors and one location, it’s never boring, with elements of horror and comedy dropped in expertly to keep things lively. The 2007 remake stars Jude Law, with Michael Caine playing the older of the two characters on this occasion, but the original remains the best.

3

The Third Man (1949)

The Post-War Classic Is Still Full Of Surprises

The Third Man Movie Poster

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10/10

The Third Man

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Director

Carol Reed

Release Date

February 1, 1950

Cast

Orson Welles
, Joseph Cotten
, Alida Valli
, Trevor Howard
, Paul Hörbiger

Most people know The Third Man as an Orson Welles film, but he doesn’t show up for a long time. The story begins with Joseph Cotten, who plays an Englishman searching for his friend amid the rubble and corruption of post-war Vienna. He is told when he arrives that his friend has died, but some details about the story don’t quite add up, and this leads him to begin his own amateur investigation.

The Third Man is a film noir masterpiece, buoyed by two gripping performances.

Once Welles makes his first appearance, illuminated by the accusatory glow of a streetlamp, the investigation follows a series of dangerous twists and turns. The Third Man is a film noir masterpiece, buoyed by two gripping performances and a script that manages to be both exciting and precise. The final chase in the sewers of Vienna is iconic for good reason, but it works best when it’s seen in the context of the entire story.

2

Gosford Park (2001)

Gosford Park Looks And Feels Like Vintage Christie

Gosford Park (2001) - Poster

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Gosford Park

Director

Robert Altman

Release Date

November 7, 2001

Cast

Maggie Smith
, Michael Gambon
, Kristin Scott Thomas
, Camilla Rutherford
, Charles Dance
, Geraldine Somerville
, Tom Hollander
, Natasha Wightman
, Jeremy Northam
, Bob Balaban
, James Wilby
, Claudie Blakley
, Laurence Fox
, Trent Ford
, Ryan Phillippe
, Stephen Fry
, Ron Webster
, Kelly Macdonald
, Clive Owen
, Helen Mirren
, Eileen Atkins
, Emily Watson
, Alan Bates
, Derek Jacobi
, Richard E. Grant

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Gosford Park is probably the most surprising movie to have no connection to the works of Agatha Christie. It’s a cunning mystery that takes place at an English country manor in the 1930s, with a cast of eccentric characters with various motives for murder. Gosford Park was inspired by Christie’s stories, but it’s far from a hollow, derivative copy. There are plenty of unique techniques in the story, like the conflicting accounts of the murder.

Gosford Park is probably the most surprising movie to have no connection to the works of Agatha Christie.

Gosford Park features a remarkable ensemble cast, with some legendary British actors, including Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon and Stephen Fry as a bumbling investigator. The performances are a key part of what gave Gosford Park such a stellar critical reputation, but the true magic lies in the script. The social commentary is deftly woven into the story, as the murder exposes some pre-existing wounds.

1

Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out Puts A Modern Spin On A Classic Mystery Premise

Knives Out movie final poster

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11

9.5/10

Knives Out

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Director

Rian Johnson

Release Date

November 27, 2019

Cast

Chris Evans
, LaKeith Stanfield
, Katherine Langford
, Daniel Craig
, Toni Collette
, Jamie Lee Curtis
, Ana De Armas
, Michael Shannon
, Christopher Plummer
, Don Johnson
, Riki Lindhome

At first glance, Knives Out looks very much like a classic Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. There’s a dead body in a locked room, a mansion full of suspects, and one eccentric sleuth who has to find the holes in the stories he hears. However, Benoit Blanc is no Hercule Poirot, and Knives Out has plenty of surprises in store for anyone expecting a standard murder mystery narrative.

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc Holds Up a Finger in Glass Onion A Knives Out Mystery

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Knives Out‘s midpoint twist changes the complexion of the entire case, and it suddenly becomes much more dangerous. While a lot of Christie’s stories end with the detective discovering the identity of the murderer, Knives Out shows that this is just one step in delivering justice. After 2022’s Glass Onion provided another intriguing mystery, Benoit Blanc is set to return once more for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, where he will no doubt be joined by another cast of shifty characters.