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Murder Mystery Decade by Decade: Films, TV, Plays

Building on the lists you’ve already requested, here is a comprehensive, decade-by-decade list of mystery movies, television shows, and plays, excluding Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes (See our previous two posts). This list includes a variety of mystery types, from classic whodunits to film noir, political thrillers, and modern procedurals.

1930s

This decade was defined by classic “whodunits” and the rise of the smart, witty detective.

Films:

  • The Thin Man (1934): This film introduced the iconic husband-and-wife detective duo, Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy), who solve crimes with witty banter and an endless supply of martinis.
  • The Charlie Chan Film Series (1930s-1940s): Based on the novels of Earl Derr Biggers, these films starred Warner Oland as the sagacious Chinese-American detective.
  • The Kennel Murder Case (1933): One of the best early whodunits, featuring detective Philo Vance.
  • The Maltese Falcon (1931): The first film adaptation of the Dashiell Hammett novel, laying the groundwork for the noir genre.
  • Edgar Allan Poe Adaptations: The early horror-mystery genre was heavily influenced by Poe. Films like The Black Cat (1934) and The Raven (1935), starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, were loosely based on his stories and often blended mystery with macabre horror.

1940s

The Golden Age of Film Noir, characterized by dark cinematography, cynical detectives, and femme fatales.

Films:

  • The Maltese Falcon (1941): The definitive film noir and mystery classic, starring Humphrey Bogart as private eye Sam Spade.
  • Laura (1944): A stylized mystery about a detective who falls in love with the portrait of a woman he is investigating for murder.
  • The Big Sleep (1946): Bogart’s second turn as a private eye (this time as Philip Marlowe) in a famously convoluted and stylish mystery.
  • Out of the Past (1947): A quintessential noir film about a private investigator who can’t escape his past.
  • The Third Man (1949): A British film noir set in post-war Vienna, following an American pulp novelist investigating the death of a friend.

1950s

The era of Alfred Hitchcock and the emergence of psychological thrillers.

Films:

  • Rear Window (1954): Hitchcock’s masterpiece about a photographer confined to a wheelchair who believes he has witnessed a murder from his apartment window.
  • Dial M for Murder (1954): A taut, brilliant thriller about a husband who plots to murder his wealthy wife.
  • Vertigo (1958): A groundbreaking psychological thriller from Hitchcock about a detective with a fear of heights who becomes obsessed with a woman.
  • The Big Heat (1953): A brutal and influential film noir about a police detective who seeks vengeance against the mob after his wife is murdered.

1960s

The rise of political and espionage thrillers, often with a mysterious element.

Films:

  • The Manchurian Candidate (1962): A chilling and complex political thriller about a brainwashed soldier.
  • Charade (1963): Often called “the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock didn’t make,” starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in a stylish, romantic mystery.
  • In the Heat of the Night (1967): A landmark film starring Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs, a Black detective from Philadelphia who helps a small-town Southern police chief solve a murder.
  • Italian Giallo Films (starting in this decade): A distinct sub-genre of mystery/thriller known for its stylish visuals, shocking violence, and convoluted plots. Key films include Mario Bava’s The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) and Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970).

1970s

A decade of gritty, cynical films that mirrored a loss of public trust.

Films:

  • Chinatown (1974): A neo-noir masterpiece starring Jack Nicholson as a private detective who uncovers a dark conspiracy in 1930s Los Angeles.
  • The Conversation (1974): Francis Ford Coppola’s psychological thriller about a surveillance expert who believes he has recorded a murder.
  • Klute (1971): Jane Fonda stars as a call girl who helps a detective find a missing man.
  • The Parallax View (1974): A paranoid political thriller about a reporter who uncovers a conspiracy to assassinate politicians.
  • Murder on a Sunday Morning (1971): A classic episode of the TV series Columbo that became a touchstone for the “howcatchem” mystery, where the audience knows the killer from the start.

TV Shows:

  • Columbo (1971-2003): The highly successful and influential series starring Peter Falk as the disheveled and deceptively brilliant detective.

1980s

The mystery genre went through a revival, with a blend of neo-noir and comedic takes.

Films:

  • Blade Runner (1982): A science-fiction neo-noir about a detective (Rick Deckard) hunting down rogue replicants.
  • Body Heat (1981): A steamy neo-noir that pays homage to classics like Double Indemnity.

TV Shows:

  • Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): A lighthearted and wildly popular show starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher.

1990s

The genre was redefined with psychological twists and complex narratives.

Films:

  • The Silence of the Lambs (1991): A tense thriller about an FBI trainee who must consult with a cannibalistic serial killer to catch another murderer.
  • Basic Instinct (1992): A stylish and controversial erotic thriller/mystery.
  • The Usual Suspects (1995): Famous for its twist ending, this film follows a small-time crook who recounts the events that led to a brutal crime.
  • Se7en (1995): A dark and grim detective thriller about a pair of detectives on the trail of a serial killer who bases his crimes on the seven deadly sins.
  • L.A. Confidential (1997): A neo-noir set in the 1950s that intertwines the lives of three detectives in a web of police corruption and Hollywood scandal.

TV Shows:

  • Twin Peaks (1990-1991): A surreal and influential series that begins with the investigation of a high school student’s murder.

2000s

The mystery film genre saw a focus on non-linear narratives and mind-bending plots.

Films:

  • Memento (2000): A groundbreaking film told in reverse chronological order, about a man with short-term memory loss who is trying to find his wife’s killer.
  • Zodiac (2007): David Fincher’s meticulous and atmospheric film about the real-life hunt for the Zodiac Killer.
  • Mystic River (2003): A dark and emotional mystery about three friends whose lives are shattered by a murder investigation.

2010s

The “whodunit” returned to prominence, often with a modern twist.

Films:

  • Prisoners (2013): A grim and tense thriller about a father who takes matters into his own hands after his daughter is kidnapped.
  • Gone Girl (2014): A psychological thriller about a man who becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance.
  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): David Fincher’s adaptation of the Swedish novel, a dark mystery about a disgraced journalist and a brilliant hacker solving a cold case.
  • Knives Out (2019): Rian Johnson’s modern update of the classic whodunit, with a star-studded cast and a brilliant, winding plot.

TV Shows:

  • True Detective (2014-Present): An anthology series that tells a different dark, atmospheric mystery with a new cast each season.
  • Broadchurch (2013-2017): A British crime drama that follows the investigation into the murder of a young boy in a small coastal town.

2020s

The mystery genre continues to thrive with clever new stories and revivals of classic forms.

Films:

  • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022): The follow-up to Knives Out, featuring Benoit Blanc on a new case in Greece.
  • The Pale Blue Eye (2022): A historical mystery film starring Christian Bale as a detective who enlists the help of a young Edgar Allan Poe.

TV Shows:

  • Only Murders in the Building (2021-Present): A comedic mystery series about three neighbors who start a true-crime podcast to solve a murder in their apartment building.
  • Poker Face (2023-Present): A “case-of-the-week” show inspired by Columbo, starring Natasha Lyonne as a woman who can tell when people are lying.
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Artistic Director Walt Frasier

With over 30 years of experience in theater, comedy, and television, Walt Frasier is the Artistic Director of Improv Theater LLC, a leading edutainment center known for its high-impact comedy shows and workshops. His extensive career includes performing comedy sketches on MTV’s Stankervision, Late Nite with David Letterman, TruTV’s Friends of the People, and HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay. As an actor, Walt has appeared on NBC’s Blacklist, CBS’s Blue Bloods, USA’s Royal Pains, Netflix’s Lilyhammer, and NICK’s Naked Brothers Band, in addition to numerous commercials, industrials, and live performances worldwide.