by Sophie Reynolds
In this article, I’ll give you a very subjective list of three classic detective movies that are captivating in their plot and are shot extremely well, with special effects, camera tricks, etc.
The Big Sleep
The Big Sleep (1946) is about a hired private detective by the name of Philip Marlowe, who is tasked to unravel the mysteries of a newly occurred murder.
This detective movie is based on the short story, Killer in the Rain, by Raymond Chandler, a novelist known for leaving clues one after another. displaying the story from the perspective of the antagonist as well as the protagonist.
The movie centers around Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart), trying to deal with the issues that were caused by the client’s daughter’s gambling addiction, and enemies made along the way.
As the story progresses, we get more and more captivated by the dialogue, with our main protagonist, Marlowe, no pushover when it comes to confronting both armed, and unarmed opponents. The intricacies of the dialogue, although sometimes rushed, tend to capture the audience’s attention, as they expect what will be said next, even though they know what’s going to happen exactly.
Critics from all over the world have praised the movie’s methodology of structuring the dialogue and making several story arcs intertwined at an unseen level at the time.
Several casino experts from https://play.casino/ have even commented on how masterfully the underground world of the ‘40s casino operations was displayed in the movie. The stern and very profit-oriented casino rings that used to operate in the United States were exactly like they’re portrayed in the movie. Vengeful, remorseless and ready for everything.
Marlowe is showcased as a “real man” of the time, not afraid of talking back to anybody, while also being extremely intelligent and charming. The Big Sleep is a masterpiece of its time and an inspirational and aspiration detective movie for modern film producers.
Murder on the Orient Express
Murder on the Orient Express (2018) features the beloved Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh, who also directed), a Belgian detective who is returning from yet another successful job in Jerusalem. The movie is, of course, based on Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name, and features our protagonist taking a long train trip from Istanbul to London.
Poirot is quite popular among the general public of Europe and is greeted with great pleasure by the other passengers, among which is a certain Mr. Edward Ratchett, who offers Poirot a position as his bodyguard due to several threatening letters he’s been receiving lately.
Naturally, Poirot refuses, only to find Ratchett murdered in his cabin the morning after. The movie then revolves around Poirot trying to crack the case and find the murderer, as they are definitely still on board. Why? Because the train hasn’t stopped and they’re in the middle of the Alps, therefore nobody would dare to jump off.
The story culminates into Poirot making a huge discovery that there isn’t just one murderer, but that’s where I’ll end with the spoilers.
The movie is captivating, with a memorable cast chosen for the rest of the meaty roles, as well as exquisite period costumes.
Overall, you’ll have a blast while watching the movie, consistently asking questions if you haven’t read the novel.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
An amazing adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes franchise by Guy Ritchie, who recently enjoyed a smash hit with his reinvention of Aladdin for the big screen.
The 2011 sequel to Ritchie’s 2009 blockbuster, the movie takes the lovable and very intelligent Sherlock Holmes from the comforts of Great Britain and forces him to travel across central Europe in search of his arch-nemesis, Doctor Moriarty, a genius mathematician focused on causing World War 1.
The movie is amazingly directed and portrayed Sherlock Holmes’ intellect by having us view Robert Downey Jr. play out all of the possible scenarios in his head and decide on the best course of action.
Most likely, though, the movie does not depict Sherlock Holmes in the fashion that author Arthur Conan Doyle would have envisioned, but it does add a little extra action and drama with plenty of fight scenes, action and tension.
It’s a great movie to watch if you want to see two masterminds battling it out in the world, which they perceive as nothing but a game of chess.
