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Looking for something to buy that mystery book lover on your holiday shopping list? Consider a classic, or more recent, mystery movie to complement their reading.
Some of my favorites are listed below. Bear in mind that this list is purely subjective. (I tend to favor 1940s film noir.) If you have a favorite that's not on the list, feel free to start a discussion. To shop for one of the movies, just click on the title. Laura - One of my all-time favorite mystery films, this 1944 classic "film noir" stars a gorgeous Gene Tierney in the title role as the murder victim the viewer only meets in flash-backs as detective Mark MacPherson (played by Dana Andrews) works to solve the crime. That he is also falling in love with the dead girl becomes increasingly apparent. This film gets better every time you watch it. Great supporting performances by Vincent Price and Judth Anderson (in a totally different role than hers in Rebecca). Rebecca - The 1940s Alfred Hitchcock film, based on Daphne DuMaurier's classic book, Rebecca. It's one of the rare movies that actually enhances the book, rather than detracts. Plus, it won the Academy Award for best picture. The movie starts Laurence Olivier as Max DeWinter, Joan Fontaine as his new wife, and Dame Judith Anderson as the sinister Mrs. Danvers. The Da Vinci Code - Just released on DVD, this action movie from the popular bestseller is, admittedly, not as good as the book. It's worth buying, however, just to see the scenes of Paris and the French countryside, if nothing else. Stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon and French actress Audrey Tautou as Sophie Neveu. The Third Man - This 1949 British "film noir" is set in post-World War II Austria and exemplifies all of the tension of the Cold War. The screeplay was written by cynical British writer Graham Greene. It stars Joseph Cotton, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Watch it for the brilliant cinematography as well as the haunting score, the zither music of "The Third Man Theme." Murder on the Orient Express - This classic 1974 film adaptation of the Agatha Christie tale is fun, even if you know the ending. If you haven't yet read the book, it's even better. The all-star cast includes Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, and Albert Finney as an excellent Hercule Poirot. There's all the elements of a classic mystery: a closed murder scene, a varied cast of characters -- all with a motive, and 1930s glamour.
The copyright of the article DVDs for Mystery Fans in Mystery/Crime Fiction is owned by Sandy Mitchell. Permission to republish DVDs for Mystery Fans in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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