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    Home/Browse/1970s Movies/1970s Mystery Movies

    1970s Mystery Movies

    The 40 most popular 1970s mystery movies, ranked. Click any film for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.

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    Star Trek: The Motion Picture
    TMDB3.2

    Star Trek: The Motion Picture

    1979 · 2h 11m

    country: United States

    When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.

    The Conversation
    TMDB3.7
    FF4.0

    The Conversation

    1974 · 1h 55m

    country: United States

    A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.

    Chinatown
    TMDB4.0

    Chinatown

    1974 · 2h 10m

    country: United States

    Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.

    Death on the Nile
    TMDB3.6

    Death on the Nile

    1978 · 2h 20m

    country: United Kingdom

    As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board and every elegant passenger becomes a prime suspect.

    Murder on the Orient Express
    TMDB3.5

    Murder on the Orient Express

    1974 · 2h 8m

    country: United Kingdom

    In 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before.

    High Plains Drifter
    TMDB3.7

    High Plains Drifter

    1973 · 1h 46m

    country: United States

    A gunfighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago. After gunning down three gunmen who tried to kill him, the townsfolk decide to hire the Stranger to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.

    Beneath the Planet of the Apes
    TMDB3.1
    FF3.0

    Beneath the Planet of the Apes

    1970 · 1h 35m

    country: United States

    The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission lands on the planet of the apes, and uncovers a horrible secret beneath the surface.

    Three Days of the Condor
    TMDB3.6

    Three Days of the Condor

    1975 · 1h 57m

    country: United States

    When bookish CIA researcher Joe Turner finds all his co-workers dead, he, together with a woman he has kidnapped, must work together to outwit those responsible until he determines who he can really trust.

    All the President's Men
    TMDB3.8
    FF4.0

    All the President's Men

    1976 · 2h 18m

    country: United States

    During the 1972 elections, two reporters' investigation sheds light on the controversial Watergate scandal that compels President Nixon to resign from his post.

    The Return of the Pink Panther
    TMDB3.4

    The Return of the Pink Panther

    1975 · 1h 53m

    country: United Kingdom

    The famous Pink Panther jewel has once again been stolen and Inspector Clouseau is called in to catch the thief. The Inspector is convinced that 'The Phantom' has returned and utilises all of his resources – himself and his Asian manservant – to reveal the identity of 'The Phantom'.

    Solaris
    TMDB3.9

    Solaris

    1972 · 2h 47m

    country: Soviet Union

    A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions.

    Soylent Green
    TMDB3.5

    Soylent Green

    1973 · 1h 37m

    country: United States

    In the year 2022, overcrowding, pollution, and resource depletion have reduced society’s leaders to finding food for the teeming masses. The answer is Soylent Green.

    The Long Goodbye
    TMDB3.7
    FF4.0

    The Long Goodbye

    1973 · 1h 52m

    country: United States

    In 1970s Hollywood, Detective Philip Marlowe tries to help a friend who is accused of murdering his wife.

    Revenge of the Pink Panther
    TMDB3.2

    Revenge of the Pink Panther

    1978 · 1h 39m

    country: United Kingdom

    Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is dead. At least that is what the world—and Charles Dreyfus—believe when a dead body is discovered in Clouseau's car after being shot off the road. Naturally, Clouseau knows differently and, taking advantage of not being alive, sets out to discover why an attempt was made on his life.

    Black Christmas
    TMDB3.5

    Black Christmas

    1974 · 1h 38m

    country: Canada

    As the residents of the Pi Kappa Sigma sorority house prepare for the festive season, a stranger begins to harass them with a series of obscene phone calls.

    The Car
    TMDB3.2

    The Car

    1977 · 1h 36m

    country: United States

    The Utah community of Santa Ynez is being terrorized by a mysterious black coupe that appears out of nowhere and begins running people down. After the car kills off the town sheriff, Captain Wade Parent is determined to stop the murderous driver.

    Coma
    TMDB3.4
    FF3.0

    Coma

    1978 · 1h 53m

    country: United States

    When relatively healthy patients begin having 'complications' during simple operations and ending up in comas, a concerned doctor defies her male superiors when she suspects a secret plot.

    The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
    TMDB3.6

    The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

    1970 · 1h 36m

    country: Germany

    An American writer living in Rome witnesses an attempted murder that is connected to an ongoing killing spree in the city and conducts his own investigation, despite him and his girlfriend being targeted by the killer.

    Murder by Death
    TMDB3.6

    Murder by Death

    1976 · 1h 34m

    country: United States

    Lionel Twain invites the world's five greatest detectives to a 'dinner and murder'. Included are a blind butler, a deaf-mute maid, screams, spinning rooms, secret passages, false identities and more plot turns and twists than are decently allowed.

    Deep Red
    TMDB3.9

    Deep Red

    1975 · 2h 7m

    country: Italy

    An English pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal murder of his psychic neighbor. With the help of a tenacious young reporter, he tries to discover the killer using very unconventional methods. The two are soon drawn into a shocking web of dementia and violence.

    The Sentinel
    TMDB3.0

    The Sentinel

    1977 · 1h 32m

    country: United States

    As a young girl, Alison Parker attempted suicide after being traumatized by her father's sexual exploits. Now an elite fashion model, she moves to a Brooklyn Heights apartment building where she encounters a number of bizarre, eccentric tenants and attempts to uncover the building's sinister secret.

    The Boys from Brazil
    TMDB3.4

    The Boys from Brazil

    1978 · 2h 5m

    country: United Kingdom

    Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman discovers a sinister and bizarre plot, masterminded by Dr. Josef Mengele, to rekindle the Third Reich.

    The Tenant
    TMDB3.8

    The Tenant

    1976 · 2h 6m

    country: France

    A quiet and inconspicuous man rents an apartment in Paris where he finds himself drawn into a rabbit hole of dangerous paranoia.

    Obsession
    TMDB3.3

    Obsession

    1976 · 1h 39m

    country: United States

    A wealthy New Orleans businessman becomes obsessed with a young woman who resembles his late wife.

    The Passenger
    TMDB3.6

    The Passenger

    1975 · 2h 6m

    country: Italy

    David Locke is a world-weary American journalist who has been sent to cover a conflict in northern Africa, but he makes little progress with the story. When he discovers the body of a stranger who looks similar to him, Locke assumes the dead man's identity. However, he soon finds out that the man was an arms dealer, leading Locke into dangerous situations. Aided by a beautiful woman, Locke attempts to avoid both the police and criminals out to get him.

    Breakheart Pass
    TMDB3.3

    Breakheart Pass

    1975 · 1h 35m

    country: United States

    At the height of the frontier era, a train races through the Rocky Mountains on a classified mission to a remote army post. But one by one the passengers are being murdered, and their only hope is the mysterious John Deakin, who's being transported to face trial for murder.

    The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
    TMDB3.5

    The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane

    1976 · 1h 31m

    country: Canada

    13-year-old Rynn Jacobs lives in a New England beach town. Whenever the landlady inquires after Rynn's father, she claims that he's not available. But when the landlady's son, Frank, won't leave Rynn alone, she teams up with a neighbor Mario to maintain the dark family secret that she's been keeping to herself.

    Picnic at Hanging Rock
    TMDB3.6

    Picnic at Hanging Rock

    1975 · 1h 47m

    country: Australia

    In the early 1900s, Miranda attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine's Day, the school's typically strict headmistress treats the girls to a picnic field trip to an unusual but scenic volcanic formation called Hanging Rock. Despite rules against it, Miranda and several other girls venture off. It's not until the end of the day that the faculty realizes the girls and one of the teachers have disappeared mysteriously.

    Sleuth
    TMDB3.8

    Sleuth

    1972 · 2h 18m

    country: United Kingdom

    A man who loves games and theatre invites his wife's lover to meet, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.

    High Anxiety
    TMDB3.2

    High Anxiety

    1977 · 1h 34m

    country: United States

    A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.

    The Deep
    TMDB3.0

    The Deep

    1977 · 2h 3m

    country: United Kingdom

    A pair of young vacationers are involved in a dangerous conflict with treasure hunters when they discover a way into a deadly wreck in Bermuda waters.

    And Then There Were None
    TMDB2.9

    And Then There Were None

    1974 · 1h 38m

    country: Austria

    Ten people are invited to a hotel in the Iranian desert, only to find that an unseen person is killing them one by one. Could one of them be the killer?

    Mysteries
    TMDB2.6

    Mysteries

    1978 · 1h 37m

    country: Netherlands

    In the winter of 1891 a stranger arrives in a small coastal town on the Isle of Man. His presence soon disturbs the lives of the local inhabitants, especially the beautiful daughter of the parson.

    Sisters
    TMDB3.4

    Sisters

    1973 · 1h 33m

    country: United States

    Inquisitive journalist Grace Collier is horrified when she witnesses her neighbor, fashion model Danielle Breton, violently murder a man. Panicking, she calls the police. But when the detective arrives at the scene and finds nothing amiss, Grace is forced to take matters into her own hands. Her first move is to recruit private investigator Joseph Larch, who helps her to uncover a secret about Danielle's past that has them both seeing double.

    The Cat o' Nine Tails
    TMDB3.3

    The Cat o' Nine Tails

    1971 · 1h 52m

    country: Germany

    A newsman works with a blind puzzle-solver to uncover a deadly conspiracy linked to a genetic research facility.

    McQ
    TMDB3.0

    McQ

    1974 · 1h 51m

    country: United States

    Police Lieutenant Lon McQ investigates the killing of his best friend and uncovers corrupt elements of the police department dealing in confiscated drugs.

    Foul Play
    TMDB3.1

    Foul Play

    1978 · 1h 56m

    country: United States

    A shy San Francisco librarian and a bumbling cop fall in love as they solve a crime involving albinos, dwarves, and the Catholic Church.

    Emanuelle in America
    TMDB2.6

    Emanuelle in America

    1977 · 1h 40m

    country: Italy

    The untameable photo reporter Emanuelle travels the world documenting the sexual practices of the rich and powerful, getting dangerously close to their most disturbing and hidden schemes.

    The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe
    TMDB3.5

    The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe

    1972 · 1h 30m

    country: France

    A hapless orchestra player becomes an unwitting pawn of rival factions within the French secret service after he is chosen as a decoy by being identified as a super secret agent.

    The Night Stalker
    TMDB3.4

    The Night Stalker

    1972 · 1h 14m

    country: United States

    Wisecracking reporter Carl Kolchak investigates a string of murders in Las Vegas and suspects the culprit is a vampire. His editor thinks he's crazy and the police think he's a nuisance, so Kolchak takes matters into his own hands.

    About 1970s Mystery Movies

    The 1970s

    The 1970s are widely considered American cinema's strongest decade, when the studio system's collapse handed a generation of young directors unusual freedom. It ended with Jaws and Star Wars inventing the modern blockbuster.

    Mystery

    Mystery films are structured around withheld information, trusting the audience to work alongside the investigator. The genre ranges from cozy whodunits to bleak, unresolved character studies.

    In this list

    Best reviewed
    Chinatown (7.9)
    Often also
    Thriller, Drama, Crime

    Common questions

    What are the best 1970s mystery movies?
    By popularity across Flickfolio and TMDB, the top picks right now are Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Conversation, and Chinatown. The full ranked list of 40 sits above — open any movie for ratings, reviews, and streaming availability.
    How is this list ranked?
    1970s mystery movies are ordered by overall popularity, which blends how often a title is viewed, searched, and logged. It updates as viewing habits shift, so the list reflects what people are actually watching rather than a fixed critical canon.
    Where can I watch these movies?
    Every movie page lists current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region, alongside community ratings and reviews from Flickfolio members.

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