Providing an overview of the entire thriller genre, this book examines over 160 movies from classic Hollywood and British studios, including such essential film noir entries as "Murder, My Sweet," "The Dark Corner," "The Maltese Falcon" and "Afraid To Talk." Great cinema detectives are represented by William Powell (all six of his Thin Man pictures are detailed and discussed), Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes), Warner Oland (Charlie Chan), Sidney Toler (Charlie Chan), Peter Ustinov (Hercule Poirot), Margaret Rutherford (all four of her Miss Marple films are covered), and others including the Saint, the Falcon, Bulldog Drummond and Philo Vance. From director Alfred Hitchock comes "Notorious," "Saboteur," "Number 17" and "Rich and Strange." A few comedies and spoofs, such as "Satan Met a Lady" (an amazing re-make of the original "Maltese Falcon" with Bette Davis and Warren William) and "Who Done It?" (with Abbott and Costello) round out the survey.

Over 1,200 DVDs in the mystery, suspense and film noir categories were examined and rated for this illustrated guide. The book is divided into two main sections. In the first, 218 movies are given the glamour treatment with comprehensive details of players and crews, plus background information and reviews. In the second section, essential details on over 500 films are briefly described. Bonus articles includes a survey of "The Thin Man" series, "Sherlock Holmes," "Humphrey Bogart versus Alan Ladd," "Raymond Chandler on the Big Screen" and "The Big Clock." This book will not only prove most useful for all movie fans, but will enthrall and entertain for years to come.

The silent film era was known in part for its cliffhanger serials and air of suspense that kept audiences returning to theaters week after week. Icons such as Douglas Fairbanks, Laurel and Hardy, Lon Chaney and Harry Houdini were among those who graced the dark and shadowy screen. This reference guide to silent films with mystery and detective content lists more than 1,500 titles in one of entertainment's most popular and enduring genres. While most of the films examined are from North America, mystery films from around the world are included.

Pitts looks at the celluloid careers of more than three dozen sleuths, including Arsene Lupin, Hercule Poirot, Mike Hammer, Miss Jane Marple, Perry Mason, Philip Marlowe, The Shadow, Sherlock Holmes, and The Whistler, and a number of screen gumshoes with brief movie careers and TV detectives. Each chapter highlights a different detective, covering the character's films, the performers who played him or her, the character's image in other media (stage, radio, television, recordings, etc.), plus a detailed filmography and a bibliography of the fictional works about each detective. With additions and corrections to the base volume and scores of photographs.

This companion volume to Mystery Movie Series of 1940s Hollywood (McFarland, 2010) focuses on 22 series and 167 individual films, primarily released during the 1930s. It was a decade that featured some of the most famous cinema detectives of all time, among them Charlie Chan, Nick and Nora Charles, Philo Vance, Nancy Drew, and such lesser known but equally entertaining figures as Hildegarde Withers, Torchy Blane, Mr. Moto, Mr. Wong, and Brass Bancroft. Each mystery movie series is placed within its historical context, with emphasis on its source material and the changes or developments within the series over time. Also included are reviews of all the series' films, analyzing the quality and cohesiveness of the mystery plotlines. For titles based on literary sources, a comparison between the film and the written work is provided.

A guide to classic and vintage motion picture suspense in film noir, mystery thrillers and detective movies from Hollywood's Golden Age, this book also provides credits, reviews, original release information and current DVD details. Movies include not only famous classics like "Charlie Chan in Egypt", "City Streets", "Counsellor at Law", "Father Brown, Detective", "Gilda", "The Kennel Murder Case", "The Lady from Shanghai", "Laura", "Mysterious Mr Moto", "The Naked City", "Nightmare Alley", "Odd Man Out", "Out of the Past", "The Paradine Case", "Rebecca", etc., but lesser known titles. Additional essays survey Film Noir, Sherlock Holmes, The Thin Man, Raymond Chandler, Humphrey Bogart and Alan Ladd.