Since the early days of cinema, have been a highly sought-after film genre which was initially popularized by the works of notable names in the , including , , and . Whether it's a classic whodunit or a tedious game of cat and mouse, occasionally.

Over the years, there has been an abundance of excellent mystery movies, but when it comes to the , titles such as , , and, reign as some of the decade's all-time best. From the mystery comedy, , to the Oscar-winning classic neo-noir, , these are the ten best mystery movies from the 1970s, ranked.

When five famous private detectives are invited to the home of Lionel Twain (), and, whoever can solve it and identify the so-called killer, will receive one million dollars. Before the game of whodunit can begin, someone unexpectedly dies, ultimately raising the stakes of this unexpected, murderous twist.

Murder by Death is a comical mystery movie written by and also features an all-star cast including , , , and . , including 's Nick and Nora Charles, Hercule Poirot, and Sam Spade. Even though the movie is flooded with humorous puns and relentless comedy, Murder by Death still follows a well-executed mystery which keeps the film from growing into a complete mad house of nonsense.

When private eye, Philip Marlowe (), is asked to give his friend, Terry () a ride to Mexico, he agrees but notices that something seems off about him. Once he returns to Los Angeles, Marlowe's suspicions prove to be spot on as he is questioned by police about the death of Terry's wife. Initially, , but when the officers learn that Terry committed suicide, they believe he did it as a result of killing his wife, but Marlowe isn't so easily fooled.

as Raymond Chandler's famed private detective in the highly marginalized , , which is based on Chandler's 1953 novel of the same name. The Long Goodbye is and features a top-notch supporting cast including , , and an uncredited appearance by . Initially, some critics panned The Long Goodbye, but others, , gave the film three out of four stars and praised Gould's performance as the hard-nosed private eye.

stars in the neo-noir thriller, , as a hardheaded private investigator, Harry Moseby, who, in an effort to distract him from his unraveling marriage, takes on a case for a former B-list movie star () who believes her daughter, Delly (), has run away. When his investigation takes him to the Florida Keys, Moseby discovers that Delly is with her stepfather (), but once he returns Delly to her mother, he gets the feeling that there's more to this case than just a rebellious teenager taking off.

, which starts out as a seemingly open and shut case but soon takes on an unexpected life of its own and ends with a jaw-dropping twist. Upon its original release, Night Moves earned lukewarm reviews, but through the years, it has gained more support, notably for Hackman's performance and the film's ingenious plot, and is considered by many film fans to be one of the .

When two rival reporters, () and (), investigate the botched robbery of the Democratic Party Headquarters, they soon realize there is much more to the incident than just a couple of stooges breaking and entering. With the help of anonymous sources, notably a man known as (), that leads all the way back to the White House.

All the President's Men is based on the real-life efforts of Washington Post reporters, Bernstein and Woodward, whose efforts revealed what is today known as the Watergate Scandal. The movie features .All the President's Men received eight , including Best Picture and Best Director, and went on to win four Oscars for Best Sound, Best Art Direction, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for .

stars as the infamous private detective, Hercule Poirot, who, after being called back to London, boards the luxurious Orient Express train. Shortly after its departure, a snow storm forces the train to stop, leaving the passengers stranded, and when one of them is discovered brutally murdered in his compartment, .

Murder on the Orient Express is a flawless adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous 1934 novel of the same name and also features an ensemble cast including , , , and . Even though the overall cast is an array of massive talent, , delivering a sensational adaptation of the classic who-dun-it with a theatrical flair and riveting styl. Murder on the Orient Express received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Finney and Best Costume Design, and went on to win Best Supporting Actress for Bergman.

In London, people are held in an inescapable nightmare by a brutal serial killer whose modus operandi is to strangle his victims with a necktie. When an ex-Royal Air Force officer, Richard Blaney (), discovers his ex-wife murdered, . As Blaney hides out at the home of his best friend, Bob Rusk (), he feels somewhat safe, but when he starts to notice his friend's unusual behavior, he starts to wonder if he is the real necktie strangler.

's is a thrilling murder mystery based on the 1966 book, by . Similar to other Hitchcock thrillers, Frenzy follows the director's frequent use of an average man subjected to a case of mistaken identity but with an ominous twist that raises the stakes. The movie also features . Frenzy received generally positive reviews from audiences and critics, earning several , including Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Director.

Gene Hackman stars in 's neo-noir mystery, The Conversation, as a skilled surveillance expert, Harry Caul, who is hired by a mysterious client to spy on a young couple. Caul and his associate () manage to track the couple, getting their cryptic conversation on tape for the client, but and the tragedy of a past job leads him to dig deeper into not only the meaning of the conversation but also what his client intends to do once he hands over the tapes.

Hackman delivers a profoundly intense and tragic performance in Coppola's classic mystery, The Conversation, which is considered to be one of the actor's finest films. Coppola brilliantly derives suspense and tension from the elusive nature of Caul's profession and his personal state of paranoia, effectively conveying . The Conversation earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Sound.

stars as a famous crime author and game enthusiast, Andrew Wyke, who, after discovering that his wife has been having an affair with a younger man, Milo Tindle (), invites his wife's lover over with an unusual proposition. Considering Wyke is also having an affair, he doesn't mind parting with his wife and instead , which the young man can't afford. Tindle agrees to the proposed ruse, but when Wyke reveals his true intentions, the game soon turns into a battle of wit and tact.

's is easily one of the most underrated mystery thrillers of not only the 1970s, but also of all time, and features stellar performances by both Olivier and Cane. The movie follows that leaves audiences purely flabbergasted. Sleuth received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, and Best Actor for both Olivier and Caine.

When a Pennsylvania executive suddenly disappears, authorities discover a letter in his office addressed to a New York City call-girl, Bree Daniel (), but despite the lead, the police fail to make any headway in the missing persons case. A fellow executive decides to hire his friend and detective, John Klute (), to follow Daniel. As Klute follows Daniel and taps her phone, they eventually meet and begin a romantic relationship, but when Klute discovers he's not the only one watching Daniel, he fears for her safety and must find the person before it's too late.

The neo-noir psychological thriller mystery, , earned glowing reviews, with many commending the film's stirring screenplay and Fonda's performance. Klute is known for following . Fonda successfully manages to overstep the stereotypical "hooker with a heat of gold" character in her performance, serving as the heart and soul of the film. Klute earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and ended up winning for Best Actress for Fonda's breakthrough performance.

Jack Nicholson stars as a Los Angeles private eye, Jake Gittes, who is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to follow her husband who she believes is having an affair. Initially, Gittes thinks he's taking on another classic case of infidelity, but when he discovers that he was hired by an impostor and meets the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), he finds himself in a tangled web of corruption, deception, and murder, which all lead him back to Mulwray's wealthy and powerful father, Noah Cross (John Huston).

Chinatown is one of the best New Hollywood neo-noir films and features a spellbinding mystery that has an unexpected (and highly unsettling) conclusion, making it a must-see '70s mystery movie. Screenwriter, Robert Towne, carefully unfolds an intriguing mystery surrounded by a major cover-up and backdoor deals, but while the events unfold front and center, Towne gradually builds up an underlying puzzle, ensuring a final revelation of shock, which sets Chinatown apart from other mystery movie masterpieces. Chinatown earned eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, ultimately only winning for Best Original Screenplay for Towne.

NEXT: 10 Essential Mystery Thrillers To Watch if You Love Agatha Christie