Movies Like The Big Heat (1953)

The Big Heat is a 1953 crime, thriller film from Fritz Lang with a MovieMagicScore of 7.7/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with The Racket and Gotti.

Crime Thriller

The Racket

1951

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. McQuigg, the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson, take on the violent Nick.

6.3

MagicScore

Gotti

2018

John Gotti rises to the top of the New York underworld to become the boss of the Gambino crime family. His life takes a tumultuous turn as he faces tragedy, multiple trials and a prison sentence.

5.3

MagicScore

Between Midnight and Dawn

1950

Rocky and Dan, war buddies, are prowl car cops on night duty. Dan is a cynic who views all lawbreakers as scum; Rocky feels more lenient. Both are attracted to the radio voice of communicator Kate Mallory; but in person, Kate proves reluctant to get involved with men who just might stop a bullet. By lucky chance, Rocky and Dan cause big trouble for murderous racketeer Ritchie Garris; but when he swears vengeance, Kate's fears may prove justified.

5.6

MagicScore

Touch of Evil

1958

When a car bomb explodes on the American side of the U.S./Mexico border, Mexican drug enforcement agent Miguel Vargas begins his investigation, along with American police captain Hank Quinlan. When Vargas begins to suspect that Quinlan and his shady partner, Menzies, are planting evidence to frame an innocent man, his investigations into their possible corruption quickly put himself and his new bride, Susie, in jeopardy.

7.8

MagicScore

Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage

2019

On the run from a dogged internal affairs agent, a corrupt cop reluctantly teams up with a defiant teen to unravel a conspiracy before it's too late.

6.1

MagicScore

Murder, Inc.

1960

Chronicles the rise and fall of the organised crime syndicate known as Murder, Incorporated, focusing on powerful boss Lepke and violent hit man Reles.

6.4

MagicScore

The Undercover Man

1949

Frank Warren is a treasury agent assigned to put an end to the activities of a powerful mob crime boss. Frank works undercover, posing as a criminal to seek information, but is frustrated when all he finds are terrified witnesses and corrupt police officers.

6.1

MagicScore

An Eye for an Eye

1981

Sean Kane is forced to resign from the San Francisco Police Department's Narcotics Division when he goes berserk after his partner is murdered. He decides to fight alone and follows a trail of drug traffickers into unexpected high places.

5.1

MagicScore

Irreversible

2002

A woman’s lover and her ex-boyfriend take justice into their own hands after she becomes the victim of a rapist. Because some acts can’t be undone. Because man is an animal. Because the desire for vengeance is a natural impulse. Because most crimes remain unpunished.

7.2

MagicScore

#10

Nameless Gangster

2012

A corrupt customs official joins forces with a vicious gangster to form the most powerful crime partnership in Busan.

6.9

MagicScore

#11

Zero Day

2003

Two troubled adolescents chronicle the events that ultimately lead up to a terrifying assault on their school.

7.3

MagicScore

#12

Key Largo

1948

A hurricane swells outside, but it's nothing compared to the storm within the hotel at Key Largo. There, sadistic mobster Johnny Rocco holes up - and holds at gunpoint hotel owner James Temple, his widowed daughter-in-law Nora, and ex-GI Frank McCloud.

7.5

MagicScore

#13

Faster

2010

After 10 years in prison, Driver is now a free man with a single focus - hunting down the people responsible for brutally murdering his brother.

6.3

MagicScore

#14

12 Rounds

2009

When New Orleans Police Detective Danny Fisher stops a brilliant thief from getting away with a multimillion-dollar heist, the thief's girlfriend is accidentally killed. After escaping from prison, the criminal mastermind enacts his revenge, taunting Danny with 12 rounds of near-impossible puzzles and tasks that he must somehow complete to save the life of the woman he loves.

5.9

MagicScore

#15

No One Lives

2013

A gang of ruthless highway killers kidnap a wealthy couple traveling cross country only to shockingly discover that things are not what they seem.

6.0

MagicScore

#16

Johnny Cool

1963

A deported gangster trains an Italian convict to take over his operations in the U.S.

5.1

MagicScore

#17

Breach of Faith: A Family of Cops II

1997

The family of cops is back, this time dealing with the murder of a priest tied in with the Russian Mafia, who proceed to try to draw the family off the case.

6.5

MagicScore

#18

Scarface

1932

In 1920s Chicago, Italian immigrant and notorious thug, Antonio 'Tony' Camonte, aka Scarface, shoots his way to the top of the mobs while trying to protect his sister from the criminal life.

7.4

MagicScore

#19

The Turning Point

1952

Special prosecutor John Conroy hopes to combat organized crime in his city and appoints his cop father Matt as chief investigator. John doesn't understand why Matt is reluctant, but cynical reporter Jerry McKibbon thinks he knows: he's seen Matt with mob lieutenant Harrigan. Jerry's friendship with John is tested by the question of what to do about Matt, and by his attraction to John's girl Amanda. Meanwhile, the threatened racketeers adopt increasingly violent means of defense.

6.2

MagicScore

#20

Night in Paradise

2020

An assassin named Tae-goo is offered a chance to switch sides with his rival Bukseong gang, headed by Chairman Doh. Tae-goo rejects the offer that results in the murder of his sister and niece. In revenge, Tae-goo brutally kills Chairman Doh and his men and flees to Jeju Island where he meets Jae-yeon, a terminally ill woman. Though, the henchman of the Bukseong gang, Executive Ma is mercilessly hunting Tae-goo to take revenge.

6.9

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Big Heat?

The top films similar to The Big Heat by MovieMagicScore are The Racket (6.3), Gotti (5.3), Between Midnight and Dawn (5.6). Each shares crime/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Big Heat worth watching?

The Big Heat holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.7/10 from 526 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is The Big Heat?

The Big Heat (1953) is a crime, thriller film directed by Fritz Lang, starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Lee Marvin.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Big Heat?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more crime recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like The Racket Movies like Gotti Movies like Between Midnight and Dawn Movies like Touch of Evil Movies like Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage Movies like Murder, Inc.

About movies like The Big Heat

This ranked list pairs The Big Heat (1953), a crime and thriller film from Fritz Lang, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Glenn Ford take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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