MovieMagicScore

World Cinema People Stories Rankings

Sign In Sign Up

Movies TV World Cinema People Stories Rankings Top Rated In Theaters

Weekly Movie Picks, every Friday to your inbox

Discover

Home
Movies
TV Shows
World Cinema
Best TV Shows
Top Rated
In Theaters
Upcoming
Taste Card
Movie Night Poll
Import from TV Time

Rankings

Best Movies
Best Action
Best Comedy
Best Drama
Best Horror
Top Actors
Top Directors
How Ranking Works

Community

Community
Stories
Users
Taste Card

About Us

About Us
Contact
Feedback
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy

Download on the

© 2026 MovieMagicScore. All rights reserved.

Movie data by TMDb|Some links may earn us a commission

Home/Detective Story/Similar Movies

Detective Story

Movies Like Detective Story (1951)

Detective Story is a 1951 crime, drama film from William Wyler with a MovieMagicScore of 7.0/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Doe and Murder, My Sweet.

Doe poster

Doe

2018

John is a brilliant linguistic scientist with a loving wife and daughter but with a massive gap in his life. Eight years ago, he turned up out of nowhere, with no memories except a recurring dream. He is sent tumbling down the proverbial rabbit hole after meeting a man that shares a similar condition and learning that there are more like him, all amnesiacs with extraordinary abilities. He convinces his brother-in-law, private investigator Carl, to help him uncover his true identity before his past can rise up to destroy him and his family.

Murder, My Sweet poster

Murder, My Sweet

1944

After being hired to find an ex-con's former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit.

Out of the Past poster

Out of the Past

1947

The peaceful life of a gas station owner is disrupted when a man from his past arrives in town and forces him to return to the dark world he had tried to escape.

Incendies poster

Incendies

2010

A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.

Inheritance poster

Inheritance

2020

The patriarch of a wealthy and powerful family suddenly passes away, leaving his wife and daughter with a shocking secret inheritance that threatens to unravel and destroy their lives.

Not as a Stranger poster

Not as a Stranger

1955

Lucas Marsh, an intern bent upon becoming a first-class doctor, not merely a successful one. He courts and marries the warm-hearted Kristina, not out of love but because she is highly knowledgeable in the skills of the operating room and because she has frugally put aside her savings through the years. She will be, as he shrewdly knows, a supportive wife in every way. She helps make him the success he wants to be and cheerfully moves with him to the small town in which he starts his practice. But as much as he tries to be a good husband to the undemanding Kristina, Marsh easily falls into the arms of a local siren and the patience of the long-sorrowing Kristina wears thin.

Boomerang! poster

Boomerang!

1947

When a kindly priest is murdered while waiting at a street corner in a quiet Connecticut town, the citizens are horrified and demand action from the police. All of the witnesses identify John Waldron, a nervous out-of-towner, as the killer. District Attorney Henry Harvey is then put on the case and faces political opposition in his attempt to prove Waldron's innocence.

The Prince of Tides poster

The Prince of Tides

1991

A troubled Southern man talks to his suicidal sister's psychiatrist about their family history and falls in love with her (and New York City) in the process.

Naked Alibi poster

Naked Alibi

1954

Questioned as a murder suspect, solid (but drunk) citizen Al Willis attacks his police questioners, is beaten, and swears vengeance against them. Next night, Lieut. Parks is murdered; Willis is the only suspect in the eyes of tough Chief Conroy, who pursues him doggedly despite lack of evidence. The obsessed Conroy is dismissed from the force, but continues to harass Willis, who flees to a sleazy town on the Mexican border. Of course, Conroy follows. But which is crazy, Conroy or Willis?

Act of Violence poster

Act of Violence

1949

A former prisoner of war, Frank Enley is hailed as a hero in his California town. However, Frank has a shameful secret that comes back to haunt him when fellow survivor Joe Parkson emerges, intent on making Frank pay for his past deeds.

The Stone Killer poster

The Stone Killer

1973

A Los Angeles detective is sent to New York where he must solve a case involving an old Sicilian Mafia family feud.

Mulholland Drive poster

Mulholland Drive

2001

Blonde Betty Elms has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia. Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman's identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.

The Window poster

The Window

1949

An imaginative boy who frequently makes things up witnesses a murder, but can't get his parents or the police to believe him. The only people taking him seriously are the killers - who live upstairs, know that he saw what they did, and are out to permanently silence him.

The Racket poster

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.

The Boondock Saints poster

The Boondock Saints

1999

Tired of the crime overrunning the streets of Boston, Irish Catholic twin brothers Conner and Murphy are inspired by their faith to cleanse their hometown of evil with their own brand of zealous vigilante justice. As they hunt down and kill one notorious gangster after another, they become controversial folk heroes in the community. But Paul Smecker, an eccentric FBI agent, is fast closing in on their blood-soaked trail.

Cry Wolf poster

Cry Wolf

1947

A woman uncovers deadly secrets when she visits her late husband's family.

Heart Eyes poster

Heart Eyes

2025

When the "Heart Eyes Killer" strikes Seattle, a pair of co-workers pulling overtime on Valentine's Day are mistaken for a couple by the elusive couple-hunting killer. Now, they must spend the most romantic night of the year running for their lives.

Fair Game poster

Fair Game

1995

Max Kirkpatrick is a cop who protects Kate McQuean, a civil law attorney, from a renegade KGB team out to terminate her

The Killing poster

The Killing

1956

Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. But when George tells his restless wife about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.

Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 poster

Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2

2025

Kaali is a provision store owner and a loving husband and father, is brought back into the life of crime, when his former boss's son is being hunted by the police.

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Detective Story?

The top films similar to Detective Story by MovieMagicScore are Doe (5.5), Murder, My Sweet (7.2), Out of the Past (7.6). Each shares crime/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Detective Story worth watching?

Detective Story holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.0/10 from 152 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Detective Story?

Detective Story (1951) is a crime, drama film directed by William Wyler, starring Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix.

Where can I find more recommendations like Detective Story?

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 Doe Movies like Murder, My Sweet Movies like Out of the Past Movies like Incendies Movies like Inheritance Movies like Not as a Stranger

About movies like Detective Story

This ranked list pairs Detective Story (1951), a crime and drama film from William Wyler, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Kirk Douglas 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.

← Back to Detective Story