Philip Marlowe Movies: Release Order
The Philip Marlowe film series adapts Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled detective stories, following the cynical private investigator as he navigates the dark underbelly of Los Angeles and beyond. Each film is standalone, with different actors bringing their own interpretation to the iconic character across multiple decades of cinema.
From Humphrey Bogart's classic 1940s portrayal to Robert Mitchum's grittier 1970s take, this watch order presents the complete theatrical evolution of Marlowe on screen. While some films update the setting to contemporary times or different locations, all feature the same sharp-tongued detective solving complex cases in a morally ambiguous world.
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Murder, My Sweet
Private detective Philip Marlowe gets entangled in a dangerous web of mystery and deceit while searching for an ex-convict's missing former girlfriend.
The Big Sleep
Private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by a wealthy general to handle a delicate matter involving his daughter, but soon finds himself entangled in a web of murder, blackmail, and deception in this classic film noir.
Lady in the Lake
Private detective Phillip Marlowe is hired to find a missing woman, but the case quickly spirals into danger when bodies start appearing. This noir thriller follows Marlowe as he navigates a web of deception and murder.
The Brasher Doubloon
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired to find a stolen rare coin from a wealthy widow's collection, but the seemingly straightforward case quickly spirals into a web of murder and deception.
Marlowe
Private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired to find a missing person, but the seemingly simple case draws him into Los Angeles's criminal underworld where his own life becomes endangered.
The Long Goodbye
In 1970s Hollywood, private detective Philip Marlowe becomes entangled in a complex web of murder and deceit when he tries to help a friend accused of killing his wife.
Farewell, My Lovely
Private eye Philip Marlowe is hired by ex-con Moose Malloy to find his missing girlfriend, but the case becomes increasingly complex as he investigates multiple crimes and encounters dangerous secrets in 1940s Los Angeles.
The Big Sleep
Private detective Philip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case involving a wealthy general's two daughters, leading him into a web of corruption involving pornographers and gangsters.
Marlowe
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a beautiful blonde to track down her former lover, leading him into a complex investigation involving a wealthy Californian family.
Other Film Series
Alex Cross
Film adaptations of James Patterson's detective novels featuring forensic psychologist Alex Cross, spanning two connected films and a standalone reboot.
Bryan Edgar Wallace
A series of German crime thrillers produced by CCC Filmkunst in the 1960s-70s, marketed under the name of Edgar Wallace's son Bryan, featuring standalone mysteries with gothic atmosphere and masked killers.
Escape Plan
An action trilogy following security expert Ray Breslin as he infiltrates and escapes from increasingly dangerous high-tech prisons.
Hercule Poirot
Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective has been adapted across multiple eras, from early talkies to modern star-studded ensembles.
Millennium
Film adaptations of Stieg Larsson's bestselling novels featuring journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander, spanning Swedish and Hollywood productions with different casts and continuities.
Scream
A meta-horror franchise following Sidney Prescott and others as they face various Ghostface killers, known for its self-aware commentary on slasher film tropes.