50 Coolest Movie Detectives

Sleuths, dicks and inspectors on the case

By Simon KinnearNov 26th 2012
6

Sam Spade

The Detective: Dashiell Hammett's private dick, who defined the look and feel for the breed in two separate screen versions of The Maltese Falcon.

Why They're Cool: Really, we're looking at Humphrey Bogart in the 1941 remake - a star-making performance that revelled in Spade's ambiguous blend of honour and pragmatism.

Quintessential Quote: "I don't mind a reasonable amount of trouble."

6 of 50

Try This...

Latest Reviews

Comments

    • SiMan

      Nov 26th 2012, 14:01

      Woah, woah woah - what scene is that from Ace Ventura? I don't remember him going into any pet shop. And i guess this just re-iterates that no screen version of Batman has truly captured his detective side. He is, after all, supposed to be the world's greatest detective. Keaton had the whole 'figuring out the Joker's chemical formulas', and Bale had the whole 'shooting-at-a-brick-with-a-big-gun' thing, but i never felt that aspect of the bat was ever captured well in the films.

      Alert a moderator

    • Destrachan

      Nov 26th 2012, 15:54

      Where's Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe) from Boondock Saints? You've got Ace Ventura on here, but not him? Really now...that's simply absurd.

      Alert a moderator

    • fblee

      Nov 26th 2012, 22:01

      Gay Perry should be higher on the list for sure :P

      Alert a moderator

    • Bandit1

      Nov 27th 2012, 11:13

      ...it's TV-only. But I'd love to see "Columbo" up there...

      Alert a moderator

Leave a comment