Wandering Through Online Mysteries

by Julia Buckley

Mystery lovers could waste an awful lot of time wandering through clips on You Tube. Just as film can forever preserve the images suggested by our favorite detective novels, so can You Tube forever preserve some of those wonderful movies and shows.

For example, look at this classic clip with Humphrey Bogart in a film version of Chandler's THE BIG SLEEP. Bogie is charming as ever as a surprisingly slight-looking Marlowe (I picture him tougher, more muscular) who engages in mild flirtation while keeping surveillance on a tough across the street.

And long before David Suchet played Christie's Poirot, Peter Ustinov did so. Here, in EVIL UNDER THE SUN, he indulges in one of Poirot's favorite things: bringing together the suspects for a revelation. SPOILER ALERT: don't watch this one if you don't know, or want to know, the ending of EVIL UNDER THE SUN!



British actor Ian Carmichael did a creditable job bringing the difficult character of Lord Peter Wimsey to life onscreen. I think Dorothy Sayers would have enjoyed his take on the character--especially those penetrating blue eyes!



Speaking of handsome detectives, I've always loved Jonathan Gash's Lovejoy mysteries, and only the devilishly attractive Ian MacShane has ever portrayed him onscreen. In this clip Lovejoy is caught in a bog.


Many an actor has tried his hand at capturing the personality of Conan-Doyle's great Sherlock Holmes. One of the most admirable attempts was by Jeremy Brett (I'm not sure I'll be able to say the same of Robert Downey, Jr. in the upcoming Holmes flick!)



Who are your favorite detectives captured on film?