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The Detective

The Detective

An adult look at a police detective

19685.91h 54m

Overview

Police detective Joe Leland investigates the murder of a gay man.

Directed by Gordon Douglas
Written by Abby Mann, Roderick Thorp
Produced by Aaron Rosenberg
Box OfficeBudget: $4.5MRevenue: $6.5M

Top Cast

Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

Det. Sgt. Joe Leland

Lee Remick

Lee Remick

Karen Wagner Leland

Ralph Meeker

Ralph Meeker

Curran

Jack Klugman

Jack Klugman

Dave Schoenstein

Horace McMahon

Horace McMahon

Capt. Tom Farrell

Lloyd Bochner

Lloyd Bochner

Dr. Wendell Roberts

William Windom

William Windom

Colin MacIver

Tony Musante

Tony Musante

Felix Tesla

Al Freeman Jr.

Al Freeman Jr.

Robbie Loughlin

Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall

Nestor

Themes & Keywords

police detective

About The Detective

The Detective is a crime, mystery, drama film released in 1968 exploring themes of police detective. Directed by Gordon Douglas, it stars Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, Ralph Meeker. Police detective Joe Leland investigates the murder of a gay man.

Movies Similar to The Detective

Discover titles like The Detective — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Detective

If you enjoyed The Detective, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Detective.

Fear City
53% Match

Fear City(1984)

Movie5.3/10

Strippers in Manhattan are being stalked and murdered by a psycho. A hard-nosed police detective and a conflicted ex-boxer-turned-private-eye, hired by the strip club owners, set out to find him before he strikes again.

American Gangster
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Loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts.

Inside Man
49% Match

Inside Man(2006)

Movie7.4/10

When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.

Searching
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Searching(2018)

Movie7.6/10

After David Kim's 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop.

Crime 101
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Crime 101(2026)

Movie7.0/10

When an elusive thief whose high-stakes heists unfold along the iconic 101 freeway in Los Angeles eyes the score of a lifetime, with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker who is facing her own crossroads. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher.

The Sentinel
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As a young girl, Alison Parker attempted suicide after being traumatized by her father's sexual exploits. Now an elite fashion model, she moves to a Brooklyn Heights apartment building where she encounters a number of bizarre, eccentric tenants and attempts to uncover the building's sinister secret.

Bad Boys for Life
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Marcus and Mike are forced to confront new threats, career changes, and midlife crises as they join the newly created elite team AMMO of the Miami police department to take down the ruthless Armando Armas, the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel.

The Invisible Man
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When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

Marlowe
39% Match

Marlowe(1969)

Movie6.0/10

Mysterious Orfamay Quest hires Los Angeles private investigator Philip Marlowe to find her missing brother. Though the job seems simple enough, it leads Marlowe into the underbelly of the city, turning up leads who are murdered with ice picks, exotic dancers, blackmailed television stars and self-preserving gangsters. Soon, Marlowe's life is on the line right along with his case.

Gone Baby Gone
36% Match

When 4 year old Amanda McCready disappears from her home and the police make little headway in solving the case, the girl's aunt, Beatrice McCready hires two private detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. The detectives freely admit that they have little experience with this type of case, but the family wants them for two reasons—they're not cops and they know the tough neighborhood in which they all live.