Movies Like The Hat Box Mystery

If you liked The Hat Box Mystery (1947), a crime and comedy movie directed by Lambert Hillyer, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
A Shot in the Dark (1964)
★ 7.2/10Also comedy and mystery
Inspector Jacques Clouseau, smitten with the accused maid Maria Gambrelli, unwittingly turns a straightforward murder investigation into a comedic series of mishaps, testing the patience of his irritable boss Charles…
2
Absolution (2024)
★ 5.9/10Also crime and mystery
An aging ex-boxer gangster working as muscle for a Boston crime boss receives an upsetting diagnosis. Despite a faltering memory, he attempts to rectify the sins of his past and reconnect with his estranged children…
3
Who's Harry Crumb? (1989)
★ 6/10Also comedy and crime
Harry Crumb is a bumbling and inept private investigator who is hired to solve the kidnapping of a young heiress which he's not expected to solve because his employer is the mastermind behind the kidnapping.
4
Married to the Mob (1988)
★ 6/10Also comedy and crime
Angela de Marco is fed up with her gangster husband's line of work and wants no part of the crime world. When her husband is killed for having an affair with the mistress of mob boss Tony "The Tiger" Russo, Angela and…
5
The Cheap Detective (1978)
★ 6.4/10Also comedy and crime
A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife.
6
The Mirror Crack'd (1980)
★ 6.1/10Also mystery and crime
Jane Marple solves the mystery when a local woman is poisoned and a visiting movie star seems to have been the intended victim.
7
Ca$h (2010)
★ 5.9/10Also crime and comedy
A stroke of good luck turns lethal for Sam Phelan and his wife Leslie when they are faced with a life-changing decision that brings strange and sinister Pyke Kubic to their doorstep. As Pyke leads Sam and Leslie on a…
8
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
★ 6.1/10Also comedy and crime
To the Los Angeles elite, Ford Fairlane is known as "Mr. Rock 'n' Roll Detective." This loudmouthed ladies' man serves an exclusive rock star clientele, who depend on his keen eye and smug discretion. So when a…
9
Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer (2025)
★ 6.8/10Also crime and comedy
A struggling writer in the midst of a divorce befriends a retired serial killer who incidentally becomes his marriage counselor by day, and killing counselor for his next book by night.
10
The Thursday Murder Club (2025)
★ 6.6/10Also comedy and mystery
A group of senior sleuths passionate about solving cold cases get plunged into a real-life murder mystery in this comic crime caper.
11
Cleaner (2007)
★ 6.1/10Also crime and mystery
Single father and former cop Tom Cutler has an unusual occupation: he cleans up death scenes. But when he's called in to sterilize a wealthy suburban residence after a brutal shooting, Cutler is shocked to learn he may…
12
The Thin Man (1934)
★ 7.5/10Also comedy and mystery
Former detective Nick Charles has retired from police work, preferring a life of cocktails, parties, and relaxation with his wealthy wife, Nora. Their holiday is interrupted when the daughter of Nick’s former client…
13
One Night at McCool's (2001)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy and crime
On an ordinary night, in an ordinary part of town, a beautiful young woman walks into a bar. Her name is Jewel, and before long she is chatting to bartender Randy. The pair leave together, but he ends up getting into a…
14
Wrong Cops (2013)
★ 6.1/10Also crime and comedy
A group of bad cops look to dispose of a body that one of them accidentally shot.
15
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
★ 6.9/10Also comedy and crime
Charles Dreyfus, who has finally cracked over inspector Clouseau's antics, escapes from a mental institution and launches an elaborate plan to get rid of Clouseau once and for all.
16
Knives Out (2019)
★ 7.8/10Also comedy and crime
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's…
17
Breathless (2012)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy and mystery
Lorna is a strong-willed Texas woman who’s had enough of her untrustworthy husband Dale’s criminal acts and lack of husbandry. Fed up, she enlists the help of her old friend, Tiny, to help her figure out what to do…
18
Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
★ 7/10Also comedy and crime
While attending a major horse race with their young son, Nick Jr., Nick and Nora Charles witnesse a shocking murder from the crowded grandstand. What first appears to be an isolated killing soon leads to a maze of…
19
Song of the Thin Man (1947)
★ 6.7/10Also comedy and crime
While attending a glamorous jazz cruise on New York’s East River, Nick and Nora Charles witness the fatal shooting of a wealthy patron. When suspicion falls on a young bandleader and his musicians, the couple steps in…
20
Fun with Dick and Jane (1977)
★ 6.6/10Also comedy and crime
When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.