20 movies like Desperate, ordered by similarity : Street of Chance(1930), Inspector Bellamy(2009), The Big Heat(1953), Ossessione(1942), Too Late for Tears(1949), I Wake Up Screaming(1941), Sarkar(2005), A Conspiracy of Faith(2016), The Departed(2006), Ice Blues: A Donald Strachey Mystery(2008), River Beat(1954), Kiss of Death(1947) ...
Crime, Drama
USA
1947
73 Minutes
Steve Brodie Audrey Long Raymond Burr Douglas Fowley William Challee Jason Robards Sr. Freddie Steele Lee Frederick Paul E. Burns Ilka Gruning Larry Nunn
truck driver wife gangster brother private investigator detective dark gripping melodramatic tense chicago road police station wedding interrogation room warehouse fugitives ultimatum husband/wife relationship murder
A young married couple flee both police and a gangster out for revenge.
Crime, Drama
USA
1930
76 Minutes
William Powell Jean Arthur Kay Francis Regis Toomey Stanley Fields Brooks Benedict
husband wife gambler criminal thug brother melodramatic dark gripping new york city gambling house gambling crime redemption family brotherhood husband/wife relationship escape transformation sacrifice
A big-time, but honest gambler has to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps, and taking up gambling.
Crime, Drama
France
2009
110 Minutes
Gérard Depardieu Clovis Cornillac Jacques Gamblin Marie Bunel Vahina Giocante Marie Matheron Adrienne Pauly Yves Verhoeven Bruno Abraham-Kremer Rodolphe Pauly
detective husband wife half brother emotional crafty dark sultry house france dance floor car vacation husband/wife relationship brotherhood work vs. family investigation murder mystery quest
A well known Parisian inspector becomes involved in an investigation while on holiday.
Crime, Drama
USA
1953
90 Minutes
Glenn Ford Gloria Grahame Jocelyn Brando Alexander Scourby Lee Marvin Jeanette Nolan Peter Whitney Willis Bouchey Robert Burton Adam Williams Howard Wendell
gangster kingpin police detective wife husband mistress dark gritty suspenseful melodramatic city nightclub household police station penthouse police corruption murder plot investigation conspiracy organized crime
Tough cop Dave Bannion takes on a politically powerful crime syndicate.
Crime, Drama
1942
135 Minutes
Massimo Girotti Clara Calamai Juan de Landa Dhia Cristiani Vittorio Duse Michele Riccardini Michele Sakara Elio Marcuzzo
young man wife husband lawyer detective drifter dark tense sultry italy diner highway car courtroom infidelity murder greed crime trials betrayal
A drifter (Massimo Girotti) helps a beauty (Clara Calamai) kill her husband (Juan de Landa) in Italy.
Crime, Drama
USA
1949
99 Minutes
Lizabeth Scott Don DeFore Dan Duryea Arthur Kennedy Kristine Miller Barry Kelley Denver Pyle Virginia Mullen Richard Irving George Mann Harry J. Vejar
wife husband brother brother-in-law sister-in-law private investigator creepy disturbing shocking suspenseful tense uneasy hollywood hollywood hills apartment car train station money murder greed
Through a fluke circumstance, a ruthless woman stumbles across a suitcase filled with $60,000, and is determined to hold onto it even if it means murder.
Crime, Drama
USA
1941
82 Minutes
Betty Grable Victor Mature Carole Landis Laird Cregar William Gargan Alan Mowbray Allyn Joslyn Elisha Cook Jr.
promoter victim sister police detective murderer hotel desk clerk dark intricate suspenseful new york city apartment police station restaurant murder obsessive love false accusations show business new love revenge love
Why is Inspector Ed Cornell trying to railroad Frankie Christopher for the murder of model Vicky Lynn?
Crime, Drama
India
2005
124 Minutes
gangster son wife daughter-in-law henchman bleak intense suspenseful thrilling emotional moving mumbai, india house bungalow street office police station gangsters family relationships brotherhood
The authority of a man, who runs a parallel government in Mumbai, is challenged. His son rises to face his enemies.
Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Crime
Denmark|Germany|Sweden|Norway
2016
119 Minutes
Nikolaj Lie Kaas Fares Fares Johanne Louise Schmidt Søren Pilmark Jakob Oftebro Pål Sverre Hagen Lotte Andersen Signe Anastassia Mannov Laura Bro Divya Das Amanda Collin
detective investigator murder suspect murder victim criminal thrilling gripping suspenseful shocking boarding school crime scene police station denmark crime investigation murder cold case serial murders discovery mystery
Two intertwined cases linking the past with the present will require the aid of Department Q to catch an elusive serial killer, while time is running out.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
USA|Hong Kong
2006
152 Minutes
Leonardo DiCaprio Matt Damon Jack Nicholson Mark Wahlberg Martin Sheen Ray Winstone Vera Farmiga Alec Baldwin James Badge Dale David O'Hara Mark Rolston
mobster criminal cop informant girlfriend wife dark intense gritty tense suspenseful frightening boston police station bar vehicle city apartment secret hideout crime mafia
An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, Gay & Lesbian
Canada|USA
2008
90 Minutes
Chad Allen Sebastian Spence Sebastien Roberts Brittney Wilson Jason Poulsen Daryl Shuttleworth Nelson Wong
lawyer private investigator murderer murder suspect murder victim dark chilling tense suspenseful united states murder murder investigation private detective mystery crime discovery mystery pursuit 2000s
Tim Callahan, aide to New York Senator Lauren Platt, is disappointed that all of the $3 million funding has been pulled from his latest pet project, a safe zone for children and youth. His ... See full summary »
Crime, Drama
UK
1954
70 Minutes
radio producer police detective diamond smugglers murderer radio personality police chief intense sultry thrilling emotional gory melodramatic ship london thames river boat boathouse police station diamond smuggling danger
A London police inspector is patrolling the river looking for smugglers, when he becomes attracted to a woman working as a ship's radio operator. When the woman turns up in possession of ... See full summary »
Crime, Drama
USA
1947
98 Minutes
Victor Mature Brian Donlevy Richard Widmark Coleen Gray Karl Malden Taylor Holmes Anthony Ross Mildred Dunnock Millard Mitchell J. Scott Smart
murderer criminal wife police detective elderly woman dark tense brutal prison new york city apartment street gangsters parole violence criminal justice system pursuit revenge 1940s
Nick Bianco is caught during a botched jewellery heist. The prosecution offer him a more lenient sentence if he squeals on his accomplices but he doesn't roll over on them. Three years into the sentence an event changes his mind.
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
USA
2014
149 Minutes
Ben Affleck Rosamund Pike Neil Patrick Harris Tyler Perry Kim Dickens Patrick Fugit Carrie Coon David Clennon Lisa Banes Missi Pyle Emily Ratajkowski
writer wife suspect police officer journalist police detective brooding dark intense bleak thrilling disheartening carthage house street police station car office disappearance illusions
With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
Crime, Drama
USA
1995
170 Minutes
Al Pacino Robert De Niro Val Kilmer Jon Voight Tom Sizemore Diane Venora Amy Brenneman Ashley Judd Mykelti Williamson Wes Studi Ted Levine
criminal lieutenant wife daughter fence killer frenetic gripping suspenseful cool intense los angeles police station hideout bank secret hideout big city crime ambition robbery
A group of professional bank robbers start to feel the heat from police when they unknowingly leave a clue at their latest heist.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
India
2016
126 Minutes
Nawazuddin Siddiqui Vicky Kaushal Sobhita Dhulipala Mukesh Chhabra Anuschka Sawhney
serial killer police chief psychopath murderer murder suspect murder victim intense disheartening disturbing thrilling suspenseful mumbai, india police station obsession serial murders psychopath investigation crime revenge discovery
Ramanna, a maniac murderer, finds a soulmate in Raghavan, a policeman, who inspects his murder cases. He tries to make Raghavan realize how they both are similar.
Crime, Drama
USA
1968
116 Minutes
Tony Curtis Henry Fonda George Kennedy Mike Kellin Hurd Hatfield Murray Hamilton Jeff Corey Sally Kellerman William Marshall George Voskovec Leora Dana
murderer rapist police detective victim wife survivor brutal dark tense raw boston police station crime scene serial murders police work interrogation capture forced confession pursuit fall
A series of brutal murders in Boston sparks a seemingly endless and increasingly complex manhunt.
Crime, Drama
USA
1950
77 Minutes
Ann Sheridan Dennis O'Keefe Robert Keith John Qualen Frank Jenks Ross Elliot Jane Liddell Joan Shawlee J. Farrell MacDonald Steven Geray Victor Sen Yung
witness wife reporter investigator killer husband brooding engaging tense san francisco street search witnessing murder rekindled romance missing persons mob love pursuit quest 1940s
Frank Johnson becomes an eyewitness to a murder. He's pursued around San Francisco by his wife, the police, and the killer.
Crime, Drama
USA
1989
108 Minutes
Patrick Swayze Liam Neeson Adam Baldwin Helen Hunt Andreas Katsulas Bill Paxton Ben Stiller Michael J. Pollard Ted Levine Del Close Valentino Cimo
police officer truck driver brother gangster crime boss younger brother dark brutal chicago police station kentucky cemetery family honor mob violence moral dilemma vengeance brotherhood murder revenge sacrifice
Truman, a Chicago cop, sets out to find the killer of his brother. Meanwhile, another of his brothers, Briar (a hillbilly) decides to find the killer himself.
Crime, Drama
USA
1951
103 Minutes
Kirk Douglas Eleanor Parker William Bendix Horace MacMahon Lee Grant Craig Hill Cathy O'Donnell Bert Freed George Macready Joseph Wiseman Gladys George
police detective abortionist wife burglar shoplifter colleague tense suspenseful gripping melodramatic police station household hospital new york city street obsession abortion investigation dark secrets death
On one day in the 21st Precinct squad room, assorted characters form a backdrop for the troubles of hard-nosed Detective Jim McLeod.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Germany|USA
1998
138 Minutes
Samuel L. Jackson Kevin Spacey David Morse Ron Rifkin John Spencer J.T. Walsh Regina Taylor Siobhan Fallon Hogan Paul Giamatti
negotiator police officer hostage con artist wife embezzler tense gripping thrilling intense chicago police station house office building street big city hostage situation embezzlement framed for murder police corruption
In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, a skilled police negotiator accused of corruption and murder takes hostages in a government office to gain the time he needs to find the truth.