25 Best Detectives of All Time

From craggy PIs to slick super-sleuths to tenacious journos, the movie detective is a genre-defining figure almost as old as cinema. Join us, then, as we celebrate those who variously use their brains, brawn and/or bravado to crack crimes, right wrongs and dole out justice, one clue at a time.

- By Dave Bradley, Tim Coleman, Richard Edwards, Matt Glasby, Jamie Graham, Joel Harley, James Mottram, Neil Smith, Paul Tanter

25 FLETCH CHEVY CHASE, JON HAMM

KEY FILMS Fletch (1985), Confess, Fletch (2022)

Made famous by Chase (and respectably rebooted with Hamm), investigative reporter Irwin M. Fletcher might not be good with deadlines but he's a stupendous sleuth, keen on disguises and fake names (Dr. Rosenpenis, John Cocktolstoy), and good on roller skates...

KEY CASE Drug trafficking on Los Angeles' beaches, "the shame of the city".

24 BRENDAN FRYE JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT

KEY FILM Brick (2005)

A high-school student who operates like a Dashiell Hammett detective, Brendan isn't afraid to get his hands dirty to find his lost love. Despite the film's heightened style and hard-boiled dialogue, the look in his eyes says it all: this is for real.

KEY CASE The disappearance of his ex, Emily (Emilie de Ravin).

23 AXEL FOLEY EDDIE MURPHY

KEY FILMS Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

Motormouthed Detroit 'tec Axel Foley takes to Beverly Hills like a fish to water. A piranha in everyone's Evian that is, causing a scene wherever he goes, trampling red tape and biting privileged white folks on their flabby asses. Murphy's charisma matches '80s Cruise - Beverly Hills Cop was the first of seven Murphy films on the bounce to open at number one.