The 60+ Best Peter Lorre Movies

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List of the best Peter Lorre movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Peter Lorre's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Peter Lorre movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Peter Lorre movies will be at the top of the list. Peter Lorre has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Peter Lorre movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Peter Lorre films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Peter Lorre role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Peter Lorre performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

List films range from Hotel Berlin to Five Weeks in a Balloon.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Peter Lorre movies?" and "What are the greatest Peter Lorre roles of all time?"

If you're a fan of Peter Lorre, then check out our lists of the best Charles Laughton and Edward G. Robinson movies as well.

Most divisive: The Patsy
Over 1.2K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 60+ Best Peter Lorre Movies
  • M
    1
    Peter Lorre, Ellen Widmann, Inge Landgut
    84 votes
    In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre), a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. Beckert's heinous crimes are so repellant and disruptive to city life that he is even targeted by others in the seedy underworld network. With both cops and criminals in pursuit, the murderer soon realizes that people are on his trail, sending him into a tense, panicked attempt to escape justice.
  • Arsenic and Old Lace
    2
    Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, Priscilla Lane
    61 votes
    Writer and notorious marriage detractor Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) falls for girl-next-door Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane), and they tie the knot on Halloween. When the newlyweds return to their respective family homes to deliver the news, Brewster finds a corpse hidden in a window seat. With his eccentric aunts (Josephine Hull, Jean Adair), disturbed uncle (John Alexander), and homicidal brother (Raymond Massey), he starts to realize that his family is even crazier than he thought.
  • The Maltese Falcon
    3
    Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre
    93 votes
    In the intricate web of The Maltese Falcon, private detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) finds himself entangled in a dark mystery. A femme fatale, Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor), hires him for what appears to be a simple case. But when his partner is murdered, things take a sinister turn. The plot thickens as an elusive artifact - the titular Maltese Falcon - comes into play. John Huston directs this noir classic, which was nominated for three Academy Awards in 1942. Amidst shadowy allies and treacherous enemies, Spade navigates deception and danger in this gripping tale of greed and betrayal.
  • Hollywood Canteen
    4
    Robert Hutton, Joan Leslie, Dane Clark
    59 votes
    On medical leave in Los Angeles to recover from injuries sustained on the Pacific front, Cpl. Slim Green (Robert Hutton) and Sgt. Nolan (Dane Clark) discover the Hollywood Canteen, a USO-inspired club staffed entirely by Hollywood stars. The Canteen's co-founder, the legendary Bette Davis, learns of Corporal Green's crush on actress Joan Leslie and conspires to introduce them. When Green becomes the Canteen's lucky 1 millionth visitor, he's surprised by a date with Leslie and a night of luxury.
  • The Man Who Knew Too Much
    5
    Peter Lorre, Edna Best, Pierre Fresnay
    39 votes
    The Man Who Knew Too Much is a British suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, featuring Peter Lorre, and released by Gaumont British. It was one of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of Hitchcock's British period. Hitchcock remade the film with James Stewart and Doris Day in 1956 for Paramount Pictures. The two films are, however, very different in tone, in setting, and in many plot details. The film has nothing except the title in common with G. K. Chesterton's 1922 book of detective stories of the same name. Hitchcock decided to use the title as he had the rights for some of the stories in the novel.
  • The Beast with Five Fingers
    6
    Robert Alda, Andrea King, Peter Lorre
    46 votes
    Astrologist Hilary Cummins (Peter Lorre) works as a personal assistant to the eccentric and mostly paralyzed pianist, Francis Ingram (Victor Francen). A nurse, Julie Holden (Andrea King) also lives at the Italian villa to help care for Ingram, who plays the piano with only his undamaged left hand. Following a visit from a scam artist (Robert Alda), Ingram crashes down the stairs to his death -- and a plague of bizarre events ensues that are attributed to the musician's disembodied left hand.
  • Casablanca
    7
    Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
    84 votes
    In the classic 1942 film, Casablanca, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), an American expatriate and nightclub owner, navigates a complex web of love and politics in Vichy-controlled Casablanca. His life takes a dramatic turn when Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), his former lover, walks into his club seeking help for her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a Czech Resistance leader. As they grapple with their past and face harsh realities, the trio becomes entangled in a high-stakes struggle against time and tyranny. This timeless drama, which won three Academy Awards including Best Picture, is renowned for its unforgettable characters and iconic dialogues.
  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
    8
    Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas
    42 votes
    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a riveting adventure movie that takes us on an underwater journey like no other. It features Captain Nemo (James Mason), a mysterious seafarer who navigates the ocean depths in his advanced submarine, the Nautilus. Joining him are Professor Aronnax (Paul Lukas), his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre), and harpooner Ned Land (Kirk Douglas). Their voyage through the ocean's depths uncovers fascinating marine life and perilous threats alike. A blend of science fiction and adventure, this film won two Academy Awards for its groundbreaking special effects and art direction.
  • The Verdict
    9
    Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Ian Wolfe
    28 votes
    The Verdict is a 1946 film noir mystery drama directed by Don Siegel and written by Peter Milne, based on Israel Zangwill's novel The Big Bow Mystery. It stars Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre in one of their nine film pairings, as well as Joan Lorring and George Coulouris. Ian Wolfe has a bit part as the jury foreman. The Verdict was Siegel's first full-length feature film.
  • Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
    10
    Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden
    26 votes
    Harriman Nelson (Walter Pidgeon) is the creator of a revolutionary nuclear submarine. After testing its capabilities in the Arctic Ocean, Nelson and the commanding officer (Robert Sterling) surface the vessel, only to discover the sky ablaze. Learning that the Van Allen radiation belt has caught fire, Nelson conceives a plan that could save the planet from destruction, but the U.N. shoots it down. Nelson is convinced it will work, but an onboard psychiatrist (Joan Fontaine) questions his sanity.
  • Stranger on the Third Floor
    11
    Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet
    26 votes
    When upstart journalist Michael Ward (John McGuire) testifies that he saw Joe Briggs (Elisha Cook Jr.) at the scene of a murder, Briggs is jailed and sentenced to death. Later, Michael's conscience and troubling dreams get the better of him. He tells his girlfriend, Jane (Margaret Tallichet), that he isn't certain Briggs is guilty. They begin to investigate, but unfortunately, the couple soon makes the acquaintance of an ominous, enigmatic man (Peter Lorre) who wants the case to stay closed.
  • Thank You, Mr. Moto
    12
    Peter Lorre, John Carradine, Sidney Blackmer
    20 votes
    Thank You, Mr. Moto is the second in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. It was based on the novel of the same name by the detective's creator, John P. Marquand. Mr. Moto battles murderous treasure hunters for priceless ancient scrolls which reveal the location of the long-lost tomb of Genghis Khan.
  • Around the World in 80 Days
    13
    David Niven, Cantinflas, Shirley MacLaine
    23 votes
    Victorian-era Englishman Phileas Fogg (David Niven) proclaims before his fellow members of a London gentleman's club that he can circumnavigate the globe in a mere 80 days, further boasting that he will bet the princely sum of 20,000 pounds on the success of his endeavor. With his stalwart manservant Passepartout (Cantinflas) alongside, he goes forth on his adventure, pursued by a dogged Police Inspector (Robert Newton) who suspects Fogg of chicanery.
  • Three Strangers
    14
    Sydney Greenstreet, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Peter Lorre
    29 votes
    After convincing two strangers, Jerome Arbutny (Sydney Greenstreet) and John West (Peter Lorre), to come to her apartment, Crystal Shackelford (Geraldine Fitzgerald) explains that at the stroke of midnight her statue of the goddess Kwan Yin will open its eyes, look into the souls of three strangers and grant their deepest wishes. The trio jointly invests in a sweepstake ticket, then separate, only to have their true natures demolish the possibility that Kwan Yin will fulfill their dreams.
  • The Raven
    15
    Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff
    31 votes
    Magician Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price) is still deeply depressed two years after the death of his beloved wife, Lenore (Hazel Court). One day, he's visited by Adolphus Bedlo (Peter Lorre), who has been transformed into a raven after losing a duel to Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff), an evil wizard. After Craven transforms Bedlo back into a human, Bedlo claims to have seen Lenore's ghost at Scarabus' castle, prompting the two to head to Scarabus' castle to seek Craven's lost love.
  • Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
    16
    Peter Lorre, Joseph Schildkraut, Lionel Atwill
    19 votes
    Mr Moto Takes A Vacation is a Norman Foster-directed entry in the Mr Moto film series, with Lionel Atwill and Joseph Schildkraut and George Huntley, as Archie Featherstone, in supporting roles. The movie was the seventh filmed in the series. However it was not released until after Mr. Moto in Danger Island.
  • Five Weeks in a Balloon
    17
    Red Buttons, Barbara Eden, Fabian
    21 votes
    In order to claim a region of African land for England, ambitious inventor Samuel Fergusson (Cedric Hardwicke) creates a large balloon with an elaborate space for passengers. Among those joining Fergusson on his extended expedition are his dutiful assistant, Jacques (Fabian), as well as beautiful teacher Susan Gale (Barbara Eden) and hapless reporter Donald O'Shay (Red Buttons). Along the way, the group encounters a shifty slave trader (Peter Lorre) and various other eccentric characters.
  • Mr. Moto's Last Warning
    18
    Peter Lorre, George Sanders, John Carradine
    21 votes
    Mr. Moto’s Last Warning is the sixth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. The film is an original story featuring the character created by John P. Marquand.
  • The Face Behind the Mask
    19
    Peter Lorre, Evelyn Keyes, Don Beddoe
    26 votes
    Hungarian immigrant Janos Szabo (Peter Lorre) is left disfigured after a fire. When his scarred appearance keeps him from finding employment, Janos teams up with thieves Watts (John Tyrrell) and Benson (Al Seymour), who value his safe-cracking abilities, and saves his share of every robbery for plastic surgery. Janos meets Helen Williams (Evelyn Keyes), a blind woman, and falls in love. He decides to end his criminal career, but the gang suspects he may double-cross them.
  • Passage to Marseille
    20
    Humphrey Bogart, Michèle Morgan, Claude Rains
    36 votes
    During World War II, a French ship finds five men drifting in a small boat. Once aboard, the men tell the ship's captain, Patain Malo (Victor Francen), that they are convicts who escaped prison, led by Jean Matrac (Humphrey Bogart), to fight in the war. As the ship nears its destination in Marseille, France surrenders to Germany, but Malo decides to hide the prisoners. When traitorous Major Duval (Sydney Greenstreet) tries to overtake the ship, Matrac and the others work to defeat him.
  • Black Angel
    21
    Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford, Constance Dowling
    14 votes
    Black Angel is a 1946 film noir, based on the novel The Black Angel by Cornell Woolrich. The film was director Roy William Neill's last film.
  • Invisible Agent
    22
    Peter Lorre, Cedric Hardwicke, Keye Luke
    14 votes
    Invisible Agent is a 1942 American science fiction film from Universal. The film was a wartime propaganda production that was part of a Hollywood effort to boost morale at the home front. It loosely echoed a series of formula war-horror films produced during this period that typically featured a mad scientist working in secret to aid the Third Reich. This film was directed by Edwin L. Marin, and the screenplay was written by Curt Siodmak, who had co-written the earlier The Invisible Man Returns in 1940. Siodmak was a refugee from Nazi Germany, and he gave the film a strong anti-Nazi tone that treated the Nazis as incompetent buffoons. The concept for the story was inspired by The Invisible Man, a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Wells had signed a deal with Universal to allow movies based on his work, which began with the successful 1933 film by the same name. For the cast, the invisible agent is played by Jon Hall, with Peter Lorre and Sir Cedric Hardwicke performing as members of the axis, and Ilona Massey and Albert Basserman as allied spies. The special effects were produced by John P. Fulton, who had created the effects for Universal's previous "invisible man" films.
  • Mr. Moto Takes a Chance
    23
    Peter Lorre, Rochelle Hudson, George Regas
    19 votes
    Mr. Moto Takes a Chance is the fourth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto, although it was the second one actually filmed, following Think Fast, Mr. Moto. The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, and an original story by Norman Foster and Willis Cooper.
  • Mr. Moto in Danger Island
    24
    Peter Lorre, Ward Bond, Leon Ames
    19 votes
    Mr. Moto in Danger Island is a 1939 film directed by Herbert I. Leeds.
  • Mr. Moto's Gamble
    25
    Peter Lorre, Ward Bond, Keye Luke
    24 votes
    Mr. Moto's Gamble is the third film in the Mr. Moto series starring Peter Lorre as the title character. It is best remembered for originating as a movie in the Charlie Chan series and being changed to a Mr Moto entry at the last minute.
  • Crime and Punishment
    26
    Edward Arnold, Peter Lorre, Marian Marsh
    24 votes
    A character created by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in his famed novel of the same title, Raskolnikov (Peter Lorre) is a Russian man who follows an unusual moral code. A combination of vigilantism and hubris fuels his decision to aid a hapless prostitute (Marian Marsh) by removing her antagonist, a local merchant. Raskolnikov is locked up for the murder, and while he does not deny committing the crime, he tries to persuade the police that he should not be charged.
  • Mysterious Mr. Moto
    27
    Peter Lorre, Mary Maguire, Henry Wilcoxon
    24 votes
    The Japanese detective (Peter Lorre) rounds up a league of assassins for Scotland Yard.
  • Mad Love
    28
    Peter Lorre, Frances Drake, Colin Clive
    34 votes
    Grand Guignol theater actress Yvonne Orlac (Frances Drake) is married to concert pianist Stephen (Colin Clive) and plans to take a break from acting to tour with him. However, Dr. Gogol (Peter Lorre), her biggest fan, won't let her go so easily. When Stephen's hands are destroyed in an accident, Dr. Gogol's obsession with Yvonne leads him to replace Stephen's hands with those of a knife-wielding murderer who was sentenced to death. Soon, Stephen's new hands develop a mind of their own.
  • Think Fast, Mr. Moto
    29
    Peter Lorre, J. Carrol Naish, Sig Ruman
    23 votes
    Think Fast, Mr. Moto is a 1937 film featuring a mysterious Japanese detective named Mr. Moto. It is the first of eight films in the Mr. Moto series, all based on Mr. Moto novels written by John P. Marquand. The film stars Peter Lorre as the title character, Virginia Field, Thomas Beck and Sig Ruman. Mr. Moto works to stop a secret smuggling operation.
  • Tales of Terror
    30
    Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone
    32 votes
    Locke (Vincent Price) mourns his late wife, Morella (Leona Gage), but has resentment toward his daughter that manifests itself in terrible ways; Fortunato Luchresi (also Price) is challenged to a wine tasting by his rival, Montresor (Peter Lorre), who has deadly fantasies about Fortunato's wife (Joyce Jameson) ; and Ernest Valdemar (also Price) is dying and, with the help of a duplicitous hypnotist (Basil Rathbone), finds a way to cheat death. Based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.