# Good mystery movies for 7th Graders? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639 "2013-01-28T19:19:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/1 "2013-01-28T19:19:54Z")
It can be a full movie or even an episodes of a show. I am nearly done reading The Westing Game with my kids at school and want to reward them with a mystery movie at the end. I am aware there is a Westing Game movie, but it is really bad. Badly acted and entirely different from the book. Forget it. 🙂 My top consideration is Lemony Snickett, a movie I love and it kind of has a mystery in it. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/2 "2013-01-28T19:30:31Z")
_Hugo Cabret_ is excellent, and surprisingly historically accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/3 "2013-01-28T20:05:17Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > _Hugo Cabret_ is excellent, and surprisingly historically accurate. Kind of my backup already. Good pick. Any more standard mysteries, with the mystery upfront and a bunch of folks trying to solve it. Clue is out, though it is great. It’s PG, but pushing PG-13. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/4 "2013-01-28T21:18:35Z")
Looks like all of Hitchcock’s mysteries are rated PG. Can’t think which would be the best for kids, though. _Murder By Death_ is much like _Clue_, very fun. _The Thin Man_ movies are good. _Pink Panther_ is good but probably too racy for kids. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/5 "2013-01-28T22:11:23Z")
Would these kids sit still for old B & W movies, or does it have to be a more modern movie? If old ones are okay, there’s _ **And Then There Were None** _ (the classic "10 people on an island, and someone is killing everybody one by one). ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/6 "2013-01-28T22:47:23Z")
There was a _Nancy Drew_ movie a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/7 "2013-01-29T00:16:54Z")
**National Treasure** is rated PG. Love the puzzling out historic clues. I like Lemony Snickett, I wish there was a series of them, but is it really a mystery? I remember it as more a story of stalking and grown-ups not realizing the painfully obvious. Kids may be tired of it, but if you look past the magic Harry Potter is a series of great mysteries stories. The Prisoner of Azkaban is maybe the best of the movies for relating the mystery aspect because of the fantastic scene in the screaming shack. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/8 "2013-01-29T00:19:41Z")
_The Return of Martin Guerre._ They shouldn’t be afraid of reading subtitles. It was one of my favorite movies when it came out (I was in 7th grade), and it’s a mystery! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/9 "2013-01-29T00:38:16Z")
Hmmm. I know a lot of mysteries in print that would be appropriate. I know a lot of mystery movies, but they generally involve people dying and infidelity and other rotten things that make good motives. Nevertheless, if they’re up for it, you might try **Charade** , which is a very clever mystery with a light touch. And at least five deaths. But at least it’s not bloody. Avoid the remake, _The Truth about Charlie_, by all means. If you can find it, the TV movie \*\* Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders\*\* has a really clever hook and solution. Since it was made for TV, all the blood and gore is off-screen. But it’s suggested. You can actually rent it from Blockbuster: [http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/86012](http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/86012) I also have a copy I can dub. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/10 "2013-01-29T00:45:28Z")
How about _[The Trouble with Harry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Harry)_? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/11 "2013-01-29T01:04:58Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Looks like all of Hitchcock’s mysteries are rated PG. Can’t think which would be the best for kids, though. DIAL M FOR MURDER: the bad guys don’t get away with it, or even manage to pull it off – which is about as kid-friendly as a murder mystery gets – and it’s easy for twelve-year-olds to follow, since (a) the whole plan gets helpfully spelled out for the hired killer beforehand, sure as (b) the amateur sleuth patiently explains what happened at the crime scene, albeit without meaning to or even realizing it. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/12 "2013-01-29T01:11:25Z")
Well, of course they have murder and all the usual motives, but I would think that Nero Wolfe might fit the bill. Timothy Hutton did a series of them ten years ago on A&E. Hour long episodes, with maybe some two parters. Hmm. I can’t really tell what’s age appropriate at times. would the bbc Sherlock be a bit much? Prob so, I’m thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/13 "2013-01-29T03:15:50Z")
Episodes of _Monk_ could be fun and, I think, age-appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/14 "2013-01-29T04:58:38Z")
I recommend the original French version of “Diabolique” but make sure the subtitles are modernized and readable. When I first saw this film, the white letters of the subtitles were difficult to read against the black and white background, especially when the murder was being plotted. I also recommend “Mirage” starring Gregory Peck; “Experiment In Terror” starring Lee Remick; “The Lady In The Lake”; “The Lineup” starring Eli Wallach; “I Saw What You Did” starring John Ireland; so they don’t like black and white movies? Okay how about “Murder By Death” or “North By Northwest” for the kids? How about “Ten Little Indians” with Oliver Reed? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/15 "2013-01-29T06:26:09Z")
I think 7th-graders could handle any Agatha Christie adaptation. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/16 "2013-01-29T19:23:44Z")
Oooh, what about _Young Sherlock Holmes_? IMDB link: [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090357/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090357/) I loved this movie when I was around that age. ---
**Author:** ![FrankJBN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@FrankJBN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrankJBN)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/17 "2013-01-30T18:11:50Z")
“Clue is out, though it is great. It’s PG, but pushing PG-13” Aren’t most 7th graders at least 13? ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/18 "2013-01-30T18:18:21Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Episodes of _Monk_ could be fun and, I think, age-appropriate. That’s a great suggestion. The episodes are usually straight-up mysteries, and the running time is classroom-friendly, too. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I think 7th-graders could handle any Agatha Christie adaptation. Yeah - I came in to recommend “Murder on the Orient Express.” Read the book in 8th grade and loved it; your students might enjoy the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-mystery-movies-for-7th-graders/648639/19 "2013-01-31T03:16:41Z")
> [@FrankJBN](#): > > “Clue is out, though it is great. It’s PG, but pushing PG-13” > > Aren’t most 7th graders at least 13? The school only allows PG movies unless parents turn in a permission slip. I’m not going through that mess. Besides, lots of parents ban their kids from anything PG-13.