Sleuth (1972)

7.8	Rating (235 ratings)
8.1	IMDB rating

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Directed by

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Starring

Laurence Olivier
Andrew Wyke

Michael Caine
Milo Tindle

Alec Cawthorne
Inspector Doppler

John Matthews
Detective Sergeant Tarrant

Eve Channing
Marguerite Wyke

Teddy Martin
Police Constable Higgs

Written by

Anthony Shaffer
(play)

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Reviews

It Was Only a Bloody Game

5 years, 7 months ago at Jun 22 13:45

Michael M

2 votes

*** This review contains spoilers ***I believe the title of Sleuth may be misleading. When I first approached it I wasn't aware of the stage play it was based on and thought the film was going to be a standard "whodunit?” and thus wasn't expecting much from it. I couldn't have been more wrong. Watching it I soon discovered it to be a different film entirely, a giant mind game, a battle of wits a... read more

A very good movie

9 months, 2 weeks ago at Apr 12 7:56

johanlefourbe

2 votes

It is another movie I wanted to see for so many years but, eventually, it was definitely worth the wait. In fact, I first saw the remake directed by Kenneth Branagh about 7 years ago and, even though this remake didn’t get much love, I thought it was a decent watch. Well, I understand now why most of the viewers didn’t care for Branaggh's version though since this classic was indeed miles be... read more

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Description: This film is a chilling tale about a man who cannot stop playing games. Andrew Wyke (Laurence Olivier) is a clever and successful writer of detective stories who lives in an exquisite Gothic mansion. Here he has surrounded himself with picture puzzles, ancient Chinese games, fortune-telling machines, and a host of little amusements such as dolls that dance, clowns that display smiles, and circus bears that drink. His two best friends: scotch and laughter (in the form of a mechanical, life-sized doll dressed as a sailor that sends out volleys of laughter when Wyke pushes a button). The writer spends most of his time concocting ne This film is a chilling tale about a man who cannot stop playing games. Andrew Wyke (Laurence Olivier) is a clever and successful writer of detective stories who lives in an exquisite Gothic mansion. Here he has surrounded himself with picture puzzles, ancient Chinese games, fortune-telling machines, and a host of little amusements such as dolls that dance, clowns that display smiles, and circus bears that drink. His two best friends: scotch and laughter (in the form of a mechanical, life-sized doll dressed as a sailor that sends out volleys of laughter when Wyke pushes a button). The writer spends most of his time concocting new schemes and situation for his books.

One day he summons Milo Tindle (Michael Caine), a beautician of Italian background to his home. The well-dressed and handsome chap wants to marry Marguerite, Wyke's wife. The always imaginative writer has a scheme guaranteed to please both men: Milo will steal his jewelry and Wyke will collect the insurance on the theft. However, as the scheme unravels, Tindle realizes that he is the object of Wyke's twisted sense of play. Sleuth then becomes a frightening examination of gamesmanship as well as a startling mystery play.

One might describe the film with Winston Churchill's comment on Russia: "It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." The enigma of man's nature is his need for competition and victory. The mystery is how men do one another in through deception, masks, cheating. Humor is the riddle wrapped inside the mystery and the enigma.

The Broadway play has been adapted for the screen with great polish. Anthony Shaffer's literate script is still replete with witty banter and light tomfoolery. Olivier is perfect as the gentleman with a taste for sadism and elegance; Caine works his way into a rage with slow and cumulative versatility. Sleuth, directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, is at once a metaphysical thriller, a psychological cliff-hanger, and a deft satire on the detective genre of literature.

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Release date: 18 April 1973
UPC: 013131040999

Tags: Thriller (13), Mystery (10), 1970s (6), 1972 (5), Murder (5), Drama (4), Revenge (4), UK (4), Author (3), Pride (3), Infidelity (2), Insurance Fraud (2), Class Differences (2), Riddle (2), Crime (2), Michael Caine (2), Hairdresser (2), Humiliation (2), Psychological Thriller (2), Mansion (1)

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Stehako added this to a list 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Watched in 2014 - Film and TV (623 movies items)

johanlefourbe posted a review 9 months, 2 weeks ago

A very good movie

“It is another movie I wanted to see for so many years but, eventually, it was definitely worth the wait. In fact, I first saw the remake directed by Kenneth Branagh about 7 years ago and, even though this remake didn’t get much love, I thought it was a decent watch. Well, I understand now why most of the viewers didn’t care for Branaggh's version though since this classic was indeed miles better. I’m also glad that I saw this remake such a long time ago because, this way, I didn’t remember some crucial details. However, I wish I did see the damned thing with some subtitles as the dialogues were amazing but sometimes slightly difficult to follow, especially since English is not my mother-tongue. Anyway, the whole thing was just fascinating with 2 great (or should I say 3) performa” read more

johanlefourbe added this to a list 10 months, 1 week ago

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johanlefourbe added this to a list 1 year, 2 months ago

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (1970's) (158 movies items)

" Notes: In fact, I first saw the remake directed by Kenneth Branagh about 7 years ago and, even though this remake didn’t get much love, I thought it was a decent watch. Well, I understand now why most of the viewers didn’t care for Branaggh's version though since this classic was indeed miles better. I’m also glad that I saw this remake such a long time ago because, this way, I didn’t remember some crucial details. However, I wish I did see the damned thing with some subtitles as the d"