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Sleuth (1972) 8.1
A man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results. Director:Joseph L. Mankiewicz |
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Laurence Olivier | ... | ||
| Michael Caine | ... | ||
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Alec Cawthorne | ... | |
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John Matthews | ... | |
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Eve Channing | ... | |
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Teddy Martin | ... |
Police Constable Higgs
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Milo Tindle and Andrew Wyke have something in common, Andrew's wife. In an attempt to find a way out of this without costing Andrew a fortune in alimony, he suggests Milo pretend to rob his house and let him claim the insurance on the stolen jewelry. The problem is that they don't really like each other and each cannot avoid the zinger on the other. The plot has many shifts in which the advantage shifts between Milo and Andrew. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Taglines:
If it was murder, where's the body? If it was for a woman, which woman? If it's only a game, why the blood? See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Release Date:
10 December 1972 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
El detective See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Andrew Wyke: Keep them out!
Milo Tindle: Keep the police out? It's just not done, old boy. But still, I'll try.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
When Andrew goes and answers the ring of the doorbell, you see him walk past two pictures of the former King Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor on a wall. The Duke of Windsor died during the making of the film and the production team added a historical touch to mark this event by including pictures of the late Duke. See more »Goofs
In the snooker game, after Andrew pots the black for the first time, it is clearly seen to be on its spot before Milo takes it from the pocket and re-spots it. See more »Quotes
Milo Tindle: It looks like you've had it. They're coming up the drive.Andrew Wyke: Keep them out!
Milo Tindle: Keep the police out? It's just not done, old boy. But still, I'll try.
See more »
My parents saw "Sleuth" on Broadway, during its original run, just a year or so before this film was released. Watching the movie I can see how it would make a good play, but by the same token, it is not a translation that feels slow, or wordy, or unsuited to the screen. The adaptation is excellent, without "opening up" the play too much. If you're a fan of mysteries, you'll be intrigued by the performances and the script. Joseph Mankiewicz's direction isn't terribly flashy, but subtle and well-done.
Laurence Olivier stars as Andrew Wyke, a famous mystery novel writer. Milo Tindle (Michael Cane), comes to visit him one weekend; asking for Andrew's wife's hand in marriage. But things aren't as simple as they first appear. Andrew wants something in return from Milo. And then again, maybe he doesn't.
The film unfolds slowly and patiently; you almost feel like the film's sentient and realizes how juicy its secrets are, holding on to them for as long as possible. There are numerous twists and surprises in the film; and even if you see one or two coming (as I did), don't expect to get it all right until it's over. It's best not to know at all what is going to happen, so I'll leave you with no more clues.
I enjoyed nearly every moment after the initial meeting between Milo and Andrew. Once Cane and Olivier really get going in their scenes, the film never looks back. They are exceptional in their performances, and deservedly earned nominations for Best Actor Oscars.
So who wins? Does anyone win? Is it a game with a winner at all? Oh just go rent it already!