Sleuth main backdrop
Sleuth main poster

7.7/10 • 647

1972-12-102h 18m

ThrillerMysteryCrimeComedy

Think of the perfect crime... Then go one step further.

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.

Directors
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Editors
Richard Marden

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Laurence Olivier

    Laurence Olivier

    Andrew Wyke

  2. Michael Caine

    Michael Caine

    Milo Tindle

  3. Alec Cawthorne

    Alec Cawthorne

    Inspector Doppler

  4. John Matthews

    John Matthews

    Detective Sergeant Tarrant

  5. Eve Channing

    Eve Channing

    Marguerite Wyke

  6. Teddy Martin

    Teddy Martin

    Police Constable Higgs

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 23, 2025

7/10

“Milo” (Michael Caine) arrives at the stately pile of a renowned crime writer - a sort of male Agatha Christie, and has to navigate a complex maze to track down his voice. The dapper “Andrew” (Sir Laurence Olivier) welcomes his guest effusively and takes him into his home. It’s an Aladdin’s cave of theatrical props and costumes which leaves “Milo” a little unnerved. Not as unnerved as he’s going to get, though, when “Andrew” declares his knowledge of the affair his wife is having with him and that he’s relatively relaxed about her leaving so long as he can get the insurance on £175,000 worth of baubles. If only “Milo” can think of a way to purloin them so the police don’t suspect an inside job? Well, it’s not as if there aren’t loads of disguises available and soon the germ of a cunning plan emerges. Unfortunately for the hapless “Milo” this plan has hidden consequences which soon have him very much on the back foot. Smugly satisfied with his night’s work, “Andrew” settles down to some caviar only to find he has an unexpected visitor who meticulously upsets his plan and starts to turn the tables. Now it’s a battle of wits! Olivier and Caine hold this together really quite entertainingly aided by a really cleverly constructed plot, script, some great mechanical gadgets and a good old dose of psychologically malevolent revenge. It’s possibly the most natural I’ve ever seen Olivier on a big screen, though that might be because he’s possibly not doing so much actual acting until very near the end. Caine, likewise, proves he has more to his portfolio than his more traditional East End Charlie in a sharp suit. I didn’t really love the denouement, but en route it’s a game of two halves where jeopardy is the name of the game for them and us! It’s a classy production with two actors looking like they were having a good time, and I found that contagious .

Media

  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster
  • Sleuth poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$3,500,000.00
Revenue
$5,750,000.00
Keywords
infidelityrobberycountrysideupper classromantic rivalryauthorgameextramarital affairtenseominous