Sleuth

1972
PG
2h 18m

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

51K

YOUR RATING

Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine in Sleuth (1972)

Play trailer2:02

3 Videos

54 Photos

Mystery Thriller

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.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.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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

51K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 5 wins & 11 nominations total

More like this

6.3

Sleuth

7.0

Deathtrap

7.7

The Man Who Would Be King

7.3

7.3

7.9

7.2

7.2

8.0

7.9

7.9

8.1

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Sir Michael Caine was so very much beside himself to be working with Lord Laurence Olivier that he didn't even know how to address him. Eventually, he broke down and just asked. Olivier replied "Well, I am the Lord Olivier and you are Mr. Michael Caine. Of course, that's only for the first time you address me. After that I am Larry, and you are Mike."

Goofs
When Wyke "shoots" Tindle in the head at contact range with what is supposed to be a blank cartridge, Tindle simply faints from fright. In fact, the hot gases, explosive particles, wadding and minuscule barrel debris from a blank-cartridge shot to the head at point-blank range would certainly have given Tindle quite a serious wound, possibly even a fatal one.

Quotes
[last lines]
Milo Tindle: Andrew... remember... be sure and tell them... it was only a bloody game.

Connections
Featured in The 51st Annual Academy Awards (1979)

Soundtracks
Just One of Those Things
Words and Music by Cole Porter
by arrangement with Warner Brothers Publishing

User reviews191

Review

Featured review

9/10

Deadly Games

In England, the Italian English hairdresser Milo Tindle (Michael Caine) is invited by the successful writer of detective stories Andrew Wyke (Laurence Olivier) to visit his isolated house. The lower class Milo is the lover of Andrew's wife, who is used to have a comfortable life, and he intends to marry her. Andrew proposes Milo to steal his jewelry simulating a burglary. Milo would make a fortune selling the jewels to an intermediary; and Andrew would be reimbursed by the insurance company and would not pay alimony. However, the whole situation was part of an evil game. When Milo vanishes, a detective visits Andrew to investigate what really happened that night, when deadly games are disclosed.

"Sleuth" proves that a great screenplay, an outstanding director, two top-notch actors and four scenarios suffice to make an excellent movie with four nominations to the Oscar. The intelligent and wit theatrical story has amazing lines and twists in a duel of cat and mouse between two icons, and has not aged. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Trama Diabólica" ("Diabolic Plot")