Sleuth (1972) 20th Century Fox/Suspense-Thriller RT: 138 minutes Rated PG (language, some violence, alcohol use) Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz Screenplay: Anthony Shaffer Music: John Addison Cinematography: Oswald Morris Release date: December 10, 1972 (US) Cast: Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Alec Cawthorne, Eve Channing. Box Office: $4M (US)
Rating: ****
Writing a review of Sleuth will be challenging. I have to do it such a way as to NOT reveal any of the nifty twists and turns the story takes over the course of 138 compelling minutes. This means I can’t and won’t say too much about the plot. I’ll lay out the premise for you, but that’s it. A team of wild horses couldn’t drag a single detail out of me. The fun of Sleuth is in not knowing exactly what lies ahead. I can give you an idea however.
Perhaps the most telling sign of what you’re getting yourself into with Sleuth is the movie’s opening scene. Celebrated mystery writer Andrew Wyke (Olivier, Hamlet) is sitting in the middle of an elaborate shrubbery maze putting the finishing touches on his latest detective novel. Hairdresser Milo Tindle (Caine, Get Carter) shows up and must find his way to his host through the labyrinth. There’s no way in or out of it unless you know its secret.
Wyke has invited Milo to his country manor to discuss a personal matter. The younger man is having an affair with his wife. Not only is Wyke okay with it, he wants to help them out financially. He proposes an insurance scam that will be profitable for both of them. Naturally, it gets more complicated than that.
OKAY, I’M DONE! Those are all the details I’m willing to disclose. I’ll only add that the two men spend the whole movie trying to outwit each other with intense mind games and intellectual challenges. You see, it’s Wyke’s hobby. His Tudor-style house is filled with toys, games and automata. He considers himself unbeatable at games involving intellect. Could it be he’s finally met his match? Okay, now I’m really done.
Adapted from the Tony-winning play, Sleuth plays out entirely within the confines of Wyke’s manor. It sounds stagey and perhaps it is a bit, but it’s the superb theatricality of the presentation that makes it come to life. That and the brilliant performances by the two leads. The action is centered, for the most part, on the two characters save for the appearance of an investigator (Cawthorne) with a lot of questions and theories. It’s a very talky movie with little actual action. Given this description, you might think Sleuth is a bore, but it’s not. It’s anything but.
What Olivier and Caine do in Sleuth is tantamount to boxers exchanging blows in the ring, verbally speaking. You have to listen closely to their dialogue to fully appreciate the labyrinthine nature of what’s going on here. It’s not one of those movies you can watch in a distracted state of mind. Sir Olivier is perfectly cast as the wealthy, eccentric, possibly dangerous writer who sees his literary creation, brilliant detective St. John Lord Merridewe, as an extension of himself. The respected British thespian is clearly having fun in the role. Caine is equally great as the embodiment of everything Wyke detests. Milo is poor, half-Italian and only dresses the part of “English gentleman”. He’s the ideal target for Wyke’s games. The chemistry between the two actors is positively electric. The way they joust verbally is more thrilling than any big fight scene in any given superhero movie.
Playwright Anthony Shaffer, adapting his own work for its big screen transition, has a flair for clever plotting and dialogue. The words take on a life of their own as the plot thickens. Plus, it’s nice to see a movie where everything isn’t dumbed down for mass consumption. It takes a measure of patience to watch Sleuth, but it’s easy enough to follow if you pay attention. Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve), in his final film, doesn’t try to jazz things up for the sake of making it more cinematic. He respects Shaffer’s dialogue, timing and space, the last with the help of cinematographer Oswald Morris who makes the most out of the restrictive setting. Although the characters never leave the grounds of the mansion, it never feels entirely claustrophobic. It’s more like a feeling of isolation from the world outside the manor. We hear about things that allegedly took place, but we only have the word of two deceitful people to go on. It heightens the suspense as it pertains to their ongoing battle of wits.
I’ve said all I want to say about Sleuth. Like I told you before, it wouldn’t be right to ruin the clever surprises in store. It’s one of those rare instances where I have nothing negative to say. Sure, it’s not a movie for everybody. I’m not sure it would go over with today’s audiences used to being inundated with noise and CGI. It’s cerebral entertainment for those with a slightly twisted sensibility. I think it’s outstanding entertainment myself.
