Sleuth (1972)

Agreeable mystery based on successful play about a cat and mouse game . Andrew Wyke (Laurence Olivier) is a famous writer who lives in a luxurious mansion . He loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him . Wyke is a successful novelist , a master of menace , the number one bestseller author from Baron Books . There arrives Milo (Michael Caine) , a hairdresser who seeks to convince the former for signing the divorce papers and Andrew in seeking avenge on his detested and unfaithful wife . Andrew and Milo setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results . An ultimate game is being played on its audience .

This lighthearted suspense/mystery based on a hit play from Anthony Shaffer and being well adapted ; dealing with games-playing mystery novelist played by Olivier leading his spouse's lover performed by Caine into diabolical trap . The original stage production of "Sleuth" by Anthony Shaffer opened on Broadway on 12 November 1970. It originally starred Anthony Quayle as Andrew and Keith Baxter as Milo, ran for 1222 performances and won the 1971 Tony Award for the Best Play . This is a deliciously sardonic and witty movie and excellently starred by a magnificent protagonist duo ; both are the peak of their game in this dazzling film . This interesting movie is plenty of twists and turns and stunning surprises . Splendid and fascinating performances , a real Tour De force for two stars . Michael Caine was so very much beside himself to be working with Laurence Olivier, that he didn't even know how to address him . However , Michael Caine was the third choice for the part of Milo Tindle after Albert Finney , who was deemed too plump, and Alan Bates , who turned down the role . The film only had two stars - the rest of the cast were made-up names . In addition to Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and Give 'em Hell, Harry! (1975), only one of three films in which entire on-screen billed cast received acting Oscar nominations . Packs a jolly and adequate soundtrack , including a haunting, remarkable musical leitmotif by John Addison , who was nominated for an Oscar for his music score. Colorful cinematography by Oswald Morris as well as appropriate production design by Ken Adam .

Remade many years later as ¨Sleuth¨(2007) by Kenneth Branagh starred by Jude Law and again Michael Caine as Wyke ; including modern production design and set on a stark house , monitored with high tech . However, it is inferior the first version that was a directed by Joseph L Mankiewicz, in his last film . In the similar style was subsequently filmed 'Deathtrap' by Sidney Lumet with Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon and also Michael Caine. Rating : Good, delicious from start to finish. It's a great and enjoyable fun.

Fmovies: Brilliant film about two men (Oscar nominees Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine) who meet at Olivier's house and go over an elaborate scheme to keep Olivier's fortune when his wife (about to divorce him to be with Caine) leaves him by staging a robbery performed by Caine. The strangeness does not stop there though as the two men each have personal motives and the twists and turns become dizzying as the movie progresses. Laurence Olivier is truly magnificent here, as he almost always was. Michael Caine, only 39 at the time, holds his own and that is far from an easy thing to do in a production like this. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's brilliant direction makes a film that could have been very dull into a stunning cinematic experience that stands tall against other films from the 1970s and all other decades for that matter. 5 stars out of 5.

The stars have a ball with this exceptional adaptation of the award winning play from Anthony Shaffer, directed by Mankiewicz. Mystery writer Olivier invites his wife's lover, played by Caine to his lavish country home - perhaps to propose a scheme that would benefit both of them. Ah, but what's the real purpose. Stay poised and ready for thrills as both stars lead us through a devilishly cunning script, filled with a crackerjack conclusion. Both stars and their director were Oscar nominated.

Sleuth fmovies. The beginning and the end of the movie take place on a stage:a mortal feud between two characters,played by two splendid actors ,directed by one of the giant of American cinema.It's hard to speak of the screenplay without spoiling the suspense,the action-packed story,the surprises waiting for you every step of the way.The two belligerents are diametrically opposite:Sir Olivier plays a local squire,full of disdain and smugness,he's wealthy and claims a noble pedigree.Michael Caine is what the French call "nouveau riche",the most despicable breed of man to his proud opponent :worse,he 's still working,as a posh hair-dresser at that!Both are oozing hatred ,and behind the automatons,we feel the tempers rise .Height of contempt,Olivier disguises Caine as a clown!Anthony Shaffer's tour de force is rendered with gusto and virtuosity.It' s a pity that it was to remain Mankiewicz's last work.

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")

A very entertaining "thriller" about a wealthy mystery novelist named Andrew Wyke (Olivier), who invites Milo Tindle (Caine) - working-class owner of a chain of hair salons - to his sixteenth-century mansion to discuss Milo's affair with Wyke's wife. Instead of being angry, he seems to be delighted and proposes an ingenious robbery scheme that will benefit both men. Soon, the two men find themselves locked in an ingenious and devious duel, but who gets the last laugh on whom?

With the right ingredients film-making can seem so easy. The cast consists of just two actors, Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, but with these heavyweights, it's hard to go wrong. Playwright Anthony Shaffer (FRENZY, THE WICKER MAN) wrote a brilliantly ingenious script with crackling dialog, and veteran director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, ALL ABOUT EVE), who knows all the cinematic tricks and has an uncanny aye for detail, manages to avoid this "play" from becoming static in any way. It was to be his last film, and what a grand way to say goodbye to cinema. A real treat from start to finish. Highly recommended!

Camera Obscura --- 10/10