Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s final film, Sleuth, was based on a critically acclaimed play by Anthony Shaffer and it tells the story of an aging crime writer who invites his wife’s younger lover to his mansion home.
Laurence Olivier portrays writer Andrew Wyke and Michael Caine is hairdresser Milo Tindle. Milo arrives at Wyke’s mansion, but not before having to traverse a seemingly impossible hedge maze in the front garden. This is one of Wyke’s gimmicks - he absolutely loves games and this is further evident from the vast amount of toys and puzzles he has in his home. Milo’s confusion as to why he has been invited suddenly becomes clear when Wyke explains that he wants Milo to fake a robbery and take his jewels so Milo can afford to keep up Wyke’s wife’s lavish and expensive lifestyle.
The two power-house performances are key to this movie’s success. The film clocks in at over two hours and we never leave the setting of Wyke’s mansion. It is a difficult feat indeed to keep an audience so engrossed in one setting but with the help of Olivier and Caine, Sleuth manages to achieve that. Olivier excels, his boyish giddy glee towards games is a joy to watch and Caine shows off his acting chops in multiple ways, holding his own against Olivier. Both were nominated for ‘Best Leading Actor’ at the Oscars.
As well as the performances, the weighty runtime is justified by the vast amount of twists the film takes. Just as Sleuth begins to drag ever so slightly, something happens that snaps full attention back on the screen.
A fun, suspenseful watch aided by the acting of two legends, Sleuth is a mystery thriller quite unlike any other.
Score: 74/100