Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23442 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-07-29
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL
• Original language: English, Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 138 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Adapted by Anthony Shaffer from his own hit stage play, Sleuth (1972) is a reflexively self-aware send-up of the murder-mystery genre, which risks everything on the tour de force performances of its small cast. Director Joseph L Mankiewicz doesn't attempt to escape the theatrical confines of Shaffer's clever and convoluted screenplay; instead he concentrates--or diverts?--our attention with close-up details of the setting. Is he showing us clues or just more red herrings?

Like Agatha Christie's Mousetrap--which it rivalled in popularity on the West End stage--to say anything more about Sleuth would be to spoil the fun. But even when you've untangled the many and dizzying twists and turns, thanks to its literate screenplay and the magnetic performances of the leads this is a film that rewards repeated viewings. --Mark Walker

Special Features
French
English
Region 2
Biographies
Trailer
Film Notes
Photo Gallery
Location Gallery
23 Minute Featurette A Sleuthian Journey

Synopsis
Rarely has a movie with only three characters been so enthralling as SLEUTH, guided by the expert direction of Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Mystery writer and gamesman Andrew Wyke (Laurence Olivier) has found the next target for his mind games: Milo Tindal (Michael Caine), a nice young British hairdresser who is having an affair with Andrew's neglected wife, hoping to eventually marry her. Professing to want to release his wife to him, Andrew lures Milo to his country house to play a very nasty trick--but Andrew's trick comes back to haunt him. Featuring a revelation viewers will have to fight to hold back when recommending this mystery to friends, SLEUTH will greatly appeal to drawing-room murder fans, who will find the movie thrilling with its unexpected twists and turns. Both the unscrupulous and unremorseful Andrew and Milo, sweet but up to Andrew's challenge, shine in each other's company, shrugging off each wicked verbal barb before zinging back another. Both Caine and Olivier are brilliant in their roles; the former was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor. SLEUTH is based on the play by British playwright Anthony Shaffer.

Customer Reviews

Unbeatable home entertainment
With the release of a new version of Sleuth which I believe is very different to the original film despite having one of the two main actors in it, what better way for the studios to cash in, than re-issue the original on DVD! (I'm hoping!) This is one of those infuriatingly hard to get DVDs, that just doesn't seem to be available to buy anywhere, as far as I can see. As a fan of Pinter I will probably see the new version, but I am in no way expecting it to be anything like as enjoyable as the Olivier/Caine movie. Yes it was hammy and contrived, but credibility apart, it was a delectable little tale of class snobbery, male egos, gamesmanship, revenge, and counter revenge. It is one of the sheerest pieces of entertainment for entertainment's sake I have ever watched and it engages the brain cells as you are called upon as a viewer to try and solve the puzzles set by these rather childish adversaries determined to outwit each other, for the sake of their pride.

Caine is more than Able.
What a work of art this is - everything about it had 'Winner' stamped across it. Beautifully acted by both Sir Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, gifted with a glorious script from which to work. I loved this film the first time I ever saw it, and it ranks among my favourite Top 10 films of all time.

If you like cat and mouse games, you'll love this film. Not only do the two main characters constantly play mind games with each other, the film plays mind games with its audience, who can never really be sure exactly what's fact, and what's fiction.

A real pleasure to watch repeatedly.

Simply superb
Wow, am I so very glad this excellent movie is finally out on DVD.
I first saw this as a kid and was so taken with it then, decades later it remains one of the very few movies still imprinted in my mind as one of the very best I've ever seen.
Such a treat is this offering - a two man piece with the unbelievably excellent Michael Caine and Lawrence Olivier: not that you need anyone else when you have these two acting greats.
You know the plot - other reviewers have covered it well and I won't attempt my own rendition. Suffice it to say, this is a movie classic. It is nostalgic, charming, funny, entertaining, captivating, twisty and turny and all things wonderful that a truly fabulous movie should be.
I can't praise it enough and would strongly recommend it becomes an addition to any firm movie goers DVD library.
This is entertainment at its very best.