Sleuth (1972)

Stars	User	Rating
2	CCLZA	70 _51st
The games were highle predictable, but the fine performances and spooky settings make it entertaining
2	ABUNCHOFCATS	95 _96th
A stunning battle of wits between Caine and Olivier with both playing off of each other with amazing chemistry. Massively fun and keeps you guessing right until the end and never lets up thanks to great directing and writing. This is a must-watch if you enjoy thriller/detective/mystery moves even a tiny, tiny bit because I don't particularly care for them and I loved this film.
1	MartinTeller	82 _73rd
A fun cat-and-mouse style thriller. The film reminded me an awful lot of Death Trap, not just because of Caine, but also the dry humor, the confined setting, and the way the tables are always being turned, the sense of oneupsmanship. I don't think it's all that funny, but it is put together cleverly, as long as you can overlook the fact that one of the characters is shockingly bad at recognizing the other one in a cheap disguise. An interesting commentary on class and bourgeois puffery.
1	Cerebrus	80 _81st
Mankiewicz was the best person to direct this. Simply laying back and letting two master actors act while not screwing up in the progress.
1	teknicolor	97 _98th
All I can say is WOW. Olivier and Caine are masters of their art.
1	PeaceAnarchy	95 _99th
Excellent acting by Olivier and Caine takes a simple premise to magnificent heights. The film takes a series of increasingly bizarre twists and turns as the viewer tries to unravel what's going on in this excellent mystery.
1	frederic_g54	9 _90th
Excellent thriller that points out how revenge can be triggered as a result of one man's badgering tactics ("it was only a bloody game"). The writing and performances are impeccable and put other similar works to shame. Recommended !!!
1	Icarus	83 _72nd
A film that gains momentum throughout, Sleuth benefits from fine acting, detailed set design, and sharp writing. The film's ultimate mockery of the childish "gentleman" brings a social conscience to the proceedings, while the humiliating deeds underline the futility of vengeance. This is one of those literate films that manages to remain fun, even while careening toward a striking and disturbing conclusion.
1	Barthalen	78 _74th
Some moments are a bit tóó whimsical and the identity of the visiting detective is painfully obvious from the moment he steps into the house, but despite these minor complaints this film was a fun ride until the surprisingly gripping climax. In hindsight, Deathtrap did borrow a whole lot from Sleuth, but both have their unique strengths.
1	Va3H	92 _68th
A wonderful film in every aspect. Excellently written, superbly acted and remarkably paced, and filled with memorable scenes performed by all-time greats the late Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Michael Caine. A cat-and-mouse tale (no pun intended) battle of wits surrounding a devilish plan for incrimination so as to assuage ill-feelings and resentment towards the other. A great character study highlighting revenge as a means to an end, concluding with a wonderfully crafted ending.
1	pompousass	40 _71st
Shaffer's veddy, veddy clever stage play is really not a mystery story at all, but rather a character study of a lordly WASP bigot (Olivier, acting in a Man of a Thousand Voices style) who just happens to compose genteel whodunits on the side. Shaffer spoofs the detective genre with considerable malice, and yet his own pretzeled plotting would be completely undone if he failed to outfox the audience.
1	spleen	95 _98th
Genius. Yes, it's a filmed stage play but that's not really a criticism. Some of Alec Cawthorne's finest work. Must see.
1	yesistasty	76 _33rd
Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier deliver fantastic performances (as should be expected). However, their characters like to talk, and talk, and talk...
1	AndreasThau	91 _95th
Fucking amazing.
1	Rufam	80 _85th
Although flawed and overlong, "Sleuth" remains an ingeniously plotted thriller that starts slowly but becomes increasingly engaging until the superb finale. Shaffer's script is witty and intelligent, but the film works thanks to the performances: both Oliver and Caine excel as they constantly attempt to outsmart each other. Mankiewicz's camerawork is sloppy at times -and yet, he proves capable of turning this potentially fatal premise into a compelling and challenging mouse-and-cat game.
1	waddayanuts	68 _30th
An otherwise clever film suffers from being just too cocky in that haughty, English way. Ironically, it is exactly that overclass cockiness which the film at once both attacks and embraces. All in all the film was enjoying, especially due to a great third act, but I think the script's witty cat'n'mouse game had potential for more. I mean, Hitchcock could really have made a great film out of this!

Average Percentile 71.69% from 1306 Ratings