MovieChat Forums > Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) Discussion > Sleuth

Sleuth

posted 10 years ago by k00ldude
2 replies | jump to latest

A long time ago I saw a film called Sleuth starring Laurence Olivier and a very young Michael Caine. It's about two con-men trying to out-con one another. One is a high class sophistiticated swindler, whilst the other is a young cock-sure, rough around the edges charmer. The latter of which is played by Caine. It's a fantastic film with twist after twist after twist. Whilst stumbling around netflix I came across Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and half assumed it was perhaps a sequel to Sleuth. However, upon reviewing the imdb page not only did I learn it was not, but I did not find a single connection regarding the film Sleuth at all. I'll admit it has been a few years since I watched that remarkable film, and maybe my memory has faded, but are these two films not intriguingly similar? Not even simply for having Caine play such a familiar role? Has Sleuth become such an obscure film?
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[–] ClassicIsBest 10 years ago

Has Sleuth become such an obscure film?

Amongst the general audience, I would imagine it is fairly obscure (the 2007 remake deservedly so).

but are these two films not intriguingly similar?

Not really, no. Even if you ignore that Scoundrels is a remake of Bedtime Story, which predates Shaffer's original stage-play of Sleuth.

Yes, Caine is in both and yes there is an older-sophisticate/younger-rough-diamond dichotomy, but that is certainly not particular to Sleuth. And even in that, the personalities of Lawrence and Freddy in Scoundrels are wholly dis-similar to those of Andrew Wyke (poisonous) and Milo Tindle (cunning) And after that...

Well, for one thing, neither character in Sleuth is a con-man. Olivier is a writer, Caine is a hairdresser. There are no cons; there are a series of mind games, initiated by Olivier (the tables are turned - up to a point - in the second half) that are retaliation for Caine's affair with Oliver's wife.

In terms of theme, tone, content and style, the two films are radically different. And I'm imagine that a sequel to Sleuth would be tricky, considering that Caine's character is killed at the climax and Olivier's is about to be arrested for his murder.

Sleuth is far darker and twistier (including one mega-twist that works better on stage than on screen, Caine's remarkable performance notwithstanding) than Scoundrels and apart from Caine's presence, I can't think of any meaningful links between the two.

[–] Hippo9 9 years ago

Caine is actually in the remake of sleuth playing the Olivier character. With Jude law playing the younger Caine character.