Sleuth: 1972 Original Vs. 2007 Remake

Sleuth, a remake of a clever and tricky mystery first penned by Anthony Shaffer as a stage play, is coming out on October 12, 2007 - exactly 35 years after the original Sleuth was released on October 12, 1972.

The original version was directed by Joseph L. Manciewicz; Shaffer, the playwright, had written the script, adapting his play for the movie production. Starring two excellent actors, Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, this movie has many fans who hail it as brilliant, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, the original Sleuth has been hard to find, despite being released on DVD in the 1990s. I had to hunt for it far and wide when I first wanted to rent it; that proved to be impossible. Neither local libraries nor movie rentals had this gem. Buying it used from Amazon or on Ebay was the only option. Hopefully, the upcoming remake will boost the viewers' interest to the original as well, and prompts another DVD release.

Discussing the plot brings the risk of spoiling the viewing experience for those who have not yet enjoyed this brilliant, witty story, which would have been unforgivable; therefore I will limit myself to only touching the basics. Andrew Wyke (Olivier) is a wealthy mystery writer whose wife leaves him for a younger man, Milo Tindle (Michael Caine), a hairdresser. Wyke invites his wife's lover to his secluded mansion - and a fascinating game begins. Wyke claims that he wants to get rid of his wife and is even willing to help Tindle out by staging a robbery. Tindle is a man of modest means, and Wyke's wife is used to luxury. So if Wyke lets Tindle steal his very expensive jewelry and later cashes in on insurance, both men will get what they want... Will they?

Laurence Olivier is, needless to say, impeccable. I recall reading in What's It All About, Michael Caine's autobiographical book, how challenging it was for him to act alongside Olivier, a renowned master who was used to playing in theaters and having the whole scene centered around himself. However, Michael Caine stood up to the challenge and delivered a matching performance.

The upcoming 2007 release does a neat trick of inviting Michael Caine to be in the movie again, only this time he plays Wyke, the writer. The tables are turned, so to speak; I bet Caine enjoyed playing Olivier's part. Jude Law steps in to play Milo Tindle, the wife-stealer. (Side note: interestingly, this isn't the first time Law gets a former Michael Caine's part; he had appeared in 2004 Alfie, playing the title character.)

The remake is only 86 minutes long, vs. 138 minutes of the original. I really do not think this chopping down was necessary. Sometimes trying to tighten up a long classic may be a good idea, but in this case, the original was not drawn-out or slow-paced. Those who have not seen the original will not notice, of course, but fans of the 1972 version will miss some good parts of the story gone. Another unnecessary addition is some bad language, for which the movie has received its R rating. I really do not think cussing can somehow better a movie. Good, gripping mystery can be done quite well without it, which the original version (rated PG) proves.

The duo of Michael Caine and Jude Law is excellent. Law faces the same challenge Caine had faced 35 years ago: playing alongside a master and trying to match his performance. He does well. I would say Caine still outshines Law a little, but it suits the plot; perhaps it was meant that way. The remake takes every advantage of moving the story forward in time and packs Wyke's mansion with all kinds of high-tech electronic devices that he can operate by a remote control, adding quite a bit to the thrill and suspense.

Is the remake better than the original? I would have to say no. Is it a good movie? By itself, yes.