SLEUTH
UK, 2007, 87 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Jude Law.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Sleuth is a remake of Anthony Shaffer's play, Sleuth, and the film version directed by Joseph L Mankiewicz in 1972 with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine. Michael Caine now takes on the Olivier role.
The film has been rewritten for the screen by playwright, Harold Pinter, using the basis of Anthony Shaffer's play, but introducing the dialogue so typical of Pinter himself and his plays like The Birthday Party, The Caretaker... But, whether it works well on screen rather than on stage? And how does Caine compare with Olivier and Law with Caine?
The film is set in a rather lavish modernistic mansion with very few scenes outside the house. The film focuses on a popular novel writer who is visited by a part-time actor who wants to persuade him to give his wife a divorce because the actor is living with her. The actor then plays a psychological and physical game with the visitor. In the second part of the film, the visitor assumes the disguise of a police inspector, and turns the tables on the novelist.
The film is interesting verbally, for its performances, for its sleight of hand with the performance by the actor. It has a rather sudden ending - something of a shock to the system.
Branagh has directed the thriller and mystery, Dead Again. He has followed in Laurence Olivier's footsteps by directing versions of Henry V, Hamlet, and performing as Iago in a screen version of Othello. He also directed versions of Much Ado About Nothing, Loves Labours Lost and As You Like It.
1.The background of the play and its success, the original film? The quality of a remake?
2.The plot opened out? The new Pinter dialogue? The basis in Anthony Schaffer’s play? Some glimpses of cars and the outside?
3.The film as a two-hander, the quality of the performance of the two actors – and the scene of disguise?
4.The use of the camera, surveillance cameras within the house, editing ordinary shots, overhead shots, the scenes on the camera screens? The emphasis on technology? The sleight of hand with the disguise? With the use of the cameras?
5.The plausibility of the plot, the mind of the author, the divorce issue, jealousy, the ordinary man, his reaction, violence and vengeance?
6.Playing psychological games, verbal wit, psychological sparring? The physical aspects of the games?
7.Andrew Wyke and his vanity, his elaborate house, the modern style, artwork, the lift, the design by his wife? His books, the advertisements? His reputation and vanity? His wife leaving him, married for twelve years? His attitude? Pretending not to know Milo, mocking his name, the Italian background, Hungarian, reference to him as a hairdresser? Inviting him in, the drinks? The psychological jousting? The explanation of the plan, the robbery? Inviting Milo to trust him? The execution of the plot, like directing it, the outside ladder, the roof, Milo and his falling, the pretending to be the other in order to find the safe combination, the jewels, the shooting?
8.Milo, smug, arrival, simple expectations, response to Wyke, his being mocked, the issue of the wife loving him, the invitation to trust, going into action for the robbery, the jewels, no letter for the fence in Amsterdam, pretending to be Andrew in the discussion about the safe, his fear, being shot?
9.The policeman’s arriving, his style, appearance, talk, talking of Andrew’s reputation, references to Milo, the wife, the confrontation and the revelation?
10.Wyke’s reaction, the further games, Milo with the gun, pressure, putting the jewels on Andrew? The comment about whether they suited? The shooting?
11.Andrew and his seductive language, the promises, wanting Milo to move in, the room, all the offers?
12.The phone calls from the wife, the discussions? Her backing Milo?
13.Andrew and his overpowering Milo, killing him?
14.The impact on the audience, the experience of clever writing, tricky plotting? The suddenness and seriousness of the ending?
