Sleuth
“Think of the perfect crime... Then go one step further.”
Synopsis
A man who loves games and theatre invites his wife's lover to meet, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Sleuth (1972) Theatrical trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2008-09-03
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 10, 1972
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 6, 2023
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$5.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.64x
+$2.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- Screenplay & Story
- Anthony Shaffer
- Original Score
- John Addison
- Original Title
- Sleuth
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Italian, English
- Runtime
- 2h 18m
- Production Budget
- $3.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $5.8M
- Production Studios
- Palomar Pictures International
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Anthony Shaffer
John Addison
Oswald Morris
Richard Marden
Edgar J. Scherick, Morton Gottlieb
Department Leadership Roster
Ken Adam
Production Design
Anthony Shaffer
Screenplay
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Director
John Furniss
Costume Design
Oswald Morris
Director of Photography
Richard Marden
Editor
John Addison
Original Music Composer
Morton Gottlieb
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Sleuth.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Sleuth.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Limelight Not Seen
***Retro***
vison of mind
Imported from MUBI list: https://mubi.com/en/lists/vison-of-mind
Mind Games
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
2772
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sleuth
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Sleuth about?
A man who loves games and theatre invites his wife's lover to meet, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.
Who directed Sleuth?
Sleuth was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Who stars in Sleuth?
The principal cast of Sleuth includes Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine.
When was Sleuth released and how long is it?
Sleuth was released in 1972 with a total runtime of 2h 18m.
What was the box office and production budget of Sleuth?
Sleuth had a reported production budget of $3.5M and grossed $5.8M at the worldwide box office (1.64 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Sleuth?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Sleuth was composed by John Addison.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Sleuth?
Sleuth holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).