A man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.A man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.A man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 5 wins & 11 nominations total
Alec Cawthorne
- Inspector Doppler
- (credit only)
John Matthews
- Detective Sergeant Tarrant
- (credit only)
Eve Channing
- Marguerite Wyke
- (credit only)
Teddy Martin
- Police Constable Higgs
- (credit only)
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia(At around one hour and twelve minutes) The photograph raised up the wall to replace the one shot by Andrew is of Dame Agatha Christie.
- Goofs(at around 1h 2 mins) When Wyke "shoots" Tindle in the head at contact range with what is supposed to be a blank cartridge, Tindle simply faints from fright. In fact, the hot gases, explosive particles, wadding and minuscule barrel debris from a blank-cartridge shot to the head at point-blank range would certainly have given Tindle quite a serious wound, possibly even a fatal one.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Milo Tindle: Andrew... remember... be sure and tell them... it was only a bloody game.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 51st Annual Academy Awards (1979)
- SoundtracksJust one of these things
Words and music by Cole Porter
Featured review
Classic mystery with dynamite performances by Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine
A very entertaining "thriller" about a wealthy mystery novelist named Andrew Wyke (Olivier), who invites Milo Tindle (Caine) - working-class owner of a chain of hair salons - to his sixteenth-century mansion to discuss Milo's affair with Wyke's wife. Instead of being angry, he seems to be delighted and proposes an ingenious robbery scheme that will benefit both men. Soon, the two men find themselves locked in an ingenious and devious duel, but who gets the last laugh on whom?
With the right ingredients film-making can seem so easy. The cast consists of just two actors, Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, but with these heavyweights, it's hard to go wrong. Playwright Anthony Shaffer (FRENZY, THE WICKER MAN) wrote a brilliantly ingenious script with crackling dialog, and veteran director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, ALL ABOUT EVE), who knows all the cinematic tricks and has an uncanny aye for detail, manages to avoid this "play" from becoming static in any way. It was to be his last film, and what a grand way to say goodbye to cinema. A real treat from start to finish. Highly recommended!
Camera Obscura --- 10/10
With the right ingredients film-making can seem so easy. The cast consists of just two actors, Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, but with these heavyweights, it's hard to go wrong. Playwright Anthony Shaffer (FRENZY, THE WICKER MAN) wrote a brilliantly ingenious script with crackling dialog, and veteran director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (A LETTER TO THREE WIVES, ALL ABOUT EVE), who knows all the cinematic tricks and has an uncanny aye for detail, manages to avoid this "play" from becoming static in any way. It was to be his last film, and what a grand way to say goodbye to cinema. A real treat from start to finish. Highly recommended!
Camera Obscura --- 10/10
helpful•2910
- Camera-Obscura
- Oct 10, 2006
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Mord mit kleinen Fehlern
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,081,254
- Runtime2 hours 18 minutes
- Color
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