Sleuth (play) and Patrick Macnee. Baxter was succeeded by Brian Murray, Donal Donnelly, Jordan Christopher and Curt Dawson. "Sleuth" received the 1971 Tony Award for Best Play, and received nominations for Best Direction of a Play (Clifford Williams) and Best Lighting Design (William Ritman). Anthony Quayle and Keith Baxter received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance. "Sleuth" also received the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Play. In 1972, Shaffer adapted his play for film, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine. Another film adaptation was released in 2007 with a screenplay by Harold Pinter.
Sleuth (2007 film) Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie a 36%. Of 118 reviews, 42 were "Fresh" (positive) and 76 "Rotten" (negative). The critical consensus states that "Sleuth is so obvious and coarse, rather than suspenseful and action-packed, that it does nothing to improve on the original version." "Time" film reviewer Richard Corliss indicated he was not pleased with the outcome, concluding, "...[I]f you consider what the exalted quartet of Branagh, Pinter, Caine and Law might have done with the project, and what they did "to" it, "Sleuth" has to be the worst prestige movie of the year." Claudia Puig of "USA Today" was