“Sleuth” (探偵スルース), Original Japanese B2 Movie Poster 1973, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73 cm) O575

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the 1973 Japanese release of Sleuth, the 1972 mystery thriller directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and based on Anthony Shaffer’s hit stage play. The film, a tightly wound two‑hander set almost entirely in a country manor, stars Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine as warring rivals locked in an escalating game of deception and revenge; both actors received Academy Award nominations, and the film is widely regarded as one of Mankiewicz’s finest late works. 

Film background
Wealthy crime‑novelist Andrew Wyke invites Milo Tindle, his wife’s younger lover, to his elaborate estate under the guise of proposing an insurance scam: Milo will stage a burglary and steal Andrew’s jewellery, funding a new life with Marguerite while Andrew recoups the “loss” from the insurers. What begins as a mischievous caper quickly turns deadly serious as their scheme spirals into humiliation, mock murder and real violence, with each man determined to outwit the other. Filled with twisty dialogue, theatrical set‑pieces and a dark sense of humour, Sleuth remains a benchmark of puzzle‑box thrillers. 

Poster design
This Japanese B2 captures the film’s playful menace. The top half is divided into two portrait panels, each showing a man peering through a magnifying glass, their enlarged eyes staring straight out at the viewer like detectives—and suspects—both under scrutiny. Beneath them, a collage of imagery hints at the film’s twisted games: a grinning clown mask on a stick, a dartboard, and scenes set against a hedge maze suggest carnival tricks and psychological labyrinths. The lower portion of the design is dominated by the bold Japanese title: the huge red kanji 探 and 偵 flank the smaller blue katakana スルース, visually spelling out “Detective Sleuth.” Clean cream‑coloured borders frame the artwork, giving the whole piece a crisp, early‑’70s mystery‑paperback feel.

Condition
Excellent (close to near mint). Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. 

This is an original 1973 Japanese theatrical B2 poster, not a reproduction or a reprint. Certificate of Authenticity included.

It is over 52 years old!