Gambit (1966)

“I suppose this is the end of a beautiful friendship.” 29 August 2019

From IMDb:   “An English cat burglar needs a Eurasian dancer's help to pull off the perfect heist, but even the most foolproof schemes have a way of backfiring.”

Instead of trying to write my own plot description, I’ve gone with the one from IMDb.  I watched Gambit completely blind and I think everyone deserves that opportunity. Not that I think anyone will read or care what I write, but on the off chance someone does, I don’t want to be the cause of any spoilers. 

As should be obvious by my rating, I absolutely adored Gambit.  Just about everything worked perfectly for me. Director Ronald Neame expertly crafted a film that engrossed and entertained me from beginning to end.  The pacing couldn’t be better. The film has an unusual structure that I found intriguing. While watching the movie, at about the 30 minute mark, everything you think you understand gets turned upside down.  And that’s not the last of the plot twists. Gambit’s clever script features several well-played swerves that I honestly didn’t see coming. It’s a fantastic piece of writing. Speaking of fantastic, that describes Shirley McClaine and Michael Caine.  The pair have definite chemistry and make the most of it. McClaine is simply mesmerizing during those first 30 minutes I mentioned earlier. The supporting cast is more than capable, with notable performances from John Abbott and Herbert Lom. Technically, I found Gambit flawless – cinematography, set design, music, and costume design (McClaine looks absolutely fabulous) are all as good as you’ll find.  I’m not surprised to discover the film’s art direction and costume design were nominated for an Oscar. There’s really no end to the positives I could write about.

My only quibble with Gambit and the thing that keeps me from rating it a 10/10 is the rather suddenness of what I call “the romance stuff”.  Okay, it’s not like I didn’t see it coming. It’s not a spoiler to say that I knew from the beginning that Caine and McClaine’s characters would end up together.  But their out-of-the-blue proclamations of love were a bit jarring. Regardless, Gambit is a wonderful movie and one I can’t wait to revisit again and again. 

9/10