Gambit

Just Add Popcorn for this Memorable Romantic Comedy Caper
In the 1960s Hollywood combined the classic "caper" film with a healthy dose of romantic comedy. The result was a series of charming films such as CHARADE (1963) and HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)--films that combined major stars, clever plots, witty scripts and which balanced suspense with comic and romantic complications.

Made in 1966 and released in 1967, GAMBIT was among the last of these films, and like all others in the genre it had a complex plot. Ahmad Shahbandar (Herbert Lom) is quite possibly the richest man in the world and a recluse to boot, a man who has never gotten over the death of his beautiful Eurasian wife some twenty years ago. Harry Dean (Michael Caine) devises a clever plan to gain access to his luxury apartment and rob him blind: he will use honky-tonk dancer Nicole Chang (Shirley MacLaine), who bears a striking resemblance to Shahbandar's long dead wife, to breach Shahbandar's defenses.

There's only one problem: it won't work. To tell...

A Genuinely Fun Movie
Gambit shows us two superbly developing stars, Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine -- and in restrospect, you realize from watching this fine movie that they had what it takes, even back in the 1960s. Shirley was just superb as a street-wise nightclub dancer, and Michael was perfect as the crook with grand plans who never could seem to make things work just right. This is a funny film. Your kids will like it, if you can convince them to actually sit and watch it with you, and follow the plot. Gambit was a good precursor to Caine's best finagling movie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels... you can see where he got practice appearing frustrated, the way his plans with Shirley kept going off track.
Enjoy.

Very Entertaining
An extremely amusing film.The first half is quite serious but the second half sweeps you off on a rollercoaster ride of humour,romance and sheer unpredictablity!My favourite line in the movie is when the millionaire asks what is said about amber Michael Caine doesn`t have a clue and tries to bluster his way out when Shirley Maclaine smiles sweetly and remarks coolly,"amber is the soul of the tiger trapped in stone" She is just lovely in it

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