16 October 2024
Games (1967)
101 min.
Directed by Curtis Harrington.
With James Caan, Simone Signoret, Katharine Ross, Don Stroud, Kent Smith, Estelle Winwood.
Slick early mystery from genre director Harrington (the excellent The Killing Kind in 1973, and What's the Matter with Helen? in 1971, et al).

Rich and slightly aimless, married couple Caan and Ross enjoy playing extravagant 'games,' fanciful but harmless setups to pass their time.

Enter wandering cosmetics saleslady Lisa (Signoret).

Soon, the eccentric woman begins to introduce the couple to a whole new breed of thrillseeking: a combustible cocktail of risk, intrigue, jealousy...and murder.

But what's actually real and what's imaginary? Whatever the answer may be, true danger hangs in the air of this stylish and well acted thriller.

From Diabolique to Ship of Fools, Signoret is ever beguiling and here's no exception as she expertly plays the shifty-eyed, tarot-loving mass of questions.

Leads Caan and Ross are always watchable.

The whole thing is capped by a great, classy ending.

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