Senteur As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

gutenkatzen Paul (James Caan) and Jennifer (Katharine Ross) Montgomery are wealthy boho socialites who amuse themselves with elaborate parlor games in their Manhattan townhouse filled with pop art and vintage arcade games. Lisa Schindler (Simone Signoret) is a down on her luck German aristocrat who gains entrance to their house (and into their minds) after Lisa takes pity on her and allows the admittedly dishonest door-to-door saleswoman into their lives. The glamorous and amoral Lisa scoffs at their harmless pastimes and arranges more decadent and deadly amusements that will put Jennifer's sanity to the test. Signoret, in a role that was written for Marlene Dietrich, chews the scenery and spits out the upholstery tacks, proving that no film ever suffered from her presence, however miscast. James Caan blends into the carpeting as the not so better half of a pair of dissolute dilettantes, while Katharine Ross's beauty gamely steps in to act. 'The Game' is a stylish, well-paced thriller that combines Harrington's 'queer' art house sensibilities with a master draftsman's assured and nimble hands.

bob_meg It's hard if not impossible to believe the studios tossing around names like Marlene Dietrich and Simone Signoret when casting the the role of Lisa Schindler, the down-on-her-luck cosmetics saleswoman who wanders into the lives of bon vivants Paul and Jennifer Montgomery (deliciously cast James Caan and Katherine Ross). Such were the days when true Hollywood icons were available to lend gravitas to what could be standard horror fare.The thing is, "Games" is hardly standard. It's wickedly evil, perverse, and calculating --- playing you like a piano, much the way Ross and Caan's characters typically play their party guests. The film takes place almost entirely in a fantastic set-piece brownstone owned by the couple, filled with off-putting expressionistic artwork and baroque/Gothic decorations. It's obvious neither Paul nor Jennifer work for a living, and placing a sophisticated cypher like Signoret among them, who oozes both charm and menace with equal ease, is a superb set-up.All three of these characters enjoy playing "games" and suffice it to say, things take a turn for the worse rather quickly when Signoret gifts Jen and Paul a pair of antique dueling revolvers.Curtis Harrington's direction really ignites this film: he plays with a lot of transposition and editing tricks that really heighten the suspense and paranoia. The last third of the film contains many moments that are downright terrifying, especially given the way they're set up and performed.And of course, the script measures up to it, leading you down various false alleys and never giving you much clue as to what's going to happen next. When it's over, you can't believe you didn't see it coming, but that's part of the fun of "Games." It weaves a spell over you much like that mystical crystal ball of Madame Schindler's.

moonspinner55 Peculiar thriller begins quite promisingly, but takes a curious, dispiriting turn somewhere along the way and never recoups its glory. Upscale New York couple James Caan and Katharine Ross--who enjoy warped versions of penny-arcade games and mischievous pranks--invite fragile saleswoman Simone Signoret to stay with them, which culminates in a crime. Director Curtis Harrington, who was also involved with the script, sets up an initially delicious puzzle involving the decadent rich, but allows the intricacies of the character-development to unravel in the second act. Caan and Ross appear to be very much in love--and Ross herself seems to be a pretty smart cookie--rendering a plot-twist late in the proceedings unconvincing. William Fraker's cinematography is stylish, though the action rarely ventures outdoors and one becomes acutely aware of the low-budget underpinnings (the film also has a mysteriously European feel, causing the alleged New York location to seem irrelevant--and a mismatch with the material). Good acting only takes it so far. **1/2 from ****

manuel-pestalozzi This film reminds me of "Sleuth", the movie based on a play by Anthony Shaffer released in 1972. Like in "Sleuth", people play games on each other and do not reveal their alliances, their true intentions or their true self. The story is acted like in a theatre play. The sets, representing a New York town house in a prosperous neighbourhood, are nicely done and give a vivid impression of the middle sixties' trends in fashion design and interior decorating - again you can compare it with the lavish set and the different costumes used by the protagonists in "Sleuth". For once, James Caan plays a slick urbanite, and he does it quite well. Don Stroud has a small part, a good actor whose screen presence and performance are always memorable. And then there is Simone Signoret ... as always she is absolutely riveting, and she puts a lot of charm in her rather pityful character. She uses her French accent very much to her advantage! "Games" is an elegant, suspenseful thriller for people who like to see a play now and then. Only right at the end you will know who has won!