Games (1967) starring Simone Signoret, James Caan, and Katherine Ross

Interesting trio of actors

It's a psychological thriller starring Simone Signoret, James Caan, and Katherine Ross. Any movie featuring those three actors really piques my interest. It's one of Caan's early roles. Prior to this movie he terrorized Olivia de Havilland in Lady in a Cage. 

Went to see a screening of this last week at the Music Box Theater, which showed it in 35 MM. The film opens with a neat credit sequence featuring an animated deck of cards. Caan and Ross play a wealthy married couple living in a 2-story New York townhome. The interior of the home is decorated with all kinds of art and arcade-type amusement games such as pinball machines. The couple play host to the kinds of parties that Andy Warhol might attend, and they amuse their guests with bizarre stunts and tricks.

I love this poster.
It seems to exclaim "SHOCKER!"

Character actor George Furth plays a hipster party guest with a 60's perm. He seems to be having a ball, while their housekeeper gleefully announces that she's leaving town on a three-week vacation. Whether or not she'll be back is anyone's guess. Then there is the grocery errand boy who has a crush on the lovely Katherine Ross. He pops in and out of the house at the most inconvenient of times.

Outshining every other performer is none other than the great Simone Signoret (Diabolique), who enters the young couple's lives one day, and soon, the "games" begin - mind games if you will. The kind that put those in Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf to shame. Real guns are used, and there's real danger. To her, pinball games are mere child's play.

There are some plot twists that are better left unsaid so as to not spoil anything. I was really surprised at the outcome of everything, and wasn't expecting what was going to happen. A few of my theater companions found the movie predictable, as did Roger Ebert in his review of the film.  But for the most part, the film had me in suspense. One scene involves a cat who had me thinking it might do something that may or may not happen. You'll have to see the movie to find out.

A mind-bending thriller that you will not soon forget. Directed by Curtis Harrington.