Gambit (1966)

Plot: A Cockney thief hires a Hong Kong Eurasian to impersonate his wife in order to steal an art masterpiece from a Middle Eastern Millionaire.
Cast: Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine, Herbert Lom

Gambit is a 1966 movie done in the style so popular in that era, the "comic caper" film. Inspired by the success and style of Topkapi, the 1960s brought us How to Steal a Million, The Italian Job, Thomas Crown Affair, et al. - sophisticated, international, breezy fun. In Gambit, Lum and Caine are solid, and Maclaine has never been more adorable or better outfitted. The set design and customs were deservedly nominated for Oscars. It’s an entertaining 100 minutes, but the movie sacrifices character development, witty dialogue, and even plausibility, for a barrage of clever surprises*.

Summary: Gambit gets by on charm of its lead stars and its plot twists. Pauline Kael hated it**but it’s an amusing delight. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore Rating 3 of 4

Notes:
*  Avast, Ye Readers - Spoilers Ahead.  The “heist” and various plot twists in the movie are fun, but make no sense. For example:

• Lom is the “richest man in the world” but has to *personally* be in his Penthouse to keep his Art collection safe. All his guards are useless.  And Caine simply unscrews a panel from the Elevator shaft to gain entrance to the art collection! 
• After only one brief visit, Caine knows exactly how to break into the apartment, and how to steal the masterpiece and escape. 
• MacLaine has no problem entering the Penthouse and warning Caine its “a Trap”.
• Caine and MacLaine make a wonderful Comic duo, but there’s no romance. So Caine’s sacrifice of the artwork and declaration of love at the end, makes zero sense. 

**   Pauline Kael. For some reason, Kael disliked the movie intensely:  "It wants to be a jaunty heist-caper like Topkapi but its of quintessential mediocrity, not hip enough to sustain interest - not dreary enough to walk out on. As a cockney thief, Michael Caine, still new to movies, isn’t secure enough to waltz through. Shirley MacLaine needs help— she can’t keep her timing from slipping. With Herbert Lom (the cut-rate Charles Boyer)"

Leaving aside that 46 y/o Pauline was hardly "hip" in 1966, its hard to know what to make of this. Caine, Lom, and MacLaine are excellent. If the movie is "Mediocre" the problem lies with the script.