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Gambit

Gambit

Go Ahead: Tell the End (It's Too Hilarious to Keep Secret) But Please Don't Tell the Beginning!

1966109 minApprovedMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Ronald Neame
Starring
Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Herbert Lom, Roger C. Carmel

Harry Dean is a career burglar set on stealing a piece of priceless art from the world's wealthiest man, Mr. Shahbandar. With the help of exotic showgirl Nicole Chang, he concocts the perfect scheme for how the robbery should go and lays it out point by point. However, when the team tries to execute the plan, perfection and reality don't quite match up, and Harry's vision begins to unravel in this twisty tale of a heist gone wrong.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Gambit?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Gambit to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Gambit?

Gambit earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Feel-good.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Gambit worth watching?

Gambit's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 14K ratings across 5 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

89th percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 1960s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

70 /100

79th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 1960s

Critics 62 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.1 — people broadly agree on this one.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 1960s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 100% · Audience 81%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 3 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 7 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Costume Design, Color

Reach

How many have seen it

81st percentile

14K ratings across platforms

78th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1960s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A light, stylish 1960s caper-comedy that centers on a heist plan going awry.

Fans praised

  • Sharp, witty banter between Caine and MacLaine
  • Unusual narrative structure with the idealized versus real heist
  • Revealing MacLaine's character as smart, talkative, and resourceful

Detractors panned

  • Plot is lightweight and insubstantial
  • Romantic subplot feels forced and unconvincing
  • MacLaine's character is self-centred and off-putting

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Caine and MacLaine have good chemistry; Lom is urbane; fans praise Caine's coolness and MacLaine's silent-then-talkative performance; detractors find performances vacant

Dialogue68

Witty script with playful banter between leads; some call it clever and funny

Plot and storyDivisive65

Twist-filled heist structure; fans enjoy the 'plan vs. reality' conceit and unexpected turns; detractors find it complicated and lightweight

HumorDivisive65

Playful comedy stems from plan going wrong and banter; some find it not hilarious

Pacing65

Smart and brisk; first half-hour builds intrigue; some call it overlong

OriginalityDivisive62

Unusual opening with silent fantasy sequence sets it apart; but overall derivative of Topkapi/Rififi

Characters60

MacLaine's character evolves from silent to sharp; Caine's thief is charming but flaws emerge; Lom is a suave, perceptive mark

EndingDivisive60

Multiple final twists; fans find them clever and satisfying; detractors see them as rushed or too many

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Gambit like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is funny and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulTenseRomantic
Heaviest: middle
Witty humor
Register
PlayfulRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its heist premise with a light, playful touch, never taking the danger seriously and focusing on the comedic misunderstandings.
The rideThe middle act carries the most plot tension as the caper goes awry, while the tone stays playful and romantic throughout.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward chronological order, from planning to execution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with the couple choosing each other over crime, and a final gag that leaves the audience smiling.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA cat burglar's elaborate scheme to steal a priceless statuette goes awry when the target sees through the ruse, turning the planned heist into a comedy of errors.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeA thief's ambition to pull off a perfect heist is ultimately outweighed by his growing love for his accomplice.
StanceThe film treats the love between Harry and Nicole as the ultimate good, celebrating the choice of romance over crime and deception.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Maurice Jarre
SettingA luxurious Middle Eastern hotel and its lavish penthouse, with a side trip to Hong Kong
MusicJarre's score likely adds a playful, jazzy overtone to the caper's light mood.

Content guide

Is Gambit okay for kids?

Not Rated

Gambit is not rated.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Germany12
  • Ireland12

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Gambit have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Gambit?

Cast

Shirley MacLaine
as Nicole Chang
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Caine
as Harry Tristan Dean
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Actor - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Herbert Lom
as Shahbandar
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Roger C. Carmel
as J. K. Ram
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Arnold Moss
as Abdul
John Abbott
as Emile Fournier
Richard Angarola
as Colonel Salim
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Maurice Marsac
as Hotel Clerk
Joe Abdullah
as Restaurant Manager
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jan Arvan
as Airport Official

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Gambit?

Movies like Gambit include Gambit (2012), Trouble in Paradise (1932) and Lying and Stealing (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are heist films, and several are whirlwind romances.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its character type: partners in crime. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Gambit?

997 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: con artist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.