One of the best movies you've probably never seen. A clever crime caper, full of unexpected plot shifts that have to be carefully watched for in order not to get lost. Michael Caine's first American movie (quickly snapped up after the success of THE IPCRESS FILE), playing devilish mastermind Harry Dean opposite Shirley MacLaine's ditzy innocent Nicole Chang. With the help of John Abbott's master sculptor Emile, they concoct a scheme to rob a priceless sculpture from one Ahmad Shahbandar (done with regal splendor by the underrated Herbert Lom), a wealthy recluse who longs for a remembrance of his late wife (who just so happens to be a dead ringer for MacLaine's character). This trickery gains Dean access to Shahbandar's ritzy apartment complex, where the sculpture must be smuggled out of using a complex series of expected events that require split-second timing. As you might expect with a dark comedy, nothing comes off right until the surprising ending (which I won't give away). If you're exhausted with green-screen explosions and puerile sitcom extensions, try this 1966 heist yarn to appreciate a time when movies were talent-heavy and story-driven.