When Curtis Harrington passed away . Though his features were relatively few, he and his long-time producing partner George Edwards, produced a fine body of work. Unfortunately, Harrington was not only treated shabbily when he tried to get features financed (his last feature was 1985’s MATA HARI), that negligence has continued on in home video with several of his films either out of print or on poor quality releases. GAMES is only available as an oop VHS tape.

GAMES probably represents the best-budgeted, most successful feature film in Harrington’s career. It is full of colorful detail, flamboyant theatricality, art and artifice. Harrington had a great love for classic cinema and art/antiques and GAMES afforded him the opportunity to indulge them in this visually rich production.

GAMES has often been described as a Hitchcockian thriller (a filmmaker who Harrington doubtless had studied), but it pays an even greater homage to Clouzot’s DIABLOLIQUE, even going so far as to cast its heroine, Simone Signoret. Signoret turns in a masterful performance utterly in keeping with the sly gamemanship on display. It is hard to describe the twists and turns in this tricky plot, but I wouldn’t want to do so anyway so as not to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it. Trust Harrington, Edwards and Gene Kearney’s script, even if you can guess where its going, the ride is a witty one.

I’m afraid the deliberate pacing might be confuse those brought up in today’s hyper action film environment with it being slow. The pace IS intentional and it adds to the intrigue. The payoffs are delicious and worth waiting for.

Just because Harrington had a love for the past (even the past as of the mid-60’s) doesn’t mean GAMES is just a nostalgia ride, he had the good sense to cast then up-and-comers James Caan and Katharine Ross, as well as mix in Lichtenstein like pop-art along with the antiquities in the set dressing. Harrington also included cameos from a couple of his actresses from his previous films: Florence Marley (QUEEN OF BLOOD) and Luana Anders (NIGHT TIDE).

The American Cinematheque held a screening of GAMES in tribute to Curtis Harrington and the print was in very good physical condition. The colors were strong and it was in widescreen. Though a bit soft and with some grain, it would make for a suitable DVD anamorphic transfer. Hint, hint Universal Studios!