Overview: A team of professional card sharks set out to fleece a wealthy aristocrat of this savings and receive an I.O.U. in payment, which turns out to be worthless. An interesting international cast and a setting in beautiful downtown Dubrovnik (a resort town in Yugoslavia) makes for an enjoyable caper film.

Blu-ray Verdict: The film follows two con-men, Rooney (Don Gordon) and his friend Goldy (Stuart Margolin) as they embark on an Adriatic cruise in search of victims to bilk out of gambling money. Rooney, who masquerades as a sophisticated psychiatrist, is actually a card shark who uses a seemingly foolproof system to ensure he wins big money from gullible people during poker games.

The pair meet another pair of con men working aboard the ship: an Englishman named Broadfoot (Kenneth Griffith) and his partner, the Frenchman Cozzier (Pierre Olaf). In a high stakes poker game, the Europeans are impressed with Rooney’s system. They know they have been conned but are not offended. Instead, they propose joining forces.

They reveal they are en route to tempt a local aristocrat with a weakness for gambling to join them in a major poker game. If Rooney and Goldy will enlist with them and use their secret methods to ensure a win, they will split the ill-gained winnings with them. Along for the ride is Candace (Suzy Kendall), a free-spirited English girl who is intoxicated by these con men and their exotic methods of duping their marks.

At first glance, The Gamblers is a bit crude. The beginning sequences are more confusing than engrossing and it takes a while to for the characters to develop. However, the viewer should stick with it because there are many unpredictable twists, turns and cons to entertain. What is most enjoyable about the movie is the fact that it offers rare leading roles to actors who are ordinarily known for being reliable second bananas.

Gordon is familiar to many retro movie goers, having appeared in several movies with his old friend Steve McQueen. Similarly, Margolin and Griffith did yeoman work over the decades, largely in comedic roles. Here, they all get a chance to shine, along with Olaf, who is equally impressive.

The biggest star of the lot at the time, Suzy Kendall, is, ironically, included for window dressing and her primary contribution is to be seen in mini dresses and bikinis (although we were not complaining). The film zlso features an infectious score by John Morris and some nice camerawork- and the ending is a true sting-in-the-tail surprise. [S.R.]

Special Feature:
Commentary by Robert Kelly, noted film historian