Both leading players in this mystery were nominated for the best actor Oscar. Neither Michael Caine nor Laurence Olivier won, but they surely had their reward in the fun they evidently had in making this engrossing sleight of hand from playwright Anthony Shaffer. As theatrical duplicity inevitably packs more of a punch than its cinematic counterpart, the impact of the elaborate role-playing is undeniably weakened by its translation to the screen. However, the corkscrew plot and the delicious hamming of the leads ensure that it still remains a thundering good watch.

A man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.