Il palazzo delle illusioni

Patti Flynn (Victoria Principal) is an insurance security agent working in Las Vegas for Howland (J D Cannon) to protect the jewels of his wife Bobby (Teddi Siddall). She is seen by Algerian gambler Louis Lefevre (Omar Sharif) who takes her for a jewel thief. Louis is in town as the guest of Madelaine Calvert (Hope Lange), the owner of Caesar's Palace. Madelaine's stockholders want her to sell and she has Louis gamble against Howland who owns a comglomerate which wishes to acquire the hotel, in a winner take all game of cards.

Once Principal's real identity is established, her role becomes furniture, and her romance with Louis (who also woos Madelaine) only features one kiss. Her first appearance has her standing with back to camera to create a shady expectation, but it's unfortunate that the scene where she slugs someone is in long shot. She gets to scale the wall of the hotel, where she drops her torch, and carries a purse-size handgun.

The only memorable line in the teleplay by Blanche Hanalis is Louis' in response to Madelaine telling him most men consider her over the hill - `I've always been intrigued by what is over that hill'. Director Walter Grauman uses zooms for closeups, silence for the casino scenes, and Jose Ferrer is fun as Louis' companion, 'Pokey' Poquette.