How to Steal a Million 1966

A movie about those who appreciate the finest things in life... for free!

7.474 / 10   558 vote(s)
NR
Comedy Crime Romance

A woman must steal a statue from a Paris museum to help conceal her father's art forgeries.

Release Date 1966-07-13
Runtime 2h 3m
Directors William Wyler, Charles Lang, Paul Feyder, Robert Swink
Producer Fred Kohlmar
Writers Harry Kurnitz, George Bradshaw

You really are the smuggest and most hateful man!

William Wyler crafts a delightfully frothy caper backed up by wonderful on screen chemistry between Peter O'Toole & Audrey Hepburn. It seems to me that Hepburn always managed to bond with her Male co-stars, and here the interplay between O'Toole and herself is wonderful. Check out a long sequence of events involving the pair hiding out in a closet, it's gold dusted cinema.

The film's central plot involves Hepburn & O'Toole planning a daring robbery from a Paris museum to keep her art forger Father (a delightful Hugh Griffith) out of trouble, at first the couple are purely business partners with no love lost for each other, but as the story plays out the pair are forced to get along and etc.

The burglary itself is dramatic, attention grabbing entertainment, and it's also the film's highest point, but overall the film as a whole is simply good romantic fun. Also helps that it features a very tidy shift for the finale to further reward the audience for their time spent with the movie. Throw in dapper turns from Charles Boyer & Eli Wallach too, and it's all good really.

Open the wine, sit back and relax with Pete & Audrey. 8/10

John Chard