A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Audrey Hepburn has the same style and grace regardless of what she's starring in, however in How to Steal a Million her performance seems a little rusty and not akin to what you are used to from her, maybe because this was her first role for two years since My Fair Lady and she was having a troubled personal life around the time. Nevertheless How to Steal a Million is good old fashioned fun with a rather silly premise, what could have been a hardcore heist film has been toned down considerably and made overly family friendly, something that was a common occurrence at the time. Peter O'Toole plays the part of Simon Dermott rather well even if the character is a tad too comical. The guy comes across as the lousiest thief in the world, and for somebody who's trying to steal a million dollar statue he doesn't seem to quite know what he's doing. Some parts of the film came across as tongue-in-cheek, like when Nicole and Simon are hiding from the museum guards in that cupboard, the whole act seemed false to me, how did they successfully stay hidden in there when one of the guards only had to open the cupboard door and catch them? The whole mise-en-scene seems outdated, for something that was released after the golden era had ended, this film literally stinks of golden era! Like it was one of the last hurrah's before Hollywood changed forever, this may have something to do with the director, William Wyler was one of the standard bearers for the golden era and maybe the guy had great difficulty changing his style he was so used to in order to keep up to date with the changing world. Eli Wallach is a great reliable actor but I think he was greatly wasted in How to Steal a Million, his screen time was limited and his character was very two dimensional, playing the part of crooked art lover Davis Leland, the guy is interested in two things: expanding his art collection and falling in love with Nicole..., a fan of the works of Nicole's father Bonnet, he's very anxious to get his hands on the Cellini Venus that Simon and Nicole eventually steal. A bit of a dull story that was made edible by the craziness that's vastly inserted into the film..., very divisive, you'll either love the film or not love the film, it's okay but doesn't strike me as particularly great, I've seen better and I've seen better from this era.

One particular line, said by Nicole Bonnet (Audrey Hepburn) in a stupefied voice, accurately sums up my overall feelings: "Marvelous."The comedy! When it comes to the jokes, screenwriter George Bradshaw is a sharpshooter. And of course, with any comedy that works, a portion of the applause should be directed towards the pair of lead actors and their chemistry. EVERY SECOND that Hepburn and O'Toole shared the screen, my smile, which seemed to always be there, widened. My love for Audrey has long since been established, but here is where I fell for Peter, who I'd dare say stole the movie; he was SO damn good, and SO damn charming. It's this couple's likability that contributes to the nervous excitement of the heist suggested in the title.And that heist! That entire playful sequence, from the planning to the finale, was a blast. Wyler seamlessly wove scenes that filled me with anxiousness with those that had me grinning at the delightful comedy and romance. It was so creative and so much fun to sit through.I wish I had more words to praise this picture, but a first viewing and a lack of an imagination restrict me. To wrap this up: this being my first Wyler unfairly sets the bar at a dizzying height for the second.

I was required to write a review of this film for a Mass Media class in 1966. It was one of the most engaging comedy/thief movies I've ever seen. There are three reasons for this: Hugh Griffith, Audrey Hepburn, and Peter O'Toole. The plot involves a man who is a master art forger, Griffith. He is incredible at his work and is able to easily sell his artwork to wealthy, unsuspecting buyers. His daughter, played by Audrey, fears that he is going to go too far and end up in prison (and she as an accessory). He moves into another area, producing a Cellini Venus that is supposedly worth a fortune. It is on display in a museum but it has been stated that a new method of testing authenticity has been created. Audrey has had an encounter with O'Toole when he breaks into her father's studio and tries to steal a Van Gogh her father painted. They become allied through a series of events and are attracted romantically. The movie now revolves around the theft of the Venus to keep her father safe. What ensues is delightful. A wonderful, engaging film.

Peter O'Toole was English and Audrey Hepburn came to the U.S. from England (she was born in Belgium). Both were stars at the peak of their careers when this 1966 caper comedy came out. I wonder why this was the only film they made together. They certainly show good chemistry in "How to Steal a Million." But then, every actor seemed to have good chemistry with Audrey Hepburn. And she played opposite many of the leading men of the 1950s and 1960s. In many of her films, the male lead was considerably older. This film is unusual in that regard. While the two lead characters are about the same age in the film, O'Toole in real life was more than three years younger than Hepburn. This film isn't among the best works of either star. But it has charm in an interesting but simple plot. Hepburn plays Nicole, whose father, Bonnet (played by Hugh Griffith) is an accomplished painter who prefers to make his money by masterly forgeries. But he doesn't get caught because of his unique market – super rich patrons of the arts who prefer to hoard once lost masterpieces rather than share them or show them in public. O'Toole is Simon Dermott, the world's foremost expert in uncovering forgeries and unmasking the culprits. But, perchance, Hepburn mistakes him for an art thief. Therein lies the start of a wonderful, funny caper that will see their romance bloom as well. There are no belly laughs in this film, but plenty of occasions to chuckle and smile. The film takes place in Paris and was shot in France. So, it pokes the customary fun at some things French – in this case, the museum watch guards, police security and the government. It's a light film but an entertaining one that the whole family should enjoy.