How to Steal a Million Reviews

• You don't think I'd steal something that didn't belong to me

  
  By A2P49WD75WHAG5 on 2004-06-24
  Charles Bonnet, Nicole Bonnet's incorrigible father, makes a living forging long-lost masterpieces and then selling them at auctions or to private collectors, such as American business magnate David Leland. Bonnet's quite a character and is an artist, albeit a forger, living the moment, but also being the artist. When he paints a Van Gogh, he IS Van Gogh. Nicole is exasperated, worried that he'll be caught and sent to prison. Charles' flippant response is "The trouble is, you're so honest." So when he authorizes the loan of the prize of his collection, the Cellini Venus, a copy of it sculpted by her grandfather which her grandmother posed for, Nicole thinks her father has flipped his wig. It is worth a million dollars--hence the title.

  What Nicole dreads the most occurs when the museum announces that one Professor Bauer will be conducting tests to determine the statue's authenticity. To that end, Nicole enlists the aid of Simon Dermott, a burglar she caught in her father's house trying to steal a Van Gogh (fake, of course), to steal her father's sculpture to save him from being jailed for fraud. She doesn't tell him the real reasons, of course. Dermott thinks it's a crazy idea, given the high-tech security devices and the numerous police detail milling around the museum, but combined by Nicole's persistence and her charm, finally gives in. But just what does he hope to accomplish with a toy boomerang?

  The actual heist and scenes in the museum are worth waiting for, as that's where the exciting parts are. The cramped quarters in the broom closet underlines the tension of two people scared that they'll be caught, although it furthers the budding romantic storyline. And Dermott's ingenuity is well demonstrated. As he says, "wait for normal human reaction." A particular comical touch comes in the form of a portly museum guard who has a large mustache and quite a fondness for the bottle. Oh, and that alarm is pretty annoying, so beware!

  Audrey's Givenchy fashions become ridiculously funny, such as the pillbox hat and large-rimmed sunglasses in her opening scene, and even becomes a point of parody when Dermott remarks at Nicole dressed as a cleaning woman, "It Givenchy a night off." As it turned out, one night turned into thirteen years, as Givenchy was pressed back to work for Bloodline.

  The last comedy Audrey acted in, How To Steal A Million, originally titled Venus Rising, was the third and last film Audrey did for William Wyler, after Roman Holiday and The Children's Hour. It was also the first time Hepburn acted with a leading man closer to her own age since Anthony Perkins in Green Mansions, Peter O'Toole being three years her junior. Her wide expressive eyes and that winning smile are put to good use here. And she does have a great line: "You don't think I'd steal something that didn't belong to me?"

  Hugh Griffith is fun to watch as the rascally Charles Bonnet, with the same bulging eyes, funny hair, and goatee. O'Toole (Simon) is also an asset, suave, calm, clever, and quick with one-liners. So is Eli Wallach (Leland), an excitable and impulsive millionaire with his sights on the Venus. And Jacques Marin, who is the befuddled senior museum guard, previously appeared with Ms. Hepburn in Charade, as the chief of police.

  Panned when it first came out, I'm not sure why this doesn't hold out even today. Hepburn herself acted in it because she felt indebted to Wyler, who made her what she became, but at least she had fun with O'Toole, as the two were gigglers and many takes had to be required, especially in the broom cupboard scene. It's an enjoyable and frantic caper film, a genre popularized by Topkapi six years ago.
  
  

• So THAT's what all the fuss over Peter O'Toole's about!

  
  By AEKJTREHL41OE on 2004-12-12
  This movie I give a solid four stars, but Peter O'Toole gets five because it's the most I could give. (Hey amazon, how about a little room for upward adjustment under extenuating circumstances like these?)
  
  I'm an Audrey fan and she's her usual delightful self in this movie, no longer the ingenue but every bit as lithe and fetching as ever. She was a dazzler, but in Peter O'Toole she met her match. He is something else -- the Jude Law of his day, I suppose! (The highest of high compliments I give). In "How To Steal A Million" O'Toole is suave and self-assured but never arrogant ... spectacularly good looking (hey, it's not his fault) ... witty but flawed, not what he seems and in the end, you're glad of it. He can burgle my objects d'art any day!
  
  The movie also has that very "1960's" look and feel to it that allow you to time travel, but not so far back you feel as though you've been whiplashed when it ends. The '60's were in many ways more modern than the '70's, and played against the backdrop of Paris those burgeoning modern sensibilities find an excellent foil. Audrey is her usual "au courant" self, except for one scene in which she has to play a cleaning lady. Like Liza Doolittle, she would shine through a burlap sack.
  
  O'Toole and Hepburn are very, very winning here. The assorted cast of characters are daffy but mostly harmless, and if I'm not completely mistaken, the movie does poke gentle fun at the French. (Not that terribly difficult to do, but then again we re-elected ... oh, never mind).
  
  

• Fantastic Movie :)

  
  By on 2003-07-05
  I love this movie. It has everything: romance, comedy, quirkiness and a kissing-in-a-closet scene! Audrey Hepburn was as adorable and entertaining as ever, and this was the first time that I'd ever seen a Peter O'Toole movie and he was fabulous! He's extremely funny and pretty darn spunky! You could just instantly fall in love with him, the second you saw those bewildered round blue eyes peering over the top of the "Van Gogh" painting. I didn't find this movie boring for an instant and I loved watching them steal back the "Cellini" sculpture, using, amongst other things, a bucket, a magnet and a boomerang! I think that this is now my favourite Audrey Hepburn movie. They make an extremely likable couple and their exploits in "How To Steal A Million" are engaging and engrossing.
  
  

• Breath of fresh air with Audrey Hepburn at her most chic

  
  By A2TOU0N8XE68W4 on 2003-05-19
  Was there ever another actress to compare with Audrey Hepburn? She combined all the ideal qualities of what a skilled, beautiful, and totally charming actress should be in the one gorgeous package. Indeed in William Wyler's sophisticated heist film "How to Steal a Million",she has never been more gorgeous and appealing while displaying that totally unique and special talent that was solely her own and has never been duplicated by another actress.

  Released in 1966 at the height of the "mod" period, "How to Steal a Million", in alot of ways is very much of it's time and this probably explains why this film is perhaps not as well known as other films of both Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. This is unfortunate as the pair make a superb romantic comedy team and combine excellently in this slick and very chic story set in the most beautiful of cities, fashionable Paris. "How to Steal a Million", tells the story of Nicole Bonnet (Hepburn) who is the glamourous and very mod daughter of art collector Charles Bonnet (Hugh Griffith is a delightfully eccentric performance) who is what could be described as a lovable rascal and spends his time forging great art which he then sells to unsuspecting but wealthy art enthusiasts. Complications however arise when one of Monsieur Bonnet's "masterpieces", a statue of Venus supposedly carved by famed Italian artisan Cellini in the sixteenth century, but in reality a modern work by Nicole's grandfather, is put on display in a Paris Museum. The problem however here is that for insurance purposes the work must be inspected by a world famous expert on authentic works of art and their dating which would threaten to expose Ms. Bonnet for the fraud that he is,lovable or otherwise! Nicole concocts a wild scheme with the collaboration of supposed society thief Davis Leland (Peter O'Toole in a marvellously sophisticated performance),to steal the statue from the museum before her father is exposed as a fraud. Along the way the pair, in between scampering around museum interiors and hiding out in broom closets find themselves falling in love. What unravels is a totally delightful caper comedy with marvellous screen chemistry between Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole in their only appearance together. Audrey is beyond comparison as the chic Givenchy lady about town who gets involved in the museum robbery. Her outfits are a total dream, and her mod hairstyles and sunglasses are just right for this charming 1960's story with its rich Parisian settings. Peter O'Toole displays a great talent for sophisticated comedy and as is often the case in such stories turns out to be not exactly what he first seems to be when we first encounter him trying to "steal" one of Charles Bonnet "Van Gogh's".

  The cast of "How to Steal a Million", is rounded out in a very funny performance by Eli Wallach as a fanatical art collector who has his sights set on the "Cellini" Venus and wants it no matter what lengths he has to go to, even proposing marriage to a very reluctant Nicole! Veteran heart throb Charles Boyer provides the necessary authentic French atmosphere in a small role as Charles De Solnay , O'Toole's boss who has his own interest in the Bonnet family. The film is a rich snapshot of all things beautiful and sophisticated in 1966 Paris from the wonderful on location photgraphy, Audrey's stunning fashions, all the beautiful art on display and museum interiors. The film has been accused of being "too perfect" in some respects but the story never pretends to take itself seriously and its look is what stays in the mind. Indeed I have a hard time imagining such a fashionable couple as Hepburn and O'Toole in any other setting! Directed at a nice pace by veteran William Wyler who guided Audrey Hepburn through the classic "Roman Holiday", and the sadly underappreciated "The Children's Hour", Wyler manages to combine romance with high slap stick as seen in the very amusing scenes when the alarm protecting the Venus is set off prompting an almost "Keystone Cops" routine by the French Police arriving time after time for what are false alarms at the museum.

  With the absense of elegant comedy with beautifully dressed people in elegant settings nowadays movies like this one are like a glass of water in the desert. I love most sophisticated comedies and while not the best ever made, if you love Paris and Audrey Hepburn like I do you can't help but be enchanted by William Wyler's "How to Steal a Million". Open the champagne and sit back and enjoy!
  
  

• A little known Jewel of a movie classic wit and comedy

  
  By A2JJGIJI8X6KRS on 2005-12-12
  I don't know why this movie is not better known than it is. In my opinion it is one of those classic 60's comedies. Audrey is divine as usual in her dress and style. O' Toole is gorgeous with his blue eyes and soft English voice (sigh) the dialogue is so catchy, witty and intelligent. Art lovers everywhere should appreciate all the obvious (and obscure) innuendos that zig from Audrey to Peter, Peter to Charles Boyer, Audrey and Hugh Griffith (her father in the movie).
  
  Lovely movie that shows a wonderful and beautiful pictorial of 60's Paris. The story a young women (Audrey) lives with her father in France. Her Papa is a forgerer of Art, his father before him did the same. Her father lends his "Venus" to a museum for a exhibition in order for the museum to do this he must sign Insurance papers in case of theft, it is insured for 1 million dollars after signing the papers the clerk tells him that it will be authenticated for the purpose of the museum... upon hearing this her father (as well as Audrey) flips out since they both know the statue is not real but a fake done by his father. Audrey must devise a way to get that statue back before the museum has it examined. As luck would have it Audrey meets a cat burglar who was in the act of (she thinks) breaking into her house.. played by Peter O'Toole she asks O' Toole to help her in this caper and eventually he agrees.
  
  I won't tell much more than that as the reviews before me did a wonderful job of telling the details. I will say this I found it delightful, charming and very SMART in it's carefully placed "zingers" :) Eli Wallach as the american that is enamored but the Venus AND Audrey was funny too really good Sunday movie.
  
  Respectfully Reviewed
  
  
  
• Devastating charm...
  By on 1999-09-29
  I watched this film for Audrey Hepburn but was instantly charmed by Peter O'Toole. His performance is perfect, and he simply oozes charm. Add a pair of cute goggly blue eyes peering with startled admiration over the edge of a fake Van Gogh, and you've got a great hero. And I thought that Audrey Hepburn, for all her thirty-seven+ years, fake eyelashes and goggle-eyed sunglasses, was very cute and more or less convincingly portrayed a sweet young thing. Her sixties look is a great example of the fashions of that time. The third cute member of the cast was O'Toole's car. This is the perfect movie to watch in the evening with a martini.
  
  
• I LOVE IT , I LOVE IT , I LOVE IT !!
  By A33LUW2VKKK950 on 2003-04-04
  HOW TO STEAL A MILLION is one of the best comedies ever
  made!Overflowing with wit,charm,romance and the PERFECT cast!
  Audrey Hepburn is delightful,as usual! Peter O'Toole's enchanting
  blue eyes,magnificent voice and charming personality left me
  spellbound.HILARIOUS performance by Hugh Griffith and supporting
  cast!
  Never in my life has two hours gone by so quickly,every second
  was completly enthralling.The plot,cast,cinematography,music,
  everything,FLAWLESS.It is impossible to praise this movie
  too much!I wanted to fall into the screen and become a part
  of it!I only wish real life could be so much fun!
  I recommend HOW TO STEAL A MILLION to EVERYONE!
  
  
• A Diverting Bit of Fluff
  By A2TJWNRBBU82FQ on 2002-05-31
  It must have seemed like a good idea at the time and "How To Steal A Million" is not really a bad movie - it's just not as good as it might have been.

  Probably intended as a follow-up to Audrey Hepburn's fun romp "Charade" - which shares this film's Parisian setting - "How To..." is doomed to suffer by comparison. To start with, director William Wyler, at the end of a long career, lacks the light touch of "Charade's" Stanley Donen. And, surprisingly good though he is, Peter O'Toole is no Cary Grant. But then the script is not a great help either.

  Briefly, the plot revolves around Hepburn - as the daughter of an unrepentant art forger - and her need to "steal" a sculpture Papa has lent to a museum - before tests can prove it's a fake. She enlists the help of suave, overly confident O'Toole who she believes to be an upper class art thief. In reality, he is an art forgery expert on the trail of Papa. Together, the mismatched pair carry out a moderately complicated and inventive heist of the statue. Of course, love rears its inevitable head along the way.

  One of the film's problems is its big budget. Everything is bright and glossy and shiny and brand new. Designer clothes look like they were put on the moment before the camera started to roll. Makeup is always perfect and hair is never out of place. Such lavish production values look wonderful in a musical but tend to slow down or even overwhelm a comedy. Even the music is too much. Where a frothy Mancini concoction was required, there is John Williams instead. His score was terrible in the sixties - it sounds even worse now.

  But there is still much to enjoy in the film - most of it provided by the chemistry between Hepburn and O'Toole. For once, Audrey's waif-like personality actually suits her role and she even seems to have a laugh or two at her own image. O'Toole demonstrates what a versatile actor he could be, tossing off quips and varying reactions like a comic pro. It's too bad he didn't do more comedies as he always seemed to enjoy them. Equally good fun is Hugh Griffith as yet another irasible old codger. But Charles Boyer is virtually wasted (he has one good line: "I know it's a Van Gogh, but who painted it?") while Eli Wallach's twitchy performance is downright embarrassing.

  Films like this used to roll off the assembly line back in the sixties and there were certainly many that were a lot worse than this one. Fans of Hepburn and O'Toole will like - if not love - it. And viewers unencumbered by great expectations will probably have a good time as well. If nothing else, as Rick said to Ilsa: we'll always have Paris.
  
  

• where is this DVD?
  By A3LMG29EA7E4B on 2002-08-04
  This is my favorite of all Audrey Hepburn movies. Audrey lives with her grandfather who is a sweet, charming and delightful criminal. He has copied a famous statue which he is passing as the real thing. Peter O'Toole is the character sent to check out the authenticity of the statue. He falls for Audrey and helps her to steal the fake from the museum before the dear grandfather is discovered. Audrey's comic timing is perfect and she has great chemistry with O'Toole who is as handsome as can be. You will adore this movie so lets get this thing digitized!!!!
  
  
• Who Knew I'd Fal, For Someone old Enough To Be My Father?
  By A2KB1WG3N7UX93 on 2003-08-30
  After watching this movie I was struck by how gorgeous Peter O'Toole's blues are. He's funny and sweet and sarcastic, as well as wealthy and intelligent, in other words, any straight woman's dream. The plot is sweet and quick and very tongue in cheeck. Audrey's at her best and "gives givenchy a break" "in one of the scenes, a genuinely hilarious one that I won't describe lest I ruin the plot. And remember - boomerangs and empty whisky bottles are a lot more useful than you might think them.
  
  
• "..OH, PA-PAHHH...SELLING A FAKE MASTERPIECE IS A 'CRIME'! "
  By A3F8U4CRMDLY2T on 2000-07-03
  This delightful comedy has all the delicate sparkle of a newly-opened bottle of French Champagne. Forget "My Fair Lady," forget "Breakfast At Tiffany's,"...1966's "HOW TO STEAL A MILLION" is Audrey Hepburn's best film from the 1960's. One of the last great romantic comedies of style to be filmed before the anti- establishment films of the late '60's prevailed, "How To Steal A Million" combines the elements of visual elegance (opulence even, look at the purple velvet bannisters and carpet on the golden staircase in Audrey Hepburn's Paris chateau) with sophisticated dry wit; a beautiful, romantic score with a "kooky" twist on the "French farce." Beautiful scenery, sublime chaos, near-Hitchcockian-intrigue, zippy car chases in quirky autos, and Audrey Hepburn's wacky fashions make for one of the best combinations the screen has seen so far. Ironically, the best twist in this story is that the "MILLION" Audrey Hepburn's and Peter O'Toole's characters are trying to "STEAL" is not what they 'actually' ARE stealing (on purpose). To figure that one out...watch AND ENJOY this MAGNIFICENT movie! "Oh, Pa-Pahhhh! ..."
  
  
• How to Steal a Million is the best!
  By on 2003-06-07
  This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Audrey plays a girl who's father copies Van Gough oils. One night, as she is reading in bed, Audrey hears a sound from downstairs. It is a 'burglar'! However, the two fall in love and decide to try to stop anyone from finding out about her father's profession. This movie never gets old. Hilarious!
  
  
• I can't say enough good things about this movie
  By A25CZCHLNH3OMO on 2002-08-01
  My friend lent me this movie and I loved it from the first moment to the last, all four times I saw it. I'll just address various aspects that stood out to me...

  The cast... Peter O'Toole has a very nice voice. Of course being Irish he would. He also possesses the prettiest eyes I think I've ever seen. He was perfect for the part. Nothing ruffles him, ever. Audrey Hepburn was wonderful too. Although one or two of her outfits left much to be desired... particularly the kooky one she wears on her first appearance in the movie. Her hair was definitely 60's, too. The dude who played Davis Leland was one winner. Once again they picked the perfect person. He had just the right measure of weirdness. The man who played Audrey's pappy was really weird too - with the beard and the bug-eyes and crazy hair. And I mustn't forget Senor Paravideo... for the two minutes of screen time he was given he did a superb job worshipping the phoney Van Gogh.

  The plot and dialogue were both sparkling. No matter how frantic Audrey gets, Peter has a calm wisecrack to throw back at her. I love the part when he pretends to be seriously injured and she drives him home. Every museum scene was splendid, particularly the long museum scene when they steal the Venus. Very romantic and humourous. You gotta love the 60's music that plays when he's fooling with the key to the closet. Also the scene when she recruits his assistance to steal her own statue. She is wearing an outfit she should have won an award for. I have never seen such a weird outfit in my life! Black lace tights, slinky black dress, and a black hat with a lace mask over her eyes. And nobody thought she looked suspicious???

  All I can say is buy this stunning picture right away and I hope you watch it and enjoy it as many times as I have.
  
  

• Charming Caper Movie
  By A3JL8RSRRJRK0I on 2004-12-10
  How to Steal A Million was one of several elaborate heist comedies that formed sort of a subgenre in the 60's (Topkapi and Gambit to name a few others) This was Hepburn's first film after My Fair Lady and marked her last collaboration with William Wyler (who directed her in her Oscar winning role in Roman Holiday and The Children's Hour). Set in Paris, the tale involves a daughter (Hepburn) who hires who she thinks is an art thief (O'Toole) to steal back a statue sculpted by her art forger father (Hugh Griffith) before museum authorities test it for authenticity. The film is light and breezy, if a bit slow paced in the beginning. Neither Hepburn or O'Toole is required to do much acting, but they have star quality in spades and that elusive cinematic term called CHEMISTRY that is all this movie requires. Lots of eye catching Parisian locations, fashions and production values make this entertaining piece of fluff very easy to enjoy. The closet scene is a classic and Hepburn wearing washerwoman's clothes is a wonderful cinematic joke! (She even manages to look chic in that get up!) John Williams, pre-Jaws, provides a catchy score. They dont make movies like this anymore.........NOW IF ONLY FOX WOULD RELEASE TWO FOR THE ROAD ON DVD! This was one of Hepburn's finest performances and films and its shameful of Fox to keep it in their vaults!
  
  
• One of the Best
  By A7DY3WLVJ2A32 on 2005-02-20
  This is one of the best romantic comedies that I have ever seen it is alive with wit and humor. Audrey and Peter have some of the best on-screen chemistry that I have ever seen. This movie will hook you from beginning to end. It has now become one of my all time favorites.
  
  
• My all-time favorite movie
  By A2IACU8LJ1FCKE on 2005-04-13
  Don't know what "Tacoma" was talking about. The match-up of O'Toole and Hepburn is brilliant. I am so glad the movie finally came out on DVD. It's witty and romantic and funny. What woman wouldn't want to get "caught" by O'Toole. Met him when he was much much older and he is still as charming but seeing him in his prime is a delight.
  
  
• Hepburn, O'Toole and Givenchy, what more do you need?
  By A3VLAZEPO9UJEA on 2006-12-22
  William Wyler's "How to Steal a Million" is the very best Stanley Donen picture that Stanley Donen didn't happen to make--just as Donen's "Charade," also with Audrey Hepburn, is the very best Hitchcock picture that Hitchcock never made.
  
  This is a truly stylish film. "How to Steal a Million" looks like ten million ... a hundred million ... aw, in this inflationary era, let's call it a billion bucks on the screen. Hepburn's roughly two hundred costume changes, her preposterous little car, her hats, her chateau, and everything else shout that this is what the (expensively) good life looks like. In one scene, O'Toole invites Hepburn--for once looking a bit dowdy--to come as she is. "Give Givenchy the night off," he says.
  
  A quick glance over the previous Amazon reviews shows that those who know and care about this film use the language of people discussing a classic. And yet, whatever its considerable merits, "How to Steal a Million" was not a particular success at the box office when it first appeared nor is it widely remembered today.
  
  I can only speculate why this should be. Perhaps it was the proximity of "Charade." Good as this film is, "Charade" was better--a tighter script, a better balance between thrills and comedy and the overwhelming presence of Cary Grant. O'Toole has always been excellent in comedy, but his part in this film is unquestionably a Cary Grant part and nobody did those as well as the old master, Archie Leech, himself. On the other hand, it may be that "How to Steal a Million" is a Willy Wyler film and it doesn't feel right or entirely at home among that director's works. Somehow I doubt that Wyler's many admirers are likely to list this one high among his masterworks. Or maybe it came out when the public was satiated with well-acted, lavishly produced, well-made films and it just fell between the cracks.
  
  Whatever the reasons for its present semi-obscurity, "How to Steal a Million" is a gem and highly recommendable to anyone who believes that quality in movies extends beyond CGI effects and stuff blowin' up real good. Five stars!
  
  A NOTE ON CHANGING TIMES: When I saw this movie during its first run, along with everyone else in the theater, I thought a million dollars was a lot of money. Just listen to the 1960s prices quoted for major works of art; they are laughable today--and a little sad, too.
  
  A FURTHER NOTE ON MARKETING: This is a movie about high-end art forgery. It is filled with exquisite paintings and sculptures in almost every scene, all of which were forged for the movie. Part of the publicity campaign for "How to Steal a Million" was a public exhibition of the forged artworks.
  
  
• A fun film.
  By on 1999-07-07
  Let's face it. If you're looking at this movie review, you've either seen it before, and in which case know what it is about or are an Audrey Hepburn fan, so you won't mind if I focus mainly on her. (Sorry, Peter O'Toole and Moustache fans.) I must admit that I was a bit disappointed by her performance. Now, don't get upset with me Audrey fans (a group with which I am a proud card-carrying member), let me explain first. Ms. Hepburn is as loverly, beautiful, (though she does look different with false eyelashes and her hair covering her forehead) charming and delightful as ever. It is just that she is given nothing to do except follow around O'Toole's character for the entire film. This is unfortunate, because she is completely convincing when she does have the chance to explore her character. Audrey Hepburn is a tremendous comic actress, and this could have been a chance for her to shine, and she does in parts. In the same way a narrowing of her brows or a hurt look in her eye or a tremor in her voice can break your heart, the way she sits on a bucket, scrubs a floor, or peeks from under a hat hopelessly to large for her can send you into rolling laughter. She just never gets a many good chances here. O'Toole is very good as a charming `thief' and he and Hepburn share some tame chemistry. His performance surprised me, as the mention of O'Toole brings to mind immediately "Lawrence of Arabia". He proves quite convincing, however. William Wyler, who directed "Ben-Hur" and Audrey's only Oscar winning performance in "Roman Holiday" (it seems criminal that she won only one, doesn't it?) does a fantastic job here not letting the material get away from him and allowing the story and performances to speak for themselves. Some tense moments and a clever screenplay make this a very entertaining, fast-paced romantic-comedy. That doesn't exactly read right, does it? This is light-hearted fare, and very well done, something not seen at all these days. This film gets enthusiastic four stars from me. It would be three stars with a different actress and five if Audrey had had anything to work with.
  
  
• Superb character acting makes this film enjoyable!
  By AB8J1LJTCJ8LI on 2000-12-14
  Hands down, Peter O'Toole is the best thing this film has going for it! He aces that perfect blend of cocky and charming, and throws in a dash of mischieviousness for good measure. I only wish he would've done more comedies like this. He's a natural!

  Coming in at a close second are the fantastic supporting actors. Griffith is a riot as Audrey's father; just ignore the fact that they expect you to believe a guy who looks like that produced a daughter who looks like Hepburn. His wife must've been Venus! Eli Wallach is wonderful as Nicole's (or her father's?) suitor. Had it not been for O'Toole's knock-out performance, Wallach would've stole the show.

  Now, I'm most likely going to be lynched for saying this, but Hepburn's role was not up to par with her other performances, in my opinion. When Nicole finds out why Simon is helping her, she quips "I'm so stupid". Well, she said it, not me. There is a fine line between naive and stupid, and Hepburn's character crosses it one too many times in this film. You can also tell that she's looking, um, older in this movie. It wouldn't have been so obvious had they not tried to make her look 20-something. Of course, she's still beautiful and charming throughout. She can woo the viewer into accepting any shenanigans she does as perfectly normal, and in the end, she wooed me as well.

  If you want to see O'Toole in another hilarious movie, check out MY FAVORITE YEAR.
  
  

• WHERE IS THE DVD?
  By A62BK9LV5OYEK on 2002-04-25
  This is one of the ALL-TIME great caper flicks, almost flawless in all regards. Considering the amount of dross that's released weekly, the fact that there's no DVD (and, believe me, this one deserves the full treatment) is criminal. Request it, by all means!
  
  
• It was too easy
  By A26S6AZZB0O8JN on 2005-03-12
  This is a pleasant enough romantic comedy, and Audrey is as fine as ever. Watch it, if you do, for the comedy and the romance, because as a caper it's a dud. The museum guards are too stupid (and comically played) to present a real challenge to our heroes.
  
  The movie especially suffers in comparison to the underrated Gambit (1966), another romantic comedy/caper released to cinemas just six months later; Gambit has all the cunning plans, twists, and above all the sense of danger and challenge that a caper film needs and which How to Steal a Million lacks.
  
  
• Parfait!
  By A3BU6QT97HMF on 2005-07-02
  This movie is intelligent, sophisticated, funny, warm and about as ingenious and clever as you can get. It's longer than I like a movie to be, but I loved every minute of it. And what's more, the robbery makes sense (giving nothing away), it would work, it's a devilish surprise but all believable. I liked it better than Ocean's 11 (not the original, I want nothing to do with sinatra), Ocean's 12 and The Thomas Crown Affair (again not the original which I thought was just nothing). The 2nd Thomas Crown was impossible which spoiled it, and Ocean's 11 and 12 were too complicated and far-fetched (though I liked all these movies anyway). And the 3 principals were a sheer delight to watch and listen to. I thought it was a warm, intelligent, clever movie.
  
  
• Slow but charming
  By AK61LQI92GTCH on 2006-02-19
  Pretty young Audrey Hepburn enlists the aid of debonair burglar Peter O'Toole when it becomes imperative to her family's good name that a famous statuette be stolen from a heavily guarded museum.
  
  William Wyler's HOW TO STEAL A MILLION is a whimsical bit of fluff, an engaging boy-meets-girl tale that pits its charming and charismatic stars against a somewhat plodding and long-winded story. The stars win, of course, but it takes them more than a long two hours for them to do so. In the meantime, Audrey's papa (Hugh Griffith) donates a forged Cellini's Venus to a Paris art museum, and for it to be insured it must be inspected - an impossibly calamitous prospect for the rich, talented, and as-yet undetected forger. A young Eli Wallach plays an art-loving American industrialist with an eye for expensive beauty.
  
  All the parts are in place, the Parisian surroundings are sumptuous, and Hepburn's Givenchy wardrobe is dazzling. And yet there's something a little leaden about the whole thing. O'Toole's character was apparently written for Cary Grant, but by 1966 Grant was much too old for the part, and, more the pity, O'Toole is too good an actor to do impersonations. HTSAM seems to want to be a screwball comedy, but it's too long, the dialogue is at best functional, the pacing is too leisurely, and O'Toole has too many feet in reality to pull it off. Either that or his character is so obviously tailored for Cary Grant you miss him despite yourself.
  
  Still, Hepburn and O'Toole are charming and appear to be having a good time. A strong three stars for this ingratiatingly unexceptional comedy. Also included on the dvd is a good A&E Biography of Audrey Hepburn. Although you can knock these A&E bios for superficiality, or the eerie ever-presence of Richard Dreyfuss, I appreciate their generous use of film clips and broad outlines of the lives of the legends of the silver screen.
  
  
  
• Good as gold
  By A2SIXKZZ1MOQDG on 2006-11-13
  How to steal a million was a light-hearted farce starring too skilled performers in their own right. Audrey Hepburn is delightful as the sweetheart bedazzled by Peter O'Toole an expert in forged art works. The two have you rooting for them in their improbable caper. Once you remind yourself that this is all just healthy fun than you can enjoy their performances. Greed becomes almost a worthy attribute as they endeavor to outwit the perfect security system guarding unknowingly a fake artwork. It is all good fun as the security system is foiled without harming a hair on anyone's head. Dishonesty doesn't enter your mind as the caper comes to a pleasant climax. Everyone ends up with their reputation intact and some spare change jingling in their pockets. The two stars are engaging and carefree and are so effortless in their actions that they are a joy to watch. Mind candy doesn't necessarily have to rot your brain. It can give you some mindless enjoyment on a quiet night.
  
  
• Sleek, Slender, and Sensuous
  By A3HAIQAPJCTOSH on 2000-03-26
  This is a clever, quick-paced comedy that sparkles with charm and warmth. Director William Wyler uses an inventive plot with suspenseful twists to detail a Parisian art theft. Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole are marvelous. From naive innocence in "Roman Holiday," to feminine grace in "Sabrina," and elegant sophistication in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," Hepburn was at once poignant, sentimental, and mischievous. After exhibiting extraordinary range as the reluctant warrior and driven messiah in "Lawrence of Arabia" to the shy and affecting Arthur Chipping in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," O'Toole proves to be a master at understated comedy. Together they concoct a chemistry rife with humor, wit, and innuendo. Their chaste romance virtually sizzles beneath a veneer of civility!
  
  
• Classy flop
  By A3PHTB9X7B11XL on 2005-02-07
  O'Toole and Hepburn mug and strut and read lines. Hugh Griffith is poorly cast. The script is extremely long, unbelievable, and speckled only here and there with wit. And, boy, is it light in that tiny closet where our stars are mugging and reading their lines.
  
  Wholly artificial and unamusing, this is one of the least of the 1966 films.
  
  
• How to Steal a Million
  By ALERSHO9JLD3P on 2005-07-05
  I thought I purchased a VHS, but was sent a DVD. It was a gift, I don't know if it has been viewed yet. I was excited that they offer classic movies and about how soon I could receive it. Thank you.
  
  
• FROM THE DAYS OF QUALITY ADULT COMEDY!
  By A3EUHMKN85IZOV on 2006-02-28
  Hepburn and O'toole are great together. I love the REAL wide screen format, with beautiful color. Can't go wrong with this one!
  
  
• Don't burn bridges with burglars
  By A3GTF3Q8KJ265C on 2006-04-10
  Mr. Bonnet (Hugh Griffith) has an eye for fine art of the masters. You might say he also has a hand for it -- from counterfeiting. A burglary is interrupted by his daughter, Nicole Bonnet (Audrey Hepburn). Realizing that the police may bring the less than genuine art under scrutiny she lets him off easy.
  
  Mr. Bonnet is generous enough to allow one of his (forged) art pieces to be temporarily displayed in a local museum. With an estimated value of one million dollars, naturally they want to insure it until it is returned so an authenticator is scheduled to arrive the next day. By now the film title makes sense. Parts of the movie are a bit silly but enjoyable nonetheless -- after all HOW TO STEAL A MILLION is a romantic comedy highlighting Hepburn's superb acting talent. Equally appreciated on the DVD is the well documented 45-minute biography chronicling Hepburn's rise to stardom -- which in itself is worth the price paid.
  
  Movie quote: "You don't think I'd steal something that didn't belong to me."
  
  
• Audrey Shines in a Bit of Fluff
  By A2XRZV63X79YSJ on 2006-08-20
  The Bonnet's are a family of art forgers. The current patriarch (Oscar winner Hugh Griffith) forges the masters. He has just sold one of his masters. The problem is that his daughter wants to break the family tradition.
  
  To complicate things, dad has agreed to loan his Cellini Venus statue to a local Paris museum. Of course this was really made by grandfather with grandmamma as the model. While Nicole (Audrey Hepburn) has misgivings, there is little chance that the forgery will be discovered. That is until dad signs an insurance policy and this means that the statue must be authenticated.
  
  Now there is a problem. Nicole decides to steal back the statue with the help of an art thief, Simon Dermott (Peter O'Toole) but what she doesn't know is that Dermott is a detective hired to prove that her father is a forger.
  
  After a while Dermott agrees to plan the heist. What follows is a great comic heist.
  
  William Wyler is a master director at this time towards the end of his career. But he proves that he still has his flair. Hepburn was at a turning point in her career and proved that even with some fluff, that she has star quality. O'Toole was early in his career and showed flair but you can tell that Hepburn held back to make him look better.
  
  This is a fun piece of fluff and Audrey's fans will not be disappointed.
  
  DVD EXTRAS:
  Commentary by featured star Eli Wallach and director's daughter Catherine Wyler
  
  Biography: Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady - Episode of A&E's Biography
  
  
  

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