How to Steal a Million (1966)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

George Bradshaw (story)
Harry Kurnitz (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 August 1966 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

S-S-S-H-H-H-H-H - Meet a couple of smart operators who give a lesson in love and larceny

Plot:

Romantic comedy about a woman who must steal a statue from a Paris museum to help conceal her father's art forgeries, and the man who helps her.

Plot Keywords:

Museum | Statue | Burglar | Insurance | Art Collector

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Audrey Hepburn	...	Nicole
Peter O'Toole	...	Simon Dermott
Eli Wallach	...	Davis Leland
Hugh Griffith	...	Bonnet
Charles Boyer	...	DeSolnay
Fernand Gravey	...	Grammont
Marcel Dalio	...	Senor Paravideo
Jacques Marin	...	Chief Guard
Moustache	...	Guard
Roger Tréville	...	Auctioneer (as Roger Treville)
Edward Malin	...	Insurance Clerk (as Eddie Malin)
Bert Bertram	...	Marcel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Louise Chevalier	...	Cleaning Woman (uncredited)
Rémy Longa	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Jacques Ramade	...	(uncredited)
Olga Valéry	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
William Wyler

Writing credits
George Bradshaw		(story)
Harry Kurnitz		(screenplay)

Produced by
Fred Kohlmar	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams		(as Johnny Williams)

Cinematography by
Charles Lang		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Swink

Production Design by
Alexandre Trauner		(as Alexander Trauner)

Makeup Department
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup artist (as Alberto de Rossi)
Grazia De Rossi	....	hairdresser (as Grazia de Rossi)
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist (as Frederick Williamson)

Production Management
William Kaplan	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Feyder	....	assistant director
Robert Swink	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Joseph de Bretagne	....	sound
David Dockendorf	....	sound

Stunts
Gil Delamare	....	stunt double: Miss Hepburn (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Vincent Rossell	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
James Harbert	....	orchestrator

Other crew
François Moreuil	....	production assistant (as Francois Moreuil)
Phill Norman	....	main title design: Cinefx
Frawley Becker	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Robert Wyler	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• World Wide Productions (produced by) (as World Wide Productions, Inc.)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1966) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Fox Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Centfox (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Seven Films (2011) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1993) (Germany) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Studios (????) (worldwide) (all media) (A News Corporation Company) (as 20th Century Fox)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cinefx  main title design
• Cartier  Miss Hepburn's jewelry by (as Cartier, Paris)
• Alexandre  hair styles by
• Givenchy  Miss Hepburn's clothes by

Also Known As:

"William Wyler's How to Steal a Million" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:12 (nf) | Hong Kong:I | USA:Approved (certificate #21174) | Canada:PG (video rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1988) (2004) | Germany:12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

World Wide Productions

Trivia:

William Wyler first considered making this film as a follow up to Roman Holiday (1953); as in that film, Gregory Peck would have played the male lead opposite Audrey Hepburn. At that time he had a darker mood in mind and approached Stanley Kubrick, who had recently made The Killing (1956), to contribute.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Simon replaced the Venus with the beer bottle he placed the bottle near the edge of the green plinth but when the guard is pointing at the bottle it is in the center of the plinth.

Quotes:

Nicole Bonnet:[seeing Simon eye the Venus] You wouldn't dare!
Simon Dermott:Fear not. I'm off duty.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Star Wars: Music by John Williams (1980) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Two Lovers

Charm to burn.

Leave aside for the moment the two leads, Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole, both at the very pinnacle of their star power and attractiveness. Leave aside, too, the brilliant support of two comedy masters, Eli Wallach and Hugh Griffith. And the sheen of William Wyler's direction, honed to perfection over a long, award-winning career. And the sparkling dialogue of old-pro scenarist Harry Kurnitz. And the beautiful location photography in that most beautiful of cities, Paris. And John Williams' sprightly score, and the rich production design, and the exquisite costumes, and every other perfectly-executed facet of this gleaming gem of a film. And concentrate on one single moment: in the museum, in the cupboard under the stairs, when Audrey Hepburn's character realizes that Peter O'Toole is going through everything he's going through, including breaking the law even though he's a policeman, simply because he's fallen in love with her. The expression on Hepburn's face is one of those truly sublime moments that make movies what they can be: bigger than life, more real, more joyous, more true. And for that alone we can be grateful that this movie is available for us and our posterity to enjoy.