Saturday, April 11, 2015

How to Steal a Million (1966): Audrey Hepburn and Art Crime


     Directed by William Wyler, and written by George Bradshaw and Harry Kurnitz, How to Steal a Million (1966) ranks amongst the greatest Art Heist films ever made. When a French art forger lends his fake "Cellini Venus" to a museum exhibition, he is horrified to learn that the insurance coverage requires a technical examination. Knowing the sculpture will be exposed as a fraud, the forger's pretty and concerned daughter enlists the help of a dashing art thief that she catches burglarizing their chateau. Together, the young woman and the thief engage in a clever museum heist to steal the phony Cellini, utilizing an ingenious maneuver in which they cause multiple false alarms… frustrating the guards into turning off the security system. The method in which they remain in the museum after hours and trip the alarm is interesting… hiding in a utility closet and using a boomerang. The film is unique in that it combines varying elements of Art Crime: Forgery and Theft. The forgery scenes are well done, with the painter faking works by Cezanne and van Gogh. The museum heist scenes are superbly simple, using limited sets: the main gallery and control room/guard station. It recalls a vastly different time in museum security and atmosphere. The reproduction artwork is good by film standards. Audrey Hepburn is beautiful in the lead role, wearing stylish 1960's Givenchy fashion designs. Peter O'Toole is charming as the art thief & crime expert. Eli Wallach has a good role as an unscrupulous art collector. The supporting cast is good as well, including Hugh Griffith as the forger and Charles Boyer.

Cezanne auction: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn and forgery: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

The Cellini Venus: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn casing the museum: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Eli Wallach and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole: How to Steal a Million

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn: How to Steal a Million

"How to Steal a Million"- movie trailer