Review of How to Steal a Million (1966) by Robert D — 20 Mar 2017

There's a vibe that feels similar to Charade in this film (although it's not quite up to that standard.) It's not just the presence of Audrey Hepburn either, but it's the playful interaction between her and Peter O'Toole that makes it shine. I don't think they have a ton of chemistry, and the romance seemed to come out of nowhere, but when the writing is this strong I kind of overlook those flaws.

The script is great because it has a lot of crazy complexity to everyone's story, and yet it still manages to maintain clear goals and agendas for all the characters. There's a lot of comedy in the setup as we learn all the history of these people, and their art. The laughs distract from the fact that it takes a long time to get the climax going. It did seem like the movie was in danger of dragging on too long, but it never got so bad I would say I was "bored.".

The 3rd act is when the title of the film comes into play and it transitions into one of my favorite types of movies. I adore a good heist, and this is back in the days before silly electronic gadgets and complex computer systems, so it took some extra cunning. It was so much fun to slowly realize what was happening and to discover their plan. It's made even better by the fact that they have 2 amazing lead actors to carry the story.

How to Steal a Million is a fun little romp. It has laughs, romance, and adventure. I commend the script because it is so smart. I miss movies like this that could make you laugh with nothing more than clever wordplay. Also, they gave the film a wholly original setup that was both ridiculous and yet logical. Add in a fabulous cast and you have a movie that I greatly enjoyed, and would like to watch again sometime.