Friday, 3 January 2020

How To Steal a Million (1966 William Wyler)

Audrey's house is at 38 Rue Parmentier, Neuilly-sur-Seine, just outside the Périphérique. The museum is the Musée Carnavalet, 16 Rues des Francs Bourgeois - not sure if they filmed the interior, more likely one of Alexander Trauner's sets, should think the same of The Ritz.

Fun art robbery rom-com with Hepburn and O'Toole making charismatic leads, in the Charade mould. Audrey (who smokes on-screen at one point*, and looks like she has borrowed Givenchy's sunglasses from Two For the Road) is trying to protect her art forger dad Hugh Griffiths from discovery. Charles Boyer is investigating, Eli Wallach wants to buy the object, Jacques Marin (Charade) is the police chief and Moustache a drunken guard; with Marcel Dalio (To Have and Have Not, Casablanca).

Photographed in Panavision by Charles Lang, music an early score from John(ny) Williams

Based on a story by George Bradshaw, written by Harry Kurnitz (Witness for the Prosecution, Hatari, One Touch of Venus).



Sound cast under sure direction, some ingenuity. Griffith an interesting screen presence - Wyler directed him to Oscar in Ben Hur.

Audrey is reading 'Hitchcock Magazine - La Revue Du Suspense'.

* Ed. So what? She made no secret of her life long smoking habit, is seen lighting up in Paris When It Sizzles, Charade, They All Laughed, The Dirty Dozen, etc. And, iconically, in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

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