How to Steal a Million
Performance & Direction: How to Steal a Million Review
Last updated: February 4, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is How to Steal a Million (1966) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a SUPER HIT with a verified audience rating of 7.5/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Comedy is often anchored by its ensemble, and How to Steal a Million features a noteworthy lineup led by Audrey Hepburn . Supported by the likes of Peter O'Toole and Eli Wallach , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: How to Steal a Million
Quick Plot Summary: How to Steal a Million is a Comedy, Crime, Romance film that brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Story Breakdown
The comedic structure relies on both situational humor and character-based comedy. A woman must steal a statue from a Paris museum to help conceal her father's art forgeries. The film finds humor in relatable situations while maintaining narrative momentum. The jokes serve the story, with callbacks and running gags that reward attentive viewers.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The opening establishes the comedic tone and introduces the central conflict through humor and character quirks.
- Character Arc: The protagonist undergoes a meaningful transformation, with their journey feeling earned and emotionally resonant. Supporting characters are well-developed, each serving a purpose in the narrative.
- Climax & Resolution: The comedic climax ties together recurring jokes and character arcs, delivering both laughs and emotional satisfaction.
Ending Explained: How to Steal a Million
Ending Breakdown: How to Steal a Million resolves its central conflict while maintaining thematic consistency. The finale has been praised for its approach to comedy resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions, creating a memorable conclusion that audiences have responded to positively.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes with clear resolution of its central conflicts, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Main characters complete meaningful transformations, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the comedy themes in a way that feels organic to the story.
The final moments of How to Steal a Million demonstrate careful narrative planning, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
How to Steal a Million Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
How to Steal a Million incorporates elements from real criminal cases. As a comedy, crime, romance film, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement.
Historical Context
The film balances historical fidelity with cinematic storytelling. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
The production demonstrates respect for its source material, focusing on emotional truth over strict chronology.
Accuracy Assessment: How to Steal a Million successfully translates real events into compelling cinema. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch How to Steal a Million?
Highly Recommended For:
- Fans of Comedy cinema looking for quality storytelling
- Viewers who appreciate smart humor and well-timed comedic performances
- Anyone seeking a well-crafted film that delivers on its promises
Box Office Collection: How to Steal a Million
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $6.4M |
| Worldwide Gross | $4.4M |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
How to Steal a Million Budget
The estimated production budget for How to Steal a Million is $6.4M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: How to Steal a Million
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Where to Watch How to Steal a Million Online?
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Amazon VideoApple TV StoreGoogle Play MoviesYouTubeFandango At HomeHow to Steal a Million Parents Guide & Age Rating
1966 AdvisoryWondering about How to Steal a Million age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of How to Steal a Million is 123 minutes (2h 3m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 7.5/10, and global performance metrics, How to Steal a Million is classified as a SUPER HIT. It remains an essential part of the 1966 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is How to Steal a Million worth watching?
How to Steal a Million is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 7.5/10 and stands as a SUPER HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find How to Steal a Million parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for How to Steal a Million identifies it as NR. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of How to Steal a Million?
The total duration of How to Steal a Million is 123 minutes, which is approximately 2h 3m long.
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Critic Reviews for How to Steal a Million
You really are the smuggest and most hateful man! William Wyler crafts a delightfully frothy caper backed up by wonderful on screen chemistry between Peter O'Toole & Audrey Hepburn. It seems to me that Hepburn always managed to bond with her Male co-stars, and here the interplay between O'Toole and herself is wonderful. Check out a long sequence of events involving the pair hiding out in a closet, it's gold dusted cinema. The film's central plot involves Hepburn & O'Toole planning a daring robbery from a Paris museum to keep her art forger Father (a delightful Hugh Griffith) out of trouble, at first the couple are purely business partners with no love lost for each other, but as the story plays out the pair are forced to get along and etc. The burglary itself is dramatic, attention grabbing entertainment, and it's also the film's highest point, but overall the film as a whole is simply good romantic fun. Also helps that it features a very tidy shift for the finale to further reward the audience for their time spent with the movie. Throw in dapper turns from Charles Boyer & Eli Wallach too, and it's all good really. Open the wine, sit back and relax with Pete & Audrey. 8/10
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This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
