How to steal a million, 1966

I have always loved Audrey Hepburn since the time I first watched "My Fair Lady" (1964), then later, "Sabrina" (1954); "Wait Until Dark" (1967), etc. Other movies which I had had the chance to watch, in some of them, I think she was only OK due to the too lengthy and rambling plot.

With that skeptical attitude, I watched "How to steal a million", and was genuine in love with the Nicole character, as well as the whole movie.

Did I imagine, or Audrey Hepburn in this movie, still talked and acted a bit like the Eliza Doolittle of the "My Fair Lady" after being transformed into a noble lady? (Perhaps because the two movies were done very close to each other?).

I was shocked too, when I saw the young and too handsome Peter O'Toole as Detective Simon Dermott (Peter O'Toole of late, seemed to be always looking haggard, tired, and constantly skeptical of life in general!).

The plot was quite interesting, or could it be because of the lively chemistry between the cast, which made the movie quite hilarious and beautiful?

It was about a wealthy art collector, Charles Bonnet (played by Hugh Griffith), whose hobby was to fake famous impressionist painters (eg Van Gough). He made quite a good profit out of selling these painting legitimately as genuine items.

Arrived the detective Simon Dermott, whose task was to prove that these paintings were forgeries. While sneaking into Charles Bonnet's mansion to secretly investigate (at night), he was caught red handed by Charles Bonnet's gorgeous daughter, Nicole Bonnet (played by Audrey Hepburn).

Accidentally shot Dermott in the arm, Nicole Bonnet felt sorry for the good looking and very well dressed burglar, she agreed to drive Dermott back to the Ritz hotel in his very expensive sport car.

Prior to this event, Nicole tried to stop her father from lending out his fake Cellini Venus statue to the Paris Art Museum, but with no success (just liked her other efforts in stopping her father from faking famous paintings).

When the statue was by law, about to be expertly analysed before an insurance of 1 million dollars could be in effect, Nicole and her father were in real panic. Nicole decided to ask the well dressed burglar named Dermott to help her retrieve the statue in secret. Thus they did successfully, with lots of difficulties and thrilling moments.

Romance blossomed between the young couple, but before they could further this relationship, they had to tidy up other matters: the fake statue, Dermott's true identity, Nicole's admirers, Nicole's father's hobby in forgeries, etc.

The movie is very sweet, sandwiched with hilarious moments. A gleeful Charles Bonnet at time, looked so like the famous Fagin (crook, dirty, sneaky and all!) in the musical "Oliver!" , 1968 (Hugh Griffith was also in the latter movie, however, as the magistrate, not as Fagin (Ron Moody played this role)).

I was glad that I had had the chance to watch this wonderful movie of Audrey Hepburn.