How to Steal a Million is a 1966 American heist romantic comedy (rom-com) film directed by William Wyler.

After "some like it hot", aka "How to marry a millionaire" directed by Billy Wilder, we present another classic hollywood comedy: How to Steal a Million by Willi Wyler.

William Wyler

Born in 1902 in Mulhouse, Alsace, which was then German, then French. He migrated to Hollywood: a cousin of his mother was the founder of Univeral Pictures. He started his career as director in the 1920s with silent movies (more than 30 in 4 years!).

Later he was still a very prolific director, with 33 feature films from 1930 to 1970. This includes: Wuthering Heights in 1939 (with Laurence Olivier), Roman Holidays (debut of Audrey Hepburn), Ben Hur (still considered a tremendous epic masterpiece).

He received 12 Oscar nominations for best director, still the record, winning 3. Fourteen actors won Oscars under Wyler's direction.

Fourteen actors won Oscars under Wyler's direction.

Film

The robbery scenes in the film were copied for the Hindi film Loafer (1973) and the Tamil film Lingaa (2014, with Rajinikant).

Unfortunately, the title is misleading: it's not really an educational movie. No social or psychological drama, no politics, no war... but still not really moral: it's about stealing, but with so much style and charm that spectators will forgive. So this had to be shot in Paris, which then allows a lot of mockery for "the French" - who does not enjoy it?