While I might be one of the first people to think that this movie wasn't exactly the "deepest" film I have ever seen (as the plot really is very simple), it really doesn't matter since the film is just so much fun. In other words, you can watch it and enjoy this simple and well-made film just for the shear pleasure of watching fine acting and extremely well-crafted dialog. Of course, the acting of Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole was top-notch--this didn't come as any surprise to me. However, the supporting actors really helped this film to be an even better film. Eli Wallach was cute as a rich and eccentric American, but even better was Hugh Griffith. He played the most delightful and watchable crook I can remember seeing in quite a number of years. He actually made being an art forger "cute" he was that funny! My wife and daughter, I noticed, laughed whenever he appeared in the film and my daughter said she loved Griffith's "insane eyes".
Apparently, the old rogue (Griffith) was so brazen with his forging that he loaned a local museum a forged statue to be the centerpiece of a major exhibition! And, when insurance appraisers announce that they want to take the statue off display to appraise it for insurance purposes--and Audrey is afraid they'll discover her father's fraud. So, she uses her ample charms to convince O'Toole to help her steal with fake. That's really all there is to the basic plot, but HOW the plot unfolds is simply marvelous!
Apparently, the old rogue (Griffith) was so brazen with his forging that he loaned a local museum a forged statue to be the centerpiece of a major exhibition! And, when insurance appraisers announce that they want to take the statue off display to appraise it for insurance purposes--and Audrey is afraid they'll discover her father's fraud. So, she uses her ample charms to convince O'Toole to help her steal with fake. That's really all there is to the basic plot, but HOW the plot unfolds is simply marvelous!