This is an original Japanese press-sheet / speed poster printed in 1966 for the first Japanese release of How to Steal a Million (おしゃれ泥棒), directed by William Wyler and starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole.
Film background
Released in 1966, How to Steal a Million is a glamorous Paris-set caper-romance that pairs Audrey Hepburn at the height of her screen icon status with Peter O’Toole’s effortless charm. Hepburn plays Nicole Bonnet, the daughter of a celebrated art collector whose father’s masterpieces are secretly forgeries. When one of the “family treasures” is scheduled for scientific authentication at a museum, Nicole must prevent the truth from coming out—by arranging a theft of the artwork herself. She is forced into an uneasy partnership with Simon Dermott (O’Toole), a witty burglar-detective figure who is never quite what he seems.
Wyler, one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors (Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, The Best Years of Our Lives), keeps the tone light and stylish, letting the film play as pure mid-1960s escapism: couture fashion, Paris landmarks, and a sparkling battle of wits between two movie stars.
Poster design
This speed / press-sheet format is all about graphic impact at close range—made for cinema lobbies, ticket counters, and promotional display boards rather than full poster frames. The design is one of the most famous campaign images for the film: Hepburn in a mod mini-dress and patterned tights, arm raised triumphantly with a “tool” (a drill-like device) while O’Toole crouches behind her, flashlight in hand, as if mid-heist. The playful composition sells the film’s tone instantly—high fashion meets comic burglary—with the Japanese title おしゃれ泥棒 (“stylish thief”) set vertically in elegant pink lettering.
The styling is peak 1960s: clean white space, bold colour accents, and that unmistakable Hepburn silhouette. Even in this smaller format, it feels like a complete piece of design rather than a cropped reduction of a larger poster.
This poster is in very good / excellent condition for its age. Colours remain strong and the paper presents cleanly, with the expected original fold lines and light handling wear from careful storage (please refer to the photos—this is the exact poster you will receive).
It is over 59 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
