THE HAPPY THIEVES

US, 1962, 88 minutes, Colour,
Rex Harrison, Rita Hayworth, Joseph Wiseman, Valli, Gregoire Aslan.
Directed by George Marshall.

The Happy Thieves was not very successful at the box-office and received very strong criticism. It is an interesting enough example of the ‘caper’ film and was made in Europe with a varied cast. Rex Harrison and Rita Hayworth are interesting teaming as the stars. George Marshall, a director of a great number of thrillers and comedies, did not seem to bring great flair to this film. It is something of a film curiosity.

1. How ironic was the title? An apt title for this film?

2. How would this film best be described? Was it a thriller? Was it a comedy? Which genre predominated?

3. How attractive were the thieves themselves? The personalities and styles of Rex Harrison and Rita Hayworth? The acting ability of Joseph Wiseman as Colbert? what motivated them in the robberies? Gentleman Jim’s style, Eve’s reliance and dependence on Jim? Colbert’s gratitude for the help received? His sense of achievement in his painting? Comment on the style of the two robberies? What were their gains in stealing the paintings?

4. Did the main characters come across as persons and personalities? The quality, the relationships? a dependence on Eve, his using her, his arrogance, debonair attitude, his growing love for Eve? his admiration for Colbert? Eve’s love for Jim and allowing herself to he used? Not wanting to go away, her returning? Colbert’s dependence and admiration? The fears in their relationships and their work? Their sense of achievement, despite murders and despite prison?

5. How successfully filmed were the robbery sequences? The initial robbery and the light musical background? The elaborate preparation for the stealing of the Goya?

6. How did the murders affect the tone of the film? How callous were the murders? Audience response to them?

7. What did the film have to say about greed and double-crossing?

8. The callous unpleasantness of such greed? Was the character of Dr Munoz well drawn? As a house guest, his relationship to June, his double-crossing them? the murder, his murder of the bull-fighters? Did he deserve his death at the hand of the Duchess? The character of the Duchess? Her relationship with Cayetano? Was her murder of Munoz credible?

9. What did the matador with his hesitations add to the film? The Spanish backgrounds and the arena? His skill, his death?

10. Comment on the choices offered at the end of the film?

11. Willingness to escape and then his changing places with Colbert? The reaction on Eve?

12. In retrospect, how successful a film was this?