What Is How to Steal 100 Million About?
The premise of How to Steal 100 Million in 275 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the polished yet shadowed corridors of a Parisian prison, Simon Dermott—a smooth‑talking accountant with a reputation for bending numbers and expectations—finds himself confined after a daring swindle that left millions vanished. The film opens on his charismatic resilience, as he navigates the institutional routine with a wit that hints at a mind constantly scheming. The setting feels both luxurious and claustrophobic, a world where high‑society elegance collides with the stark reality of bars, setting the tone for a story that balances sophisticated comedy with a subtle undercurrent of tension.
Outside the walls, Nicole awaits, caught between belief in Simon’s promises and the practical doubts of a lover who knows his talent for illusion. Simon’s latest ruse involves convincing her that he’s been dispatched abroad on a lucrative assignment, a story as elaborate as any of his past cons. Their interactions crackle with playful banter and lingering affection, casting their relationship as a delicate dance of trust and deception. The audience is drawn into their chemistry, sensing that every smile may mask a hidden agenda, and every whispered reassurance could be part of a larger, unseen game.
Hovering over Simon’s carefully constructed façade is the looming presence of his former superior, Charles Bonnet, whose bitterness fuels a quiet vendetta. Their past, hinted at through sharp exchanges and lingering glances, suggests a history of power plays and unresolved scores. This triad of characters creates a compelling cat‑and‑mouse dynamic, where wit, charm, and lingering resentment intertwine. The film’s tone—lively, stylish, and tinged with a hint of danger—keeps viewers guessing what truths will surface and which lies will endure, promising a captivating blend of romance and clever intrigue.
What Happens in How to Steal 100 Million?
The complete story of How to Steal 100 Million, from the first scene to the last, in 803 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
In a world where art forgery meets high-society intrigue, a renowned Parisian collector named Charles Bonnet specializes in fabricating and selling legendary paintings, keeping his family’s fortune intact by careful deception. His daughter, Nicole, remains perpetually anxious about the day his schemes will be uncovered, a worry that intensifies when a nocturnal confrontation unfolds at their mansion. A burglar named Simon Dermott breaches their security, wielding Nicole’s father’s latest forged piece—the “Van Gogh”—and she responds with a frightened struggle that ends with a misfired shot, narrowly wounding his arm. Rather than alert the authorities and risk a full exposure of the family’s illegal enterprise, Nicole chooses a risky, intimate route: she drives the charming intruder to his luxurious hotel in a high-end car, concealing the truth behind the incident.
Meanwhile, Charles plans to lend the famous Cellini Venus to the Kléber-Lafayette Museum for an exhibition, a statue that carries a heavier burden than most: it was sculpted by his father, and its sale would unravel the credit and trust surrounding his entire collection. The plan to exhibit it is jeopardized by the prospect of forensic testing, which would reveal the statue’s true, counterfeit origins. Knowing that withdrawing it would arouse suspicion, Charles signs the museum’s standard insurance policy, blissfully unaware that it also sets the stage for a deeper probe into the Venus’s authenticity. To shield his father from exposure, Nicole urges Simon to undertake a daring theft of the Venus before the examination can reveal its fakery. Simon initially doubts the feasibility, but his own growing feelings for Nicole convince him to take on the challenge.
Enter American tycoon Davis Leland, a fervent art collector whose obsession with the Venus expands the stakes. He arranges a meeting with Nicole and, charmed by her, proposes marriage as a means to secure ownership of the statue. Nicole, swept up by the whirlwind of events, agrees to the engagement and to the heist, while Simon, watching from the shadows, processes the odd mix of romance and risk that draws them together. The night of the heist arrives, and Nicole and Simon hide in the museum’s utility closet until after hours. Observing the guards, Simon adopts a clever ruse: he repeatedly triggers the security alarm with a boomerang, engineering a supposed “fault” that allows them to move. He notices Nicole’s resemblance to the Venus, and she confesses that her grandfather carved the statuette while her grandmother served as its model; Simon, in a quiet confession, reveals that he already knew the Venus was worthless but joined the plan for her sake. The theft succeeds when Simon steals the Venus and Nicole, masquerading as a cleaning worker, slips it into a bucket. In the ensuing confusion, the statue’s disappearance goes undetected and the couple makes a clean getaway.
Davis Leland, frantic to reclaim the statue, intensifies his pursuit and makes it clear that no price is too high to regain the piece. Simon orchestrates a sly arrangement with him: the statue would be sold on the condition that it never be displayed again and that the Bonnet family would not be contacted. Leland agrees, but when Nicole attempts to return her engagement ring, he bolts, prompting Simon to add the ring to the sale, underscoring the tangled motives at play.
The two lovers, Nicole and Simon, savor the thrill of their success, and Simon drops a revealing truth: the Venus had been a test, and he was actually a seasoned consultant and investigator hired by major galleries to detect forgeries and strengthen security. He had been tracking Charles’s collection from the start, but he has no intention of exposing Nicole or her father now that she has become so important to him. He reassures Charles that the statue will be kept safe and out of harm’s way, and he notes that the price of the heist was effectively zero because the Venus had never been authenticated for insurance purposes. The closing moment hints at retirement for the Bonnet family’s forgery business as Simon privately admits that one of them must leave the life behind.
With trust rebuilt, the couple looks toward a future together. A collector who admired Charles’s newly dubbed “Van Gogh” arrives at the Bonnet residence, warmly greeted by the wily forger. Nicole calls this man a “cousin” and the pair share a knowing smile, signaling a bold new beginning. They drive away, ready to begin a life together free from the need to forge, a life built on their shared lies, their fragile trust, and the quiet hope of a future where art—and the people who love it—can be free from deceit. >“the statue will be safely out of the country”—a line that quietly underscores the tension between preservation and exposure, a theme that lingers as they ride toward an uncertain but hopeful horizon.
How to Steal 100 Million Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Late-night confrontation at the Bonnet mansion” to “Collector's arrival at the Bonnet residence”. 12 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Late-night confrontation at the Bonnet mansion
Nicole confronts the burglar Simon Dermott in the Bonnet mansion, threatening him with an antique pistol. A stray shot wounds his arm, but Nicole refuses to call the police. To avoid an investigation that could expose her father’s forgery operation, she instead escorts Simon to his hotel, forging a reluctant partnership.
When:late night Where:Bonnet mansion
- 2
Venus loan and looming forensic threat
Charles Bonnet agrees to loan his Cellini Venus to the Kléber-Lafayette Museum for an exhibition. He knows the statuette is a fake, carved by his father, and fears scientific tests would expose the deception and ruin his reputation. He signs the museum's insurance policy, unaware it includes a forensic examination, and realizes that withdrawing the statue would raise suspicions.
Where:Kléber-Lafayette Museum
- 3
Nicole seeks Simon to steal the Venus
Nicole asks Simon to steal the Venus to prevent the forensic examination from revealing the forgery. He initially resists, believing the job impossible, but his growing feelings for Nicole persuade him to take the risk. The plan becomes a joint effort to protect the Bonnet name.
Where:Bonnet residence
- 4
Leland initiates contact to purchase
American tycoon Davis Leland arranges to meet Nicole to purchase the Venus, driven by his obsession with owning the statue. He is drawn to Nicole's charm, suggesting a potentially lucrative arrangement.
Where:Bonnet residence
- 5
Second meeting and a marriage proposal
At their second meeting, Leland proposes marriage to secure ownership of the Venus. Nicole rushes to coordinate the museum heist and, in a moment of haste, accepts his ring, keeping her options open.
Where:Meeting location
- 6
Heist prep in the museum and alarm trick
Nicole and Simon hide in the museum’s utility closet until closing, study the guards’ routine, and map out their moves. Simon uses a boomerang to repeatedly trigger a malfunctioning alarm until the system is effectively disabled.
When:closing time Where:Kléber-Lafayette Museum
- 7
The Venus theft and escape
Simon steals the Venus while Nicole, disguised as a cleaning woman, hides it in a bucket. When the Venus is discovered missing, they slip into the chaos and make their escape.
When:immediately after the heist Where:Kléber-Lafayette Museum
- 8
The ring in the package and pursuit
Leland pursues the statue, and Nicole tries to return her engagement ring to him. Simon secretly adds the ring to the Venus package to ensure it remains part of the deal.
Where:Museum vicinity
- 9
Confidences and a safe plan
Nicole and Simon celebrate the successful theft in a private location. Simon reveals the Venus was his first heist and that he’s an expert security consultant and investigator hired to tighten security for galleries. He vows not to expose Nicole or Charles and to keep the statue out of the country.
When:shortly after the theft Where:Secure hideout
- 10
Zero-price deal and retirement of forgery
Simon tells Charles that the purchase price was zero dollars since the statue was never authenticated and carries no insurance. Charles feels relief but recognizes that someone must retire from forgery, setting the stage for an end to the grift.
Where:Charles's study
- 11
Plan to marry and start anew
Nicole and Simon prepare to marry and begin a new life together, solidified by their shared double-life. They drive off to start their life beyond the Bonnet forgeries.
Where:On the road
- 12
Collector's arrival at the Bonnet residence
A collector who admired Charles's new is Van Gogh arrives at the Bonnet residence and is warmly welcomed by the wily forger. Nicole calls him a cousin, hinting at the network they've leveraged. The couple departs to begin their life together.
Where:Bonnet residence
Who Are the Main Characters in How to Steal 100 Million?
4 characters, among them Nicole Bonnet, Simon Dermott and Charles Bonnet: who each one is and the part they play in the story.
- NB
Nicole Bonnet
Charles Bonnet's disapproving daughter who fears the family’s forged legacy will be exposed. She masterminds the plan to steal the Venus to shield her father, masking motives with charm and resolve. Her arc centers on protecting family reputation while navigating a risky romance with Simon.
- 🕵️ Secretive
- 💎 Family secrets
- 💼 Wealth & privilege
- SD
Simon Dermott
A burglar who becomes entwined with Nicole and the heist, presenting a rogue charm and surprising depth. He claims the Venus theft is impossible but joins the plan after falling for Nicole, later revealing a true role as an expert security consultant and investigator for major galleries.
- 🕵️ Secret identity
- 💘 Romance
- 🧭 Dual life
- CB
Charles Bonnet
A prominent art collector who forges and sells counterfeit masterpieces. He secretly guards the Venus as a fake within his collection, aware that authentication would expose his entire forgery operation. He is protective of his legacy and wary of investigations that could unravel it.
- 🎭 Forgery
- 🖼️ Art world
- 🏛️ Collector
- DL
Davis Leland
An American billionaire art collector obsessed with owning the Venus. He arranges meetings to purchase the statue, representing the commercial and competitive side of the global art market. His pursuit amplifies the story’s stakes and cross-continental tension.
- 💰 Wealth & power
- 🌍 Global reach
- 🤝 Deal-maker
Where and When Is How to Steal 100 Million Set?
How to Steal 100 Million is set in Paris, France, Kléber-Lafayette Museum and Bonnet Mansion (Contemporary (early 21st century)). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Contemporary (early 21st century)
Set in present-day Paris, the film features modern galleries, security systems, and global art market dynamics. The plot unfolds within a contemporary urban landscape where private collectors and museums shape reputations and influence. The timeframe aligns with current forgeries and authentication practices that drive the intrigue.
Where
Paris, France, Kléber-Lafayette Museum, Bonnet Mansion
The story unfolds in a stylish Paris setting, centered around a prestigious museum and an opulent family mansion. The Kléber-Lafayette Museum provides the backdrop for the Venus statue heist, highlighting the city’s high-stakes art culture. The Bonnet family residence contrasts with the museum’s public prestige, illustrating the divide between private wealth and public display.
- 🏛️ Paris
- 🖼️ Art world
- 🏰 Private mansion
What Are the Themes of How to Steal 100 Million?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Deception, Romance and Risk & Consequences.
-
01
Deception
The plot hinges on forgery, lies, and carefully constructed façades within elite circles. Nicole and Simon orchestrate a heist that blurs motives between protection and theft. The story probes how appearances can mask real intentions and how trust is a currency in the art world.
-
02
Romance
A romantic bond forms under pressure, complicating decisions and elevating risk. Nicole and Simon’s growing affection challenges their loyalties and reshapes their plans. The relationship adds emotional stakes to a high-stakes criminal enterprise.
-
03
Risk & Consequences
Ambition and desire collide with legal and ethical boundaries as collectors, forgers, and thieves circle the Venus. Authentication tests, insurance policies, and the threat of exposure heighten tension and force choices with far-reaching consequences. The pursuit reveals how a calculated victory can come at a personal and moral cost.
What Kind of Film Is How to Steal 100 Million?
Light in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A charming and clever romantic heist film that unfolds with playful suspense and sophisticated wit, balancing the thrill of deception with the promise of a hopeful future.
- charming
- playful
- romantic
- suspenseful
- clever
- sophisticated
- art forgery
- heist
- deception
- romantic intrigue
Quiz
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