Yolanda and the Thief (1945): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1945, Yolanda and the Thief is a fantasy, romance and music film directed by Vincente Minnelli, running about 108 minutes. “M-G-M's Magic Musical in Technicolor!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Johnny Riggs, a con man on the lam, finds himself in a Latin-American country named Patria. There, he overhears a convent-bred rich girl praying to her guardian angel for help in managing her tangled business affairs. Riggs decides to materialize as the girl's "angel", gains her unquestioning confidence, and helps himself to the deluded girl's millions. Just as he and his partner are about to flee Patria with their booty, Riggs realizes he has fallen in love with the girl and returns the money, together with a note that is part confession and part love letter. But the larcenous duo's escape from Patria turns out to be more difficult than they could ever have imagined.

Who’s in it. Yolanda and the Thief stars Fred Astaire as Johnny Parkson Riggs, Lucille Bremer as Yolanda, Frank Morgan as Victor Budlow Trout and Mary Nash as Duenna, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.7/10, Yolanda and the Thief has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $1.8M at the box office.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Yolanda and the Thief page.

If you liked it. Fans of Yolanda and the Thief tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Green Mile, Spirited Away and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.