Fitzwilly (1967)

The once sizable fortune of an elderly philanthropist (Edith Evans) has dried up but she doesn't know it. Her loyal butler (Dick Van Dyke) and the rest of the staff commit a series of robberies to keep her checks from bouncing and to keep her in the lifestyle she was born to. Based on the novel A GARDEN OF CUCUMBERS by Poyntz Tyler and directed by Delbert Mann (MARTY). There's a lot of sweetness and charm in this warm hearted caper but it's all dissipated by the end of the movie due to the humorless silliness that it descends into. Pity because Van Dyke plays off his two leading ladies (Barbara Feldon is the romantic interest) quite nicely and one is rooting for his character. The score is an early effort by John Williams (still being billed as Johnny Williams here). With Sam Waterston, John McGiver, Harry Townes, Norman Fell, Cecil Kellaway and Anne Seymour.