Plot hole: When Renee Russo was reviewing the tape showing the room with the painting to see who stole the painting, and the tape was blank because the heat generated from the suitcase hidden under the bench, why didn't she just back up the tape completely to see who put the suitcase there in the first place? (00:28:30)
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
Ending / spoiler
Directed by: John McTiernan
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Denis Leary, Rene Russo, Ben Gazzara, Frankie Faison
The missing painting was actually the one Thomas Crown donated as a temporary replacement, just covered with a water-based paint. The sprinklers go off at the end, revealing the real painting underneath the paint. Thomas Crown gets away with it and he runs away with Catherine Banning.
More mistakes in The Thomas Crown Affair
Detective Michael McCann: I love this neighborhood. Some of these broads are wearing my salary.
Trivia: Not strictly a mistake, but have you ever seen anything like the product placement when Rene Russo storms into an office and downs a can of Pepsi One (with the label cunning facing the camera)? She does all but turn to camera, hold it up, and say "aaah - there's nothing like an ice-cold can of Pepsi". I actually laughed when I saw it.
Question: I know this is all part of the mystery, but how the hell does he steal the second painting? Everything else he's planned you can see the logic behind, how it worked, etc., but there's no possible way he could have got to the second picture - all the gates were shut and locked, the metal fireguards were in place...any ideas? If anyone involved in the making/writing of it is reading this, can they please get in touch with me?
Answer: The soft piano music at the start of the film is by Bill Conti, who is the soundtrack composer. I believe the piece is called Glider as it is used later in the film during the Glider flying scene.
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Answer: On the commentary track for the DVD the director states that he has no idea how Thomas Crown stole the final painting.