Continuity mistake: When TC steals the Monet, he places the painting in the briefcase and closes the case breaking the frame in half and thus ripping the edges of the painting. When at home he opens the briefcase and the frame is obviously crooked but when he holds the painting up to place it above the fireplace it is perfectly intact and the painting is not damaged. (00:20:10 - 00:22:30)
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: After Thomas has stolen the first painting and is coming out of the museum main gates, you can see a balcony in the background with a man in a bowler hat and suit standing on it. A clue to viewers who notice it maybe?
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.
Answer: On the commentary track for the DVD the director states that he has no idea how Thomas Crown stole the final painting.