A composition that includes a high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium; a linear, branched or cyclic C1-18 alcohol; and a Group VIII metal catalyst forms a metal film of copper, silver or indium on a substrate when the composition is coated on the substrate and heated to reduce the high-valent compound. The composition may alternatively include metal particles of silver, copper or indium in which the surface layer of the particle includes a high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium. A metal film of copper, silver or indium may also be formed on a substrate by coating a substrate with the composition including the metal particles, and heating to reduce the high-valent compound in the same manner as above.