To Catch a Thief
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Written by John Michael Hayes based on a novel by David Dodge
1955/USA
Paramount Pictures
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Frances Stevens: I have a feeling that tonight you’re going to see one of the Riviera’s most fascinating sights.[/box]
This movie is a ton of fun, especially if you like eye candy.
John Robie (Cary Grant) lives in a villa on the French Riviera. As the movie opens, he is being chased by police. Before too long, we find out that he is a retired cat burglar, known as The Cat, who, when his jail was bombed, joined the French Resistance and received a pardon. His former fellow criminal associates and inmates are all working at a nearby restaurant. A series of jewel burglaries go down which bear his unmistakable trademark. As we have come to expect in a Hitchcock film, he decides that the only way to clear his name is to apprehend the real criminal.
Robie believes the best way to get his man is to think the way he would. He starts working with the local Lloyd’s of London representative and is tipped off to a wealthy American, Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) who is travelling with a fortune in jewels and a daughter. The daughter, Frances (Grace Kelly) sees through Robie’s alias early on but seems to be turned on by his thievery. That is until her mother’s jewels go missing …
You really don’t need much more when your movie features two of the most beautiful people ever to grace the screen, the crystal waters of the Riviera, and Edith Head’s stunning costumes. The Vista Vision widescreen process captures everything vividly and looked especially beautiful on the Blu-Ray DVD I received. This is as much a romantic comedy as it is a thriller and is very enjoyable. Recommended.
To Catch a Thief won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color. It was nominated in the categories of Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color and Best Costume Design, Color.
Trailer
Ah, the blase international set. Grace. So beautiful. Edith Head’s clothes. Yummy Cary. And France! You are right — this is eye candy deluxe!
It’s not one of Hitch’s great films but I think it’s one of the most purely entertaining.
Recently, I watched the opening. Cary seemed stiff. Was he uncomfortable in the role? I vote for a plot-less montage of Grace in each outfit, the fireworks, the chicken scene, etc.
The montage sounds like a good idea. The commentary said Hitchcock let it be known that it took twenty hours to film the kissing scenes and used it as publicity. The chemistry between Cary and Grace was not too overwhelming however to me.
Did Hitch say why the kissing scenes took twenty hours? I think it was because Grant’s uncomfortable. I’ve been watching him in other films from this period and notice while he’s smooth and charming, he’s not giving off much heat.
I don’t even know if it was true! Hitch was a master of PR. But I think he had a hard time believing that he fit with women that were so much younger. They solved that problem in Charade by making Audrey Hepburn the “wolf”.
Yes. And that worked!