On 2010-03-06 Scotman, Sausalito, CA wrote: This 1955 film is Hitchcock´s adventure into romantic comedy, or as one critic called it, ´romantic thriller.´ I can see that!
The story is apparently about a man who used to be a jewel and diamond thief but after the war and his heroics there in the French Underground, has retired from being a cat burglar (The Cat) and lives in a fancy house with servants in the French Riviera. Someone is copying him, stealing jewels just as he did with his methods. The other thief is so good that many people, even his own comrades and the police, think he is doing it.
But that plotline is fake! It´s actually about John Robie (Cary Grant) and Francie (Grace Kelly, in her final movie before moving to Monaco), their exploration of romance and expressions of their love.
The film has all the requisite items in a Hitchcock stew: take a man with a mistaken identity, put in a dash of rich blondes driving fancy cars (very fast, actually) and stir in the atmosphere of the French Riviera.
But I think the soup has a bit too many items in it! I mean, it is intriguing to watch Grant as he tries to clear his name and how he tries to pick up on Kelly´s character at the same time. But the film drags a bit.
Take the masquerade scene where Francie helps set up a trap to catch the real thief. Many couples traipsing in with their gorgeous ball gowns and 18th century costumes really drags -- but at the same time is an awesome showcase of Edith Head´s costuming, the famous movie costumer working at Paramount at the time.
I did enjoy the double entendre (´Would you prefer a leg or a breast?´) when discussing picnic chicken; or how Grace Kelly´s character is driving down a narrow road, hairpin turns at 90 miles an hour with a sly grin on her face; or even better, the fireworks going off between kisses!
The DVD I rented had a lot of great ´making of´ treasures, including interviews with Hitchcock´s daughter Pat and his granddaughter Mary Stone. A pretty funny story was told where Mary was studying film and one of Hitchcock´s films was one of the subjects (I forget which one, Stranger on a Train I think) and Hitch helped her write a paper on what the director was trying to say in the film.
Another tidbit was that Cary Grant was not going to act in anymore pictures until convinced to work on ´Thief´. To think, if Cary got his wish, we never would have seen him on North by Northwest and others.
The paper came back a ´C´! Hitchcock saw this and said, ´Well, I did my best!´
Family photos of the Hitchcock family, trailers, interviews with the cast and crew from To Catch a Thief, and a very interesting bio of Edith Head gave awesome film history to anyone interested in the men and women behind the camera.
To Catch a Thief has its moments, but does not measure up to his other hits such as Rear Window or North by Northwest. Recommended.
Some Cary Grant Films:
The Cary Grant Signature Collection (Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House / Destination Tokyo / The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer / My Favorite Wife / Night and Day)
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Comedies (Adam´s Rib / Woman of the Year / The Philadelphia Story / Bringing Up Baby)
Some Grace Kelly Films:
The Hollywood Collection - Grace Kelly: The American Princess
The Leading Ladies Collection (Now Voyager / Mildred Pierce / For Me and My Gal / Father of the Bride / Dial M for Murder)
. And summed up by saying Diamonds Are Forever -- A Hitchcock Romantic Thriller!. Currently To Catch a Thief (Special Collector´s Edition) has an overall rating of 8 over 10.
To Catch a Thief (Special Collector´s Edition) can also be found in the following searches:
Robert Burks claimed Cary Grant plays John Robie reformed jewel thief who was once known as ´The Cat´ in this suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock classic thriller. Robie is suspected of a new rash of gem thefts in the luxury hotels of the French Riviera and he must set out to clear himself. Meeting pampered heiress Frances (Grace Kelly) he sees a chance to bait the mysterious thief with her mother´s (Jessie Royce Landis) fabulous jewels. His plan backfires however but France who believes him guilty proves her love by helping him escape. In a spine-tingling climax the real criminal is exposed. System Requirements:Runtime: 106 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating: NR UPC: 097361207346 Manufacturer No: 120734
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