To Catch a Thief (1955) Reviews

• Good stuff all around

  smatysia2004-01-31

  A bit of a departure for Alfred Hitchcock, somewhat lighter and with less of the trademark suspense. Thoroughly enjoyable, though. Cary Grant was playing Cary Grant by this time, and no one could do it better. And Grace Kelly, what eye-candy! The snappy dialog with the sexual innuendo was done perfectly. And huge kudos to Brigitte Auber, who was gorgeous and very good. An interesting aside was that Grant's character, while pretending to be someone else, claimed to have been an American circus acrobat, which Grant sort of was early in life (albeit English, not American.) Grant (with his accent) could really never be mistaken for an American, even though he usually played one. Also it was a little eerie to see Grace Kelly driving so fast on those French Riviera cliffside roads, in light of what happened to her later. (Of course, she obviously wasn't doing so, they were using back-projection) Anyway, this film is a must for fans of Hitchcock, Kelly or Grant. Grade: A

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• Not 'great' Hitchcock,' but a 'Hitchcock' after all!

  Nazi_Fighter_David1999-09-21

  We are taken by Alfred Hitchcock to the French Riviera where a series of robberies are occurring, and women screaming that their precious jewels are stolen... A black cat - in each robbery - is roaming stealthily in fear and shame along the roof of the elegant Carlton.. From there, Hitchcock introduces us to John Robie (Cary Grant), a retired jewel burglar known as the 'Cat' who is living in peaceful isolation in Cannes... Robie is seen upset, bothered,, and worried because the 'Cat' prowls again... But, who is the 'Cat'? Surely someone is imitating his old style, using his ability and skill, almost his cleverness and talent... Naturally, the police in Cannes is blaming him... They had his hallmark stamped and classified... They would like to catch him in the act and finish with him in jail... Robie is worried how to catch the real thief being himself subject to harass! The characteristic plot of Hitchcock: To chase and to be chased at the same time... John Williams (H.H. Hughson) whose Insurance Company has been victim of great robberies, gives Robie what he wants: A list of their wealthy clients whom might be future candidates on the list of the skillful thief... Here we discover a future victim, the rich Mrs. Stevens (Jessica Royce Landis) and her cool, beautiful and sensual daughter Frances (Grace Kelly). Four scenes, depicted by the master of suspense, catch our attention: With meticulous coiffure and fancy clothes, Grace Kelly plays her role with elegance and fashion... She is gracefully refined and polite showing good taste and style... In the French Riviera she meets her future husband Prince Rainier of Monaco... After finishing the filming of "The Swan," and "High Society," she becomes Princess Grace... The film captures the aerial shooting of the automobile chases on the Riviera Corniche, the Cote D'Azur, the flower market, the grandeur of the rugged coastal scenery, the sea with much sunshine sparkling flashes of wit and gaiety... It is a pleasant entertainment, a 'Hitchcock Champagne' indeed! Grace Kelly—contributing with our ideal romantic hero in catching his thief, was in fact scheming to catch him...

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• Brilliant thriller-comedy with an exceptional main couple : Grant and Kelly

  ma-cortes2011-07-01

  Enjoyable and riveting comedy-thriller by master of suspense , the great Alfred Hitchcock .On the French Riviera a retired jewel thief nicknamed ¨The Cat¨ (Gary Grant) falling for a gorgeous American girl (Grace Kelly), a high society woman accompanied by her mother (Jessie Royce Landis) , she suspects he's up to his old jobs when a rash of jewel thefts happen. While newspapers publicize ¨The Cat prowls again¨. Then the reformed thief attempting to chase his impersonator . This elegant film contains suspense , emotion , mystery , and a wonderful love story . And of course full of distinctive Hitchcockian touches with red-herrings , dead-end trails and some typical jokes. Based on the novel by David Dodge , being well adapted by John Michael Hayes who writes a snappy dialog . Marvelous performances from main cast as Gary Grant as smooth and likable thief who returns his old tricks and wonderful , icely effective Grace Kelly whose coldness is gradually melted . Grace Kelly met husband Prince Rainero of Monaco during a photo shop while she was attending the Cannes Film Festival . Both of whom form a sensational couple with sparkling chemical . Furthermore , good secondary cast as the young girl Brigitte Auber and the veterans Jessie Royce Landis and Charles Vanel and of course John Williams who appears nicely dressed in black and posing as servant of two glamorous ladies in a bizarre , fancy costume ball with policeman awkwardly masquerading . There's a magnificent car pursuit throughout the Grand Corniche located on a Riviera hilltop road and shot from a helicopter. Deservedly Oscar-winning cinematography by Robert Buks , Hitch's usual, as he photographed ¨Strangers in a train¨ , ¨The Birds¨ and ¨Marnie¨ . Luxurious Oscar-nominating costumes by Edith Head and splendidly created for Grace Kelly . Spectacular and colorful scenarios with excellent production design by Hal Pereira also nominated to Academy Award , and outdoors filmed in French Riviera , Monaco , Cannes ,and Grand Corniche . Lively and jolly musical score by Lyn Murray. The motion picture is colorfully and stunningly directed by the genius Hitch . Rating : Above average , this Hitchcock effort proved to be as successful as his former popular movies.

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• Cat burglar

  jotix1002005-07-16

  With the magnificent setting of the French Riviera, "To Catch a Thief" is beautiful to look at. Alfred Hitchcock, the absolute master of suspense, appears to be having a lot of fun with this playful account of the rich and famous in their playground. The film is greatly enhanced by the magnificent photography of Robert Burke whose camera does wonders to show us that beautiful part of France. The film begins with a teasing sequence where one sees a black cat running wildly on the roofs of villas, and later on, hysterical ladies are seen screaming when they realize they have been burglarized. The police links John Robie to the robberies since it appears it's his own modus operandi. In order to fool the authorities that are following him, John boards a bus full of ordinary people bringing things to the market and we catch a glimpse of Hitchcock himself, sitting in the back of the bus, next to John. This is the amazing opening for this film, which shows a lighter Hitchcock, out for a good time. We then meet the rich Stevens, mother and daughter, who are vacationing at the posh Carlton Hotel in Cannes. The insurance agent, Hughson, introduces Robie to them. Hughson wants the Stevens women to be careful with their jewelry; at least, have them keep their gems in the hotel's safe, which they will not hear of. This seems to be an excuse for bringing together John and Frances, a beautiful and elegant woman who makes a point to show how much she hates having even a conversation with Robie, who will display all his charm and ultimately win her over. The best asset in the film is the elegant and ravishing Grace Kelly, at the height of her beauty. Ms. Kelly was one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the screen. In a way, it seems almost as though this film was prophetic in what would happen in her life. First, becoming the fairy tale princess of Monaco, and later on, to die in the same highway one sees her racing her car. Ms. Kelly, dressed by the incomparable Edith Head shows an innate elegance and a great flair to carry clothes in such a wonderful manner. Cary Grant, as John Robie, was at his best portraying the debonair former jewelry thief, a man with a past that had not committed a robbery for many years now, but whose fame preceded him everywhere. Mr. Grant and Ms. Kelly make a great romantic couple whenever we see them. Mr. Hitchcock got a lot out of these two actors and in the process, gives his fan something to care for. John Williams is excellent as the insurance agent trying to protect his clients. Mr. Williams was a superb actor who almost seems not to be acting at all. The same can be said for the chic Jessie Royce Landis, who always showed she was a smart and elegant actress. While this is a film so different from most of his other films, Mr. Hitchcock shows a great affinity for comedy in it. This proved to be a pause in his distinguished career to amuse his public. How well he succeeded!

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• Hitchcock's Charming Romantic Bubble

  gftbiloxi2005-05-21

  There is much to like about Hitchcock's TO CATCH A THIEF: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly at the height of their appeal, a witty script that offers Jessie Royce Landis one of the funniest roles ever seen in any Hitchcock film, and excellent cinematography designed to show off the beauties of Monte Carlo--all packaged in a lightweight tale that is two parts romance, two parts travelogue, one part comedy, and just enough classic Hitchcock suspense to keep this lighter-than-air confection from flying apart. The well known story concerns a string of jewel robberies along the Riviera which lead local officials to suspect that a famous and long retired cat burglar (Grant) is once more on the prowl--but rather than hope the authorities will find the real culprit Grant elects to protect himself by unmasking the thief for himself. In the process he encounters an icy beauty (Kelly) who takes considerable pleasure in tantalizing him with her charms, her jewels, and her knowledge of his criminal past, and her mother (Landis), who is perhaps the best of the "clever matrons" to appear in any Hitchcock film. As the police close in, the three of them devise a plot to expose the thief and clear Grant, with whom Kelly has now fallen in love. Unlike most Hitchcock's most famous films, TO CATCH A THIEF offers nothing dark to trouble our thoughts, and it is perhaps best regarded as a romantic fantasia, the director's vacation from his more typical material. While it will never compete with the more famous VERTIGO and REAR WINDOW of the same period, it is extremely well done and quite a bit of fun to watch. Viewers seeking a pleasant film with a romantic touch will enjoy it a great deal. Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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