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To Catch a Thief (1955)
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Movie Review by Jarrod 
August 6th, 2008
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Within the Hitchcock canon, 'To Catch a Thief' is of relatively minor importance, falling between Rear Window and North by Northwest, but it is nonetheless a superbly entertaining film, a delicious piece of escapism that is markedly shallow compared to Hitch's most famous works. The Oscar-winning cinematography by Robert Burks is some of the best I have ever seen; just about every individual shot is filled with amazingly beautiful imagery, but then perhaps this is to be expected from a movie set in the French Riviera, a popular travel spot for those with expensive tastes, reflected vividly by the sprawling homes, towering hotels, yachts, and sports cars.
There have been a recent string of jewel robberies, and the primary suspect is John Robie (Cary Grant), known as the Cat because of his feline agility (which allows him to escape across rooftops), developed, as we learn, from a childhood spent in a family of trapeze artists. Robie has retired from thievery, and insists he is innocent, is determined to capture the real culprit himself so that he can clear his name.
However, he repeatedly avoids the police, refuses to answer their questions, does things that make him look guilty. He meets an insurance representative from London, named Hughson (John Williams), who provides him with a list of his wealthiest clients, and the jewelry they have insured. This informs Robie of likely targets. The first name on the list belongs to Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis), an American socialite on vacation with her daughter Frances (Grace Kelley). John charms them both; he and Frances strike up a romance, and she sees right through his cover as an industrialist from Oregon, and recognizes him from the papers. She is eager to pull off a heist with him, tells him about a lavish costume party she will be attending, offers to get him an invitation.
When Jessie gets burglarized, Frances automatically blames Robie, just as the cops did. In fact, his only friends are Hughson, and Jessie, who does not care if her jewels are ever recovered; they have no sentimental value to her, they merely serve as ostentatious displays of wealth. There are a few moments of well-crafted suspense, but Hitchcock is more interested emphasizing the romantic elements of the story, the flirtatious chemistry between Grant and Kelley, and focusing also on humor; this is one of Grant's most playful and light-hearted performances, he is hardly ever serious; his got his start in screwball comedies like Bringing up Baby, The Awful Truth, and His Girl Friday. He and Kelley are the epitome of elegance and glamour; it was difficult at the time to find two more attractive stars in Hollywood.
The identity of the real thief is revealed cleverly, and comes as a bit of a surprise, though it is tied to a rather useless subplot that deals with Robie's involvement in the French Resistance during WWII, and how this put him in contact with Bertani, whose restaurant is staffed by former Resistance members, all of whom inexplicably want Robie dead. One of them is Foussard (Jean Martinelli); his young daughter Danielle (Brigitte Auber) is Robie's ex, she has not quite gotten over him and is extremely jealous of Frances. There is a thrilling car chase, with Frances behind the wheel, and Robie as her passenger, whipping around curves on narrow roads overlooking the sea, dodging pedestrians and oncoming vehicles as she tries to shake their pursuers.
The camera lingers on her face, where we see a smirk that indicates excitement. The dialogue contains some sexual innuendos, but not quite as many as North by Northwest, with Grant and Eva Marie Saint. And the ones in 'To Catch a Thief' are more subtle, sound more innocuous. The script, adapted from a novel by David Dodge, has wit, sophistication, and intelligence. Kelley is ravishing, impeccably dressed by Edith Head. Watch for Hitchcock's requisite cameo early on, sitting next to Robie on a bus.
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 | Amanda
Aug 8, 2008 10:37 AM
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| Noice review. I love this movie! |
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