To Catch A Thief starring Cary Grant,
Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis,
John Williams, Charles Vanel
Paramount Does Up The "Thief" Just Right!
The 1955 Hitchcock drama/thriller "To Catch a Thief" gets the high hat
treatment as part of Paramount's two disc Centennial collection of movies.
The movie filmed in Vistavision(Hitchcock's first in this format)stars the
suave,debonair and very much tanned Cary Grant and the soon to be real
Princess of Monaco,looking stunning I might add,Grace Kelly.All outside
footage was shot on the French Riviera in and around the Nice area...and
beautiful is the scenery we see throughout.
The film concerns itself with a famous pre-WW2 thief by the name of John
Robie(Grant).During the war he was part of the Maquis and became quite
famous for his heroic exploits with them.After the war he went legit and is
living a contented life in a wonderful villa over looking the Medi terranean
until some 15 years later when another thief starts to pick up where Robie
left off;copying Robie's style to a tee.
The local constabulary of course suspect him right away.When they come
a-knocking Robie leads them on a wild goose chase and for the first while
stays barely a step ahead of them.He seeks out an ex-Maquis friend
named Bertani who runs a restaurant and who offers his
assistance.However his staff,who are also all ex freedom fighters,view
Robie as persona non grata,think he's guilty and want no part of him.
Bertani hooks him up with the local Lloyd's of London agent(John Williams)
who is the insurer for many of the victim's of the thefts.Robie figures the
best person to catch the thief is himself as no one would know the thief's
next moves better.The agent supplies him with a list of individuals and their
insured property so Robie can get a better handle on what and who might
be next.
The police eventually catch Robie but release him on a short leash,so they
think,in order for him to prove his innocence.Robie meets up with a rich
American widower Jessie Stevens(Jessie Landis)and her daughter
Francie(Kelly).It is inevitable that Kelly falls hard for Grant's charms but
Francie knows from the start who he really is.She is a headstrong girl an d
won't take no to helping Robie play out his scheme.She gets him invited to
a masquerade ball and it is at that event that Grant finally manages to get
his man,er crook.Through a lonely vigil on the roof,while the police think
he's on the grounds dancing with Francie(it is really the Lloyd's of London
man in disguise),he finally comes face to face with the real thief and in the
end catches and exonerates himself.The film ends with Grant and Kelly in
a passionate embrace.....ahh,viva la romance!
The film,though not a great film,is still very enjoyable throughout and
typical Hitchcock.(Watch for his cameo a short way into the film on a bus-
Grant looks at him,then out the bus window to a fade out).It has a lot of
plot twists and visual turns that keep you guessing throughout.The scenery
in the film is just wonderful and is almost a travelogue in itself.It is of no
coincidence that the film was shot where it was.This was a favourite spot
for the Hitchcock clan to vacation at and Kelly herself about a year later
would become the reigning queen of the principality of Monaco in this very
region.
I would give the film itself four stars but in the technical department and
with the features supplied in this set,I have added another star to give it full
marks.The picture has been remastered wonderfully(as have all the films
in this series)and the colours are crisp and rich looking.The second disc of
this set contains a real bonanza of riches.Here are some of the things
included:A short bio of Hitchcock,a short film on the censorship code
prevelant during the /50s,a short on the writing and casting of the film,a
short on the making of the film,a short look at its' two main stars,an
"appreciative" look at the film,a short on costumer Edith Head,the
trailer,several still galleries and an interactive map of the the French
Riviera and the actual spots at which the film was shot.I think you will
agree this is a stunning array of extras which makes overall for an even
more enjoyable experience.
In conclusion,the film gets a solid four stars and the extras contained
therein push it all the way to the max.An intriguing and interesting plot
keeps one guessing throughout the films run.With this restored print the
scenery is shown at its' magnificent best,as are its' cast and two main stars
Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.This is the only way "To Catch a Thief".
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To Catch A Thief starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams,
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