Cary Grant. Grace Kelly. Alfred Hitchcock. Three legendary names in Hollywood and they joined together for the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock film "To Catch A Thief." The film is noteworthy for bringing Cary Grant out of a two year, self-imposed retirement that resulted after a number of unsuccessful films at the box office including "Dream Wife," "Monkey Business" and "Room for One More." Grant would star in a number of successful films after "To Catch a Thief" including "Charade," "An Affair to Remember" and would eventually star in another legendary Alfred Hitchcock film, "North by Northwest" after previously appearing in "Suspicion" and "Notorious." Grace Kelly had previously appeared in "Dial M for Murder" and "Rear Window" for Alfred Hitchcock, but this marked their first time working together.
"To Catch a Thief" stars Cary Grant as John Robie, a retired master jewel thief known as "the Cat" for his acrobatic abilities and talents in leaving not a trace of a clue post heist. Robie had earned his freedom after serving in the French Resistance, but finds himself the principal suspect after a rash of recent jewel heists leave the police puzzled and the methods and manner in which the thefts are handled are reminiscent to the talents of Robie. Robie realizes that the only way he can clear his name is to apprehend the copy "Cat" and bring the new jewel thief to justice. His travels take him to the French Riviera, where he meets the lovely young lady Francie Stevens (Grace Kelly) and her rich mother Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) after obtaining the Stevens´ name from a list provided by an insurance agent, H.H. Hughson (John Williams). Robie is aided by former compatriots of the French Revolution and also the daughter of his friend Foussard (Jean Martinelli), Danielle (Brigitte Auber).
Although nearly twice the age of Grace Kelly in real life, Francie becomes the primary love interest of Robie when he tries to set a trap for the new cat burglar when the thief tries to steal the jewels from Mrs. Stevens. Robie is the first man to not fall completely and madly in love with the pampered Francie, and she surprises him when she learns that he is not the man he claims to be, but the masterful burglar John Robie. Francie is not the only girl wanting to be the wife of Robie, the young girl Danielle dreams of moving to Southern climates with Robie and becoming his wife, but Robie has not interest in the young girl that is the daughter of his friend. This does not stop jealousy from taking hold of both Francie and Danielle. Eventually, Robie finds himself at the scene of the crime when the new burglar attempts to lift the jewels from somebody on the list provided by H.H. Hughson and he is surprised at the identity of the thief.
"To Catch a Thief" is a rare "Whodunit" film by director Alfred Hitchcock. The director had typically kept away from this subgenre of crime thriller, as he had preferred to have a more suspenseful story and not resort to surprises to thrill his audience. The film contains many trademark moments by the auteur and features his trademark cameo appearance, numerous beautiful wide angle shots and a number of MacGuffins. In the case of "To Catch a Thief," the MacGuffin is the true identity of the thief, which is not revealed until the closing moments of the film, although I had correctly guessed the identity after just about halfway through the film. Hitchcock´s cameo in the film takes place in the early going when Robie boards a bus and sits beside the film´s director.
This is a classic film and in typical Hitchcock fashion, the plot is involved and the story is captivating. The director did right in talking Cary Grant out of retirement, as Grant would give forth a very good performance and later reward Hitchcock by starring in one of the director´s absolute best films, "North by Northwest." Grace Kelly is a lovely lady and held her own against the veteran leading man. Their chemistry on screen was good, although I didn´t feel her age of 26 matched up with Grant´s 51. Nearly double her age, it was believable that a young lady would swoon over the elder John Robie, but a girl as gorgeous as Francie would certainly have no troubles finding a suitable suitor that is at least a decade or two younger than the film´s primary star. Cary Grant was still a very handsome leading man, there is no denying that fact, but Grace Kelly was simply a stunner and looked younger than her actual age of 26.
Although I was able to correctly deduce who the real criminal was, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the film. I´m sure there are people out there who will find the ending to still be surprising, but in the past fifty years, there has been so many "Whodunits" created that we are all well-trained in how to identify who the real villain is. Hitchcock still builds suspense until the final moments when Robie and the new "Cat" come face-to-face on a brick shingled rooftop; both under gunfire of the local police force. The style and attitude of "To Catch a Thief" easily makes up for its predictability, as any Hitchcock film was a stylish tour de force and this film is no exception. Nobody makes films like Alfred Hitchcock used to make and it is always refreshing when his cinema classics make their way to DVD.
"To Catch a Thief" stars Cary Grant as John Robie, a retired master jewel thief known as "the Cat" for his acrobatic abilities and talents in leaving not a trace of a clue post heist. Robie had earned his freedom after serving in the French Resistance, but finds himself the principal suspect after a rash of recent jewel heists leave the police puzzled and the methods and manner in which the thefts are handled are reminiscent to the talents of Robie. Robie realizes that the only way he can clear his name is to apprehend the copy "Cat" and bring the new jewel thief to justice. His travels take him to the French Riviera, where he meets the lovely young lady Francie Stevens (Grace Kelly) and her rich mother Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) after obtaining the Stevens´ name from a list provided by an insurance agent, H.H. Hughson (John Williams). Robie is aided by former compatriots of the French Revolution and also the daughter of his friend Foussard (Jean Martinelli), Danielle (Brigitte Auber).
Although nearly twice the age of Grace Kelly in real life, Francie becomes the primary love interest of Robie when he tries to set a trap for the new cat burglar when the thief tries to steal the jewels from Mrs. Stevens. Robie is the first man to not fall completely and madly in love with the pampered Francie, and she surprises him when she learns that he is not the man he claims to be, but the masterful burglar John Robie. Francie is not the only girl wanting to be the wife of Robie, the young girl Danielle dreams of moving to Southern climates with Robie and becoming his wife, but Robie has not interest in the young girl that is the daughter of his friend. This does not stop jealousy from taking hold of both Francie and Danielle. Eventually, Robie finds himself at the scene of the crime when the new burglar attempts to lift the jewels from somebody on the list provided by H.H. Hughson and he is surprised at the identity of the thief.
"To Catch a Thief" is a rare "Whodunit" film by director Alfred Hitchcock. The director had typically kept away from this subgenre of crime thriller, as he had preferred to have a more suspenseful story and not resort to surprises to thrill his audience. The film contains many trademark moments by the auteur and features his trademark cameo appearance, numerous beautiful wide angle shots and a number of MacGuffins. In the case of "To Catch a Thief," the MacGuffin is the true identity of the thief, which is not revealed until the closing moments of the film, although I had correctly guessed the identity after just about halfway through the film. Hitchcock´s cameo in the film takes place in the early going when Robie boards a bus and sits beside the film´s director.
This is a classic film and in typical Hitchcock fashion, the plot is involved and the story is captivating. The director did right in talking Cary Grant out of retirement, as Grant would give forth a very good performance and later reward Hitchcock by starring in one of the director´s absolute best films, "North by Northwest." Grace Kelly is a lovely lady and held her own against the veteran leading man. Their chemistry on screen was good, although I didn´t feel her age of 26 matched up with Grant´s 51. Nearly double her age, it was believable that a young lady would swoon over the elder John Robie, but a girl as gorgeous as Francie would certainly have no troubles finding a suitable suitor that is at least a decade or two younger than the film´s primary star. Cary Grant was still a very handsome leading man, there is no denying that fact, but Grace Kelly was simply a stunner and looked younger than her actual age of 26.
Although I was able to correctly deduce who the real criminal was, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the film. I´m sure there are people out there who will find the ending to still be surprising, but in the past fifty years, there has been so many "Whodunits" created that we are all well-trained in how to identify who the real villain is. Hitchcock still builds suspense until the final moments when Robie and the new "Cat" come face-to-face on a brick shingled rooftop; both under gunfire of the local police force. The style and attitude of "To Catch a Thief" easily makes up for its predictability, as any Hitchcock film was a stylish tour de force and this film is no exception. Nobody makes films like Alfred Hitchcock used to make and it is always refreshing when his cinema classics make their way to DVD.
Cary Grant. Grace Kelly. Alfred Hitchcock. Three legendary names in Hollywood and they joined together for the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock film "To Catch A Thief." The film is noteworthy for bringing Cary Grant out of a two year, self-imposed retirement that resulted after a number of unsuccessful films at the box office including "Dream Wife," "Monkey Business" and "Room for One More." Grant would star in a number of successful films after "To Catch a Thief" including "Charade," "An Affair to Remember" and would eventually star in another legendary Alfred Hitchcock film, "North by Northwest" after previously appearing in "Suspicion" and "Notorious." Grace Kelly had previously appeared in "Dial M for Murder" and "Rear Window" for Alfred Hitchcock, but this marked their first time working together.
"To Catch a Thief" stars Cary Grant as John Robie, a retired master jewel thief known as "the Cat" for his acrobatic abilities and talents in leaving not a trace of a clue post heist. Robie had earned his freedom after serving in the French Resistance, but finds himself the principal suspect after a rash of recent jewel heists leave the police puzzled and the methods and manner in which the thefts are handled are reminiscent to the talents of Robie. Robie realizes that the only way he can clear his name is to apprehend the copy "Cat" and bring the new jewel thief to justice. His travels take him to the French Riviera, where he meets the lovely young lady Francie Stevens (Grace Kelly) and her rich mother Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) after obtaining the Stevens´ name from a list provided by an insurance agent, H.H. Hughson (John Williams). Robie is aided by former compatriots of the French Revolution and also the daughter of his friend Foussard (Jean Martinelli), Danielle (Brigitte Auber).
Although nearly twice the age of Grace Kelly in real life, Francie becomes the primary love interest of Robie when he tries to set a trap for the new cat burglar when the thief tries to steal the jewels from Mrs. Stevens. Robie is the first man to not fall completely and madly in love with the pampered Francie, and she surprises him when she learns that he is not the man he claims to be, but the masterful burglar John Robie. Francie is not the only girl wanting to be the wife of Robie, the young girl Danielle dreams of moving to Southern climates with Robie and becoming his wife, but Robie has not interest in the young girl that is the daughter of his friend. This does not stop jealousy from taking hold of both Francie and Danielle. Eventually, Robie finds himself at the scene of the crime when the new burglar attempts to lift the jewels from somebody on the list provided by H.H. Hughson and he is surprised at the identity of the thief.
"To Catch a Thief" is a rare "Whodunit" film by director Alfred Hitchcock. The director had typically kept away from this subgenre of crime thriller, as he had preferred to have a more suspenseful story and not resort to surprises to thrill his audience. The film contains many trademark moments by the auteur and features his trademark cameo appearance, numerous beautiful wide angle shots and a number of MacGuffins. In the case of "To Catch a Thief," the MacGuffin is the true identity of the thief, which is not revealed until the closing moments of the film, although I had correctly guessed the identity after just about halfway through the film. Hitchcock´s cameo in the film takes place in the early going when Robie boards a bus and sits beside the film´s director.
This is a classic film and in typical Hitchcock fashion, the plot is involved and the story is captivating. The director did right in talking Cary Grant out of retirement, as Grant would give forth a very good performance and later reward Hitchcock by starring in one of the director´s absolute best films, "North by Northwest." Grace Kelly is a lovely lady and held her own against the veteran leading man. Their chemistry on screen was good, although I didn´t feel her age of 26 matched up with Grant´s 51. Nearly double her age, it was believable that a young lady would swoon over the elder John Robie, but a girl as gorgeous as Francie would certainly have no troubles finding a suitable suitor that is at least a decade or two younger than the film´s primary star. Cary Grant was still a very handsome leading man, there is no denying that fact, but Grace Kelly was simply a stunner and looked younger than her actual age of 26.
Although I was able to correctly deduce who the real criminal was, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the film. I´m sure there are people out there who will find the ending to still be surprising, but in the past fifty years, there has been so many "Whodunits" created that we are all well-trained in how to identify who the real villain is. Hitchcock still builds suspense until the final moments when Robie and the new "Cat" come face-to-face on a brick shingled rooftop; both under gunfire of the local police force. The style and attitude of "To Catch a Thief" easily makes up for its predictability, as any Hitchcock film was a stylish tour de force and this film is no exception. Nobody makes films like Alfred Hitchcock used to make and it is always refreshing when his cinema classics make their way to DVD.
"To Catch a Thief" stars Cary Grant as John Robie, a retired master jewel thief known as "the Cat" for his acrobatic abilities and talents in leaving not a trace of a clue post heist. Robie had earned his freedom after serving in the French Resistance, but finds himself the principal suspect after a rash of recent jewel heists leave the police puzzled and the methods and manner in which the thefts are handled are reminiscent to the talents of Robie. Robie realizes that the only way he can clear his name is to apprehend the copy "Cat" and bring the new jewel thief to justice. His travels take him to the French Riviera, where he meets the lovely young lady Francie Stevens (Grace Kelly) and her rich mother Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) after obtaining the Stevens´ name from a list provided by an insurance agent, H.H. Hughson (John Williams). Robie is aided by former compatriots of the French Revolution and also the daughter of his friend Foussard (Jean Martinelli), Danielle (Brigitte Auber).
Although nearly twice the age of Grace Kelly in real life, Francie becomes the primary love interest of Robie when he tries to set a trap for the new cat burglar when the thief tries to steal the jewels from Mrs. Stevens. Robie is the first man to not fall completely and madly in love with the pampered Francie, and she surprises him when she learns that he is not the man he claims to be, but the masterful burglar John Robie. Francie is not the only girl wanting to be the wife of Robie, the young girl Danielle dreams of moving to Southern climates with Robie and becoming his wife, but Robie has not interest in the young girl that is the daughter of his friend. This does not stop jealousy from taking hold of both Francie and Danielle. Eventually, Robie finds himself at the scene of the crime when the new burglar attempts to lift the jewels from somebody on the list provided by H.H. Hughson and he is surprised at the identity of the thief.
"To Catch a Thief" is a rare "Whodunit" film by director Alfred Hitchcock. The director had typically kept away from this subgenre of crime thriller, as he had preferred to have a more suspenseful story and not resort to surprises to thrill his audience. The film contains many trademark moments by the auteur and features his trademark cameo appearance, numerous beautiful wide angle shots and a number of MacGuffins. In the case of "To Catch a Thief," the MacGuffin is the true identity of the thief, which is not revealed until the closing moments of the film, although I had correctly guessed the identity after just about halfway through the film. Hitchcock´s cameo in the film takes place in the early going when Robie boards a bus and sits beside the film´s director.
This is a classic film and in typical Hitchcock fashion, the plot is involved and the story is captivating. The director did right in talking Cary Grant out of retirement, as Grant would give forth a very good performance and later reward Hitchcock by starring in one of the director´s absolute best films, "North by Northwest." Grace Kelly is a lovely lady and held her own against the veteran leading man. Their chemistry on screen was good, although I didn´t feel her age of 26 matched up with Grant´s 51. Nearly double her age, it was believable that a young lady would swoon over the elder John Robie, but a girl as gorgeous as Francie would certainly have no troubles finding a suitable suitor that is at least a decade or two younger than the film´s primary star. Cary Grant was still a very handsome leading man, there is no denying that fact, but Grace Kelly was simply a stunner and looked younger than her actual age of 26.
Although I was able to correctly deduce who the real criminal was, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the film. I´m sure there are people out there who will find the ending to still be surprising, but in the past fifty years, there has been so many "Whodunits" created that we are all well-trained in how to identify who the real villain is. Hitchcock still builds suspense until the final moments when Robie and the new "Cat" come face-to-face on a brick shingled rooftop; both under gunfire of the local police force. The style and attitude of "To Catch a Thief" easily makes up for its predictability, as any Hitchcock film was a stylish tour de force and this film is no exception. Nobody makes films like Alfred Hitchcock used to make and it is always refreshing when his cinema classics make their way to DVD.
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