To Catch a Thief. A Review.

Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief takes you back to a time before budget airlines, back to a time when films really were escapism that could transport you to beautiful and exotic places. The master of suspense crafts a tale of deceit and betrayal, keeping you guessing until the very end. 

Cary Grant receives top billing (more on that later) as John Robie, former jewel thief “The Cat” enjoying retirement on the French Riviera. He is pulled back into the criminal world when a series of jewel robberies put him under suspicion, and the only way to clear his name is to catch the real criminal himself. This mission brings him into the orbit of enigmatic socialite Frances Stevens - played by Grace Kelly. The film then becomes a balancing act between the intrigue and mystery of who is impersonating “the cat”, and also the burgeoning relationship between Robie and Stevens.

Living up to his reputation as a master of cinema, Hitchcock presents a tightly wound thriller in which nobody is above suspicion. Unlike modern cinema, where the temptation is to pay big money for a star villain and have them chew scenery, Hitchcock keeps the audience in the dark as to the identity of the chief antagonist for almost the entire running time, this does not however dampen the sense of danger. The clever script keeps the pressure on Robie, the police are doggedly trying to pin the crime spree on him, while his old allies from the French resistance become a threat as they suspect The Cat is up to his old tricks and putting them under scrutiny as well. It is also one on Hitchcock’s lighter and more playful films, with some elements being tongue-in-cheek and others down right farcical. In particular the interaction between Grant and Jesse Royce Landis (as Frances’ widowed mother) is played for laughs and successfully so - with the bourbon-sipping worldly-wise Ms Stevens getting some of the best lines in the film. 

The film looks gorgeous, especially for the time, winning Director of Photography Robert Burks the academy award. Sweeping views of French wine country, idyllic sandy beaches, and a car chase which even today creates excitement, the award was well deserved and should also have received a letter of thanks from the French Tourism Board. Of course the effects and equipment are dated more than 50 years later, what never goes out of style however is style itself - something Hitchcock and Burks clearly understood and put at the heart of the film. 

While the mystery holds up well, and some of the dated filmmaking techniques can be forgiven, what really needs updating is the billing of this film. Cary Grant was the big star whom Hitchcock had to coax out of retirement to make this film, and while Robie is surely meant to be a laid-back character - Grant seems a little too relaxed. How can a man ever be so placid and even robotic in the presence of the brilliant Grace Kelly? To Catch a Thief is Kelly’s film through and through; she makes every ballroom scene more refined, every beach that bit more exotic, and as the love interest for Grant she is the only thing that makes the flirting interesting. Only in her mid-20s, Kelly gives an assured and mature performance, she was my chief-suspect for much of the film, certainly not the bimbo which Grant treats her as. While watching the interplay between Kelly and Grant, I could not think of anyone who could replace her, meanwhile I was recasting the part of John Robie with every gruff remark - my personal choice at the time of writing would be Clooney. Thus despite the tense plot and abundance of style, the romance in To Catch a Thief never feels vital, and only works at all thanks to Kelly’s comic timing and charm. 

To Catch a Thief has been on my watch list for quite some time, and it certainly did not disappoint. Hitchcock presents a postcard perfect vision of the life of master thief in France, the film holds up remarkably well as modern cinema techniques are no replacement for a director with a great sense of pace, and the discipline to know when to show your cards and when to hold. If anything about the film needs updating, it is the gender politics, with Grace Kelly deserving a better sparing partner than Grant. Of course Grant has that star quality, a twinkle in the eye that suggests he is capable of all sorts of mischief (see the casino scene in particular), however like his character he seems to have been enjoying retirement and coasted through parts of the film. Ultimately To Catch a Thief is not Hitchcock’s most iconic film, certainly not Grant’s best, it does however exude class and sophistication thanks in no small part to the presence of Grace Kelly.

WHO: Who else but Grace Kelly?

WHAT: The French Riviera, I’ve booked my plane tickets already. 

WHY: With style and substance, a masterclass in class, TCAT deserves a watch.
WHEN: Whenever you watch it you will be in 1955, with a glass of something classy. 

(Art from: http://www.sffaudio.com/?m=201101)