“To Catch a Thief” (1955) is so gorgeous to look at, and Cary Grant is so suave and Grace Kelly so elegant, that it actually hurts the movie as a work of suspense. Filmed in colorful VistaVision, the beaches, the climactic costume ball and the green-tinged shots of thieves slinking on tiled roofs remind us why the French Riviera was the vacation spot of 20th century storytelling. (The south of France was Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite place to kick back, just as it was for Agatha Christie.)
Various cats on the prowl
A plot plays behind all this. Grant’s John Robie used to be a famous burglar known as “The Cat,” but he has served his time and then some – heroically fighting in World War II to earn a pardon. A new thief is on the loose, pulling off crimes in The Cat’s style. So Robie – with French authorities suspiciously tailing him – decides he’ll catch the thief for them.
John Michael Hayes’ screenplay – punched up from a 1952 novel by David Dodge – is filled with tasty exchanges between John and Francie (Kelly). This was an era when overt sexuality wasn’t allowed on screen, and that actually serves “To Catch a Thief” well by forcing it to be cleverly subtle. Hayes writes delightful double-entendres (“You want a leg or a breast?” “You make the choice” goes a picnic exchange).
“To Catch a Thief” (1955)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: John Michael Hayes (screenplay), David Dodge (novel)
Stars: Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis
Editor George Tomasini gets in on the fun by intercutting John and Francie’s kissing session with fireworks outside the hotel window. Hitch could’ve toned this film various ways, but he has composer Lyn Murray generally give it an upbeat score. This isn’t a comedy, but I was smiling throughout.
But when it comes to ranking Grant’s Hitchcock films, “To Catch a Thief” isn’t as important as “Notorious” and “North by Northwest” in shaping the spy-action genre. The former provides the spy template and the latter adds the action. “To Catch a Thief” borders on farcical in one rather confusing sequence that ends with John diving into a pile of flowers at the market and being beaten with a bouquet by the vendor lady.
The reckless-driving sequence is also rather ridiculous, and not as important to the plot as in the other two films. I will say, though, that the side-view rear-projection – with the Riviera’s cliffside buildings in the background – plays much better than the through-the-windshield speeding sequence of “Notorious.”
Romancing the censors
A different kind of action drives “To Catch a Thief”: Francie’s seduction of John in a time when that simply wasn’t done. It has to be one notch more complex: She’s seducing him into seducing her. John is happy to do so, but he’s of course distracted by catching a thief. John’s job-and-romance dichotomy previews “James Bond” like those other Grant-Hitch joints do.
I would’ve liked a little more of the third side of the love triangle, Brigitte Auber’s Danielle. The scene with the three of them in the water, with the two women exchanging buried barbs, is a lot of fun.
When ranking Kelly-Hitch collaborations, this one comes behind the 1954 classics “Dial M for Murder” and “Rear Window.” This film features the shallowest Kelly character, but oddly it’s the best showcase of the actress’ irresistible elegance. Relationships are pre-established in those previous films, whereas here we’re allowed to glory in a budding romance.
Also featuring a French actor in a supporting role who needed to be dubbed due to his weak English skills, “To Catch a Thief” doesn’t rank as one of Hitchcock’s perfect masterpieces. The story isn’t bad – although it certainly reminds us that this was a simpler time (in the real world, and in terms of what moviegoers would forgive): A distinctly square-jawed infamous thief is able to claim for quite a while that he’s not that person.
It’s just that the romance is so enjoyable with that French Riviera backdrop that it relegates the pursuit of the thief to a mere excuse for making the movie. Still, the “Who’s the thief” mystery is there if you want it. While “To Catch a Thief” is Hitchcock’s vacation movie, it also reminds us that vacations are good things.
RFMC’s Alfred Hitchcock series reviews works by the Master of Suspense, plus remakes and source material. Click here to visit our Hitchcock Zone.