To Catch a Thief
If there’s a director who had a better decade than Alfred Hitchcock did in the 1950s, I don’t know of them (maybe Kubrick in the ’60s, but it could be argued endlessly). There were forgettable films- “I Confess” (1953) and “Stage Fright” (1950)- sure, three that were barely more notable (“The Trouble With Harry” (1955), “The Wrong Man” (1956), and a remake of his own 1934 film “The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1956) with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day), and one minor classic (1954’s “Dial M For Murder”). But from 1951-1960, the legendary Master of Suspense directed five absolute classics/masterpieces that helped solidify his rep as said Master, and confirm his immortality. The first was ’51’s “Strangers on a Train” (the lesser of the group, but nonetheless a masterful thriller); next came “Rear Window” in 1954 (with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly spying on Raymond Burr as he commits a murder), arguably Hitch’s most popular film; followed by “Vertigo” in 1958 (with Stewart making over Kim Novak to look like the woman he lost to death), a film whose rep as Hitch’s most personal has grown over the years; 1959’s “North By Northwest” (his last film with Cary Grant, and a doozy of a thriller that puts modern cinematic “rides” to shame); and finally, culminating in the definitive slasher shock thriller “Psycho” in 1960.
With such a decade on the resume, no wonder Hitchcock buffs- or fans of stars Cary Grant and Grace Kelly- are the only ones who would be drawn to such light-weight fodder like “To Catch a Thief.” Made in the middle of those fruitful ’50s- 1955- “To Catch a Thief” would be instantly forgettable were it not for the talent in front of- or behind- the camera. Based on a novel by David Dodge- scripted by John Michael Hayes, who wrote the master’s “Rear Window” and “The Trouble With Harry”- the story is as thin as it gets. Cary Grant is John Robie, a retired cat burglar- living in a gorgeous house in France- who is widely believed to be the perpetrator of a new wave of robberies happening of the Riviera. In an attempt to clear his name, Robie- AKA “The Cat”- enlists the help of some old pals from the French Resistance (including Danielle, the French beauty daughter of one of the members played by the delectable Brigitte Auber), a nervous insurance claims investigator named Houston (John Williams- the British actor, not the composer), and unwittingly gains an accomplice in a potential target of the burglar, Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly in her final film with Hitchcock) and her mother Jessie (Jessie Royce Landis).
Will Robie discover the identity of the new “Cat?” Of course. Will Robie and Frances fall in love? Naturally, but that’s not really the point. “To Catch a Thief” is all about style of both the visual and verbal variety. On the verbal side, Hayes’ script is perhaps one of the finest this side of “Casablanca” when it comes to great dialogue, full of witty and playful banter for Grant, Kelly, and co. to sink their teeth into, and loaded with sly double entendres- which became more noticeable the last time around watching than they had before- and puns about Robie being “The Cat.” Are the cat quips (Kelly: “This cat has a new kitten.”; Auber: “Did I brush your fur the wrong way?”) and sexually charged prose (which is at it’s most vibrantly delivered during a dock scene between Grant, Kelly, and Auber, and the famous fireworks scene between Grant and Kelly) overkill? Perhaps, but that’s what makes the movie so fun. Besides, without it, the story- an effective bit of caper plotting, if not terribly complicated- would be of little interest. If the film lacks the twists and surprises Hitchcock and Ernest Lehman supplied four years later in “North By Northwest,” or the suspenseful thrills of Hitchcock’s “The Lady Vanishes” (his last film in Britain before going to Hollywood), Hitch and Hayes spared no expense on dialogue to compensate scriptwise, turning a trite caper into an elegant bit of escapism (and I dare you not to crack a smile at Kelly’s final line…and Grant’s expression; sheer genius).
Speaking of elegance, the film also excels in visual style. To anyone remotely familiar with Hitchcock, this shouldn’t be shocking, as he was as much a master of visual composition as he was of suspense. For proof, watch “Vertigo,” the Master’s best film and most evocative use of color, camera angles and movements, costumes and art direction to create mood and atmosphere. But whereas “Vertigo” was about creating an atmosphere primed for morbid passion, “To Catch a Thief” is about creating an atmosphere of stylized, romantic elegance, achieved in no small part by the choice of the French Riviera as the backdrop for the story. From the hotel at Cannes to the sidewinding mountain roads that play host to the film’s exciting and comic car chases (just try to watch and not think of John Frankenheimer’s “Ronin” back in 1998) to the exquisite villa where the film’s climactic robbery takes place, all look stunningly beautiful- ditto the lovely costumes by Edith Head- through the artful lens of cinematographer Robert Burks, who won an Oscar for “Thief” and would later shoot “Vertigo,” “North By Northwest,” “Marnie,” and “The Birds” for Hitchcock. Rarely did Hitchcock make a more visually intoxicating film, and if you know Hitchcock, you know that’s saying something. As of this writing, I have only seen “To Catch a Thief” in the cropped pan-and-scan version on VHS (the film has yet to be touched up and released on DVD). I can’t wait to finally see it the way it was intended when it does hit DVD.
Part of the reason this review has taken a bit longer to get sent out as originally planned is because I’ve been trying to talk about how the actors- and their performances- fit into all of this. Well, today, I finally figured it out. With “To Catch a Thief,” Hitchcock set out to make elegant fluff, not art. Granted, anything Hitch touched usually turned to art, but bottom line is, great acting performance doesn’t fit much into the equation in this movie. Williams as Insurance claims agent Houston is Grant’s “man on the inside,” providing clues to assist him, as well as some comic relief on the way. Still, it’s an enjoyable turn. Royce Landis as Frances’ mother Jessie is all comic relief; she’s not terribly important to the story except for being the owner of some very valuable jewelry that could be a target for the burglar, which could very easily just be Frances’ and eliminate the character altogether. Nonetheless, Landis steals every scene she’s in, and is one of the film’s most delightful characters and aspects. As John Robie and Frances Stevens, Cary Grant- whose finest hour w/ Hitch was (depending on your opinion) was either behind him (w/ 1946’s “Notorious”) or ahead of him (in 1959’s “North By Northwest”)- and Grace Kelly- whose best film w/ Hitch was decidedly behind her (w/ 1954’s “Rear Window”)- don’t need to do much except a) have good chemistry, and b) look gorgeous doing it. They do their part, and the film is better for it. The terrific chemistry between the two reaches it’s apex during the Fireworks scene, a justly famous landmark in cinematic romance written with wit and sensuality by Hayes and performed just the same by Grant and Kelly. As for looking gorgeous? What can I say? They’re naturals to star in a romantic caper set on the Riviera. And Hitchcock was a natural choice to make an otherwise formula story into an exotic, world-class classic. Even a minor one.
Why is “To Catch a Thief” my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film? Good question. I guess I just like watching it more than his other films. It’s a lark, but a professionally made one. And sometimes those are the most entertaining ones.
