10 Things I Love About 'To Catch a Thief’ 1955

 

Golden beauty Grace Kelly and darkly handsome Cary Grant make a
sizzling screen team in Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 hit "To Catch a Thief."

I’ve only seen clips of Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief over the years, until I wrote this post. Released in August 1955, the romance heist film seemed fluffy to me, compared to his other '50s classics. Well, I was right… and wrong. 

Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 hit, "To Catch a Thief," was light comedy and suspense, 

with great style and romance.

Hitch’s To Catch a Thief IS total fluff, but it's also stylish, smart, sexy, and totally FUN fluff. Here’s at least 10 reasons why!

Great director, stars, & scenery made '55's "To Catch a Thief" a picnic to film.

Grace Kelly looks ravishing in her Edith Head gowns, as she seduces Cary Grant, 

in 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

#1: Grace Kelly as Francie Stevens, a game rich girl on holiday, is a pleasure. Kelly pursues Cary Grant’s reformed thief, and she is confident, bright, funny, and coolly sexy while doing so. Tan and very blonde, Kelly looks stunning in her Edith Head costumes. Like another timeless '50s film icon, Audrey Hepburn, Grace followed her own style sense. Aside from classic clothes, Grace's hair and makeup are subtle. No stiff, matronly hairdos or stenciled, overstated makeup, which was so common in post-war Hollywood films, even with young actresses. Grace's golden locks aren't brassy, like the other blonde bombshells. Kelly's gowns are stellar and her '50s casual wear is fun, not frumpy or fugly. In a word, Grace looks magnificent. Kelly is also fun and relaxed, classy but not pretentious, and she and Cary Grant have a great rapport and chemistry.

Cary Grant as suspected jewel burglar John Robie, in Hitchcock's 1955 hit,
 "To Catch a Thief."

 Grace Kelly gowned by Edith Head & Cary Grant looking handsome in a tux.
 Hitchcock's 1955 hit, "To Catch a Thief."

#2: Cary Grant at 50 is at the very peak of his leading man persona in To Catch a Thief, as one-time jewel thief John Robie. Cary's charm was contrasted with his enigmatic side, used well by Hitchcock, especially in darker roles, such as Notorious and North by Northwest. Here, Hitch and Cary play the Grant-type character mostly for light humor. And Cary's gift for physical comedy is on display, like the chase scene through a farmer’s market floral display. Grant is effortlessly bemused and amusing, as the former thief suspected by everyone as up to his old tricks again. Cary's fit, graceful, and super-stylish. Cary looks like a million and has a deep tan that George Hamilton would kill for! Grant had impeccable taste and Hitchcock was fine with him selecting is own wardrobe.

Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 hit, "To Catch a Thief."

#3: In To Catch a Thief, actually filmed the summer of '54, Alfred Hitchcock's storytelling was tight, the mix of exterior and interior filming seamless, the notion that a blonde actress could be sexy and smart was fresh, and escapist romance didn't have to be mindless. Hitchcock was quoted as saying that he didn't make films that were a slice of life, but piece of cake. To Catch a Thief is one tasty slice of cinematic cake.

Cary Grant's suspected thief escapes by bus, only to end up seated next to 

director Alfred Hitchcock,  in 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

I think Alfred Hitchcock was at his very peak in the first half of the 1950s. Films like Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Dial ‘M’ for Murder, and To Catch a Thief were all precise and taut storytelling. Hitch had some big hits after Thief , but they became longer and eventually more repetitive and belabored—Marnie is the perfect example of what torpedoed his film director standing. The notable exception was 1960's Psycho, which was Hitchcock's rebuttal to critics that he could indeed make down and dirty thrillers, with just as much directorial style. Then it was right back to leisurely suspense films, while trying to create a new Hitchcock blonde—all of which was swiftly becoming passé.

Grace looking chic in Edith Head fashions, in Hitchcock's stylish
1955 hit "To Catch a Thief."

#4: Edith Head designs some gorgeous gowns for Grace Kelly, and assembles some classic day looks as well. Head was at her zenith in the 1950s, dressing seemingly every star, but notably three top young actresses: Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Grace Kelly in a gown fit for a future princess and Jessie Royce Landis
as her outspoken mother, in 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

Head gets dinged by some critics as a prolific rather than inspired designer. I think she walked the fine line of pleasing her studios (Paramount and then Universal), directors, and stars very well, while developing an enduring reputation. Head's career lasted 5 decades and won her 8 Oscars, which should speak for itself.  Hitchcock loved Head because she understood what he wanted. Edith liked working with Hitch because he trusted her to do her job. 

Michelle Auber as the French girt with an eye for Cary Grant's "The Cat,"
in 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

#5: The supporting cast is all in great form: Jessie Royce Landis as Kelly’s blunt mother; John Williams as the insurance detective; and Brigitte Auber, who played tomboyish Danielle, is still alive at 101! The international cast mixes well with the American and British stars.

The beautiful scenery and stars were a huge part of Hitchcock's 1955 smash hit, 

"To Catch a Thief."

#6: The French locales, selected from various parts of the southern France coast, are breathtaking. One of the reasons that some of the location shooting was so eye-catching is that To Catch a Thief was one of the first films to use a helicopter for filming. Most of the interiors were shot back on Paramount's lot. The sets are gorgeous and they are seamlessly woven with the location outdoor shots.

"It's true, Cary. Fireworks are '50s film symbolism for sex!"

#7: The cinematography, the score, and all the production values are top notch. Paramount’s color in Vista Vision is lovely and superior to the color films of mid-century MGM and WB. Hitch was now working with some of his favorite people, in front of and behind the camera. And the final results showed onscreen.

#8: Thief’s script by John Michael Hayes is witty and fun. Some risqué lines and the lovers acting like grownups are refreshing to see in a mid-1950s film are refreshing. 

To wake up in this French villa every day with Cary Grant would be heavenly!

 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

#9: The home of Grant's reformed burglar is most impressive, inside and out. I imagined living there while watching To Catch a Thief!

Grace Kelly's rich girl embraces the splendors around her: the Riviera, Cary
 Grant, and her Sunbeam Alpine sports car! From 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

#10: Kelly’s rich girl’s car is a gunmetal blue Sunbeam Alpine that would pair perfectly with John Robie’s villa.

Grace Kelly wet and wonderful here as the rich girl who is after Cary Grant's
 smooth ex-criminal, in 1955's "Too Catch a Thief."

Some things that I didn’t love about To Catch a Thief are minor quibbles: Grant trying to pass himself as a business man from Oregon—seriously! Or Hitch trying to palm Auber off as younger than Kelly. She's 3 years older and looks even more so! Grace’s Francie treated as an old maid and handed off to a stranger 25 years her senior by mother Landis was patently ridiculous—though he WAS played by Cary Grant. And though Kelly herself found older men attractive off-camera—but that's another story! Finally, this gorgeous movie begins with a huge close-up of a frumpy matron in the morning, hairnet and all, shrieking that her jewels are gone, is so repulsive. An example of Hitch's perverse sense of humor?

Cary Grant at 50 was in fine form, in 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

To Catch a Thief may not be the most suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock film, but it's one of his most stylish, a perfect light entertainment. Enjoy!

Grace Kelly gets the last word, but Cary Grant gives the final reaction, 
in 1955's "To Catch a Thief."

North by Northwest 1959

The Alfred Hitchcock catch me if you can classic, North by Northwest, was the film forerunner to the modern summer blockbuster. My take: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/08/north-by-northwest-1959.html

Rear Window 1954

Rear Window remains one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best Technicolor blockbusters. My take:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/06/hitchcocks-rear-window-still-thrills.html

Hitchcock’s 'Rear Window' Still Thrills 1954

James Stewart eyes Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rear Window.'

Rear Window remains one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best Technicolor blockbusters. The suspense classic combines the thrills of The Man Who Knew Too Much and North by Northwest with the twisted undercurrents of Vertigo.

Huge hit in '54, much imitated, never equaled. 

The much-imitated 1954 movie begins with risk-taking news photographer L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries, sidelined with a broken leg. During a hot New York City summer, the bored patient has taken to spying on his Greenwich Village neighbors for entertainment. Wheelchair-bound, Jeff follows their lives like a favorite reality TV show: “Miss Torso” is a dancer always in motion and various stages of undress; “Miss Lonelyhearts” is desperately seeking romance; the newlyweds keep house mostly in the bedroom; the aspiring songwriter is looking for a hit; and there are several other neighbor archetypes, whose behavior figures into the storyline. One neighbor piques peeper Jeff’s interest in particular: Lars Thorwald, a brooding jewelry salesman with a nagging invalid wife. Late one rainy night, Jeff hears a scream. Later, he notices Thorwald leaving his apartment several times, into the wee hours. This lifts Jeff out of his lethargy. The next day, the lensman notices that the salesman’s Mrs. seems to be missing.

A chain of events leads Jeff to assume the worst. He even calls upon detective pal, Tom Doyle. When nothing incriminating is found, Jeff’s suspicions are still aroused and he decides to flush Thorwald out. Soon enough, the neighbor is on to Jeff, as well.

Good guy Jimmy Stewart shows a dark side as the voyeur in 'Rear Window.'

Director Hitchcock found in James Stewart the perfect common man, the ideal stand-in for audiences. Stewart, open, relaxed, is the perfect film actor—a great reactor. Even at his best, James Stewart may always seem to be playing “Jimmy Stewart,” the homespun hero, but Hitch also gave the folksy actor some darker traits. In Vertigo, Stewart is obsessed with Kim Novak; in The Man Who Knew Too Much, Stewart is a controlling doctor, whose life spins out of control. And in Rear Window, Stewart’s character is a voyeur. While scolding Jeff, his nurse declares that people are becoming “a nation of Peeping Toms.” Jimmy’s inherent decency gives his character empathy, and makes his questionable actions palatable.

Jeff likes to people-watch a little too much for his own good—and yet also has a problem with paying proper attention to his girlfriend. According to nitpicky Jeff, Lisa Fremont, played by Grace Kelly, is too perfect. Stewart’s character seems irritated at having a gorgeous girlfriend twenty something years his junior, who tries to seduce him with sexy negligees and gourmet takeout food. Sounds like male menopause movie star problems to me!

Grace Kelly has one of the most perfect movie entrances ever in 'Rear Window.'
Helps when you look like this!

Grace Kelly is great fun here, not to mention subtly sexy and blindingly beautiful. Kelly is self-assured, intelligent, and romantic—plus, Grace gets a chance to react to Stewart’s criticism of her already princess-like persona. Unlike Hitchcock’s painstaking efforts regarding Tippi Hedren’s acting, Hitch merely got Grace to tone down her acting school mannerisms and just act natural. Pat Hitchcock, the director’s daughter, said all Hitch had to do was say a few words to Kelly, and she knew just what to do. How about a shout-out for Kelly’s introductory scene? Leaning in to kiss her awakened photographer prince, Grace in a huge slow-motion close-up—is movie magic.

Thelma Ritter as Stella, a nurse who dispenses medical and marital advice!

The great supporting cast is led by the inimitable Thelma Ritter as Stella, the nurse who alternately tends to Jeff’s leg while tossing off pragmatic romantic advice. Ritter is wisecracking yet warm, as always. Ritter and Kelly are especially endearing together when they do the legwork for Jimmy’s wheelchair detective, which provides some of the more hair-raising moments. It’s always a jolt to see Raymond Burr, usually on the right side of the law in Perry Mason and Ironside, as the villain. Burr, with his glowering eyes, is a most unnerving neighbor to have. And Wendell Corey, who practically invented the word laconic, is the deadpan detective who’s skeptical of Stewart’s character.

Hitchcock truly took advantage of the slowly eroding censorship code. I was amazed at what slipped by, but Hitch cannily put in salacious content that he knew wouldn’t get by the code, while the scenes and dialogue he really wanted to keep slipped by. All the voyeuristic titillating bits were filmed from Jeff’s point of view at a discreet distance. Hence, Miss Torso is undressing with her back to the camera, Miss Lonelyhearts fights off lotharios, and The Honeymooners are mostly seen between sexual rounds in the sack. 

Raymond Burr, often on the right side of the law, is a scary neighbor.

This film has the trademark Hitchcock thrills but effectively mixed with his take on humanity. The scenarios played out in the other apartments are a slice of life, but shaken when one of their neighbors displays aberrant behavior. For a stylized filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock had a realistic view on life: the good and the bad intermingle together, and there are no safe havens.

Rear Window is unique because, unlike most thrillers of the era, it doesn’t rely on a scary musical score. The soundtrack is spare, mostly jazzy, but is filled with incidental sounds of city life and from the neighbors’ homes. Music occasionally wafts from the various apartments. Also pleasing is that Paramount films from the ‘50s have lush crisp color, unlike MGM’s grainy MetroColor or WB’s unflattering hues, or Fox’s gaudy color, for example.

The elaborate apartment complex set for 'Rear Window.'
The lighting had timers, to depict different times of the day.

Paramount gave Hitch free rein for Rear Window, and the “apartment complex” was one of the biggest sets ever constructed…and deepest. To allow for the proper amount of apartment “floors,” the Paramount construction crew cut out the floor soundstage and turned the basement into the courtyard.

Hitch was at the height of his powers and sensationally in sync with studio style filmmaking during its last hurrah. The sets were stylized but in keeping with the era; the sexy elements of the story were highly charged, but implied, not explicit.

What’s amazing about Rear Window is that the storytelling is so engaging, while ratcheting up the suspense, you don’t realize until it’s over that the whole story took place in the apartment complex. And that’s a perfect example of why Alfred Hitchcock was called The Master of Suspense.

Grace Kelly, picture perfect in one of Hollywood's most perfect suspense films.

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