To Catch a Thief

To Catch a Thief
To Catch a Thief
	Original film poster
Directed by	Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by	John Michael Hayes
Produced by	Alfred Hitchcock
Starring	Cary Grant; Grace Kelly; Jessie Royce Landis; John Williams; Charles Vanel; Brigitte Auber;
Cinematography	Robert Burks
Edited by	George Tomasini
Music by	Lyn Murray
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	August 5, 1955;
Running time	106 minutes
Country	Template:Film US
Language	English
Budget	$2.5 million
Box office	$8.75 million

To Catch a Thief is a 1955 romantic thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis and John Williams. The movie is set on the French Riviera, and was based on the 1952 novel of the same name by David Dodge. The screenplay was written by John Michael Hayes.

Plot

John Robie (Cary Grant) is a notorious but retired jewel thief or "cat burglar," nicknamed "The Cat," who now tends to his vineyards in the French Riviera. A series of robberies that closely resemble his in style leads the police to believe that the Cat is up to his old tricks again. They come to arrest him, and he adeptly gives them the slip.

He immediately seeks refuge with his old gang from his days in the French Resistance, a group of ex-cons whose patriotic work led to grants of parole that depend on them keeping their noses clean. Bertani, Foussard, and the others are all under a cloud while the Cat is at large, and they blame Robie. Still, when the police arrive at Bertani’s restaurant, Foussard’s daughter Danielle (Brigitte Auber) spirits her old flame to safety.

Robie's plan is to prove his innocence by catching the new cat burglar in the act, so he enlists the aid of an insurance man of Bertani's acquaintance, H. H. Hughson (John Williams), who reluctantly obtains a list of the most expensive jewels currently on the Riviera. The first owners listed are Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) and her daughter Francie (Grace Kelly). Robie strikes up an acquaintance with them — delighting Jessie even as Francie offers a pretense of modesty, while Danielle bares her jealous claws.

Francie is not afraid of a little fun. Although she sees through Robie’s cover as an American industrialist, the considerable charms of this thief are worth catching. She dangles before him her jewels, teases him with steamy tales of rooftop escapades, exposes herself as a feline of a special breed: an accomplice who might share his passion and be available to his sordid desires. Fireworks fill the night and can even be seen in the sky.

The next day, Jessie discovers her jewels are stolen, and Francie suddenly feels that Robie has taken advantage of her. The police are called and he must go back on the lam. To catch the new burglar he stakes out an estate at night and finds himself struggling with an attacker who loses his footing and tumbles over a cliff. It is Foussard, and he does not survive the fall.

The police chief is satisfied that Foussard was the jewel thief, but, as Robie points out to him in the presence of the abashed Hughson, this would have been impossible: Foussard had a prosthetic leg and could not possibly climb on rooftops.

Robie's attendance at Foussard’s funeral is marred by Danielle's accusation that he is responsible for the man's death, after which Francie apologizes and confesses her love for him. They agree to attend a masquerade ball the coming weekend.

At the ball, Francie is resplendent in a gold gown, Robie unrecognizable behind the mask of a Moor. The police hover nearby, ready to arrest Robie at the drop of a hat. When Jessie asks the Moor to go get her "heart pills," Robie’s voice tips off his identity to the authorities. Upon his return the police wait out Francie and the Moor as they dance the night away. Upstairs, the cat burglar strikes, cleaning out many a jewel box. Finally, Francie and the Moor go to her room, and the mask is removed: it is Hughson, switched in to conceal Robie’s exit.

On the rooftop Robie lurks. His patience is finally rewarded when he is joined by another figure in black. But just as his pursuit begins, the police throw a spotlight on him. Again he flees and shots ring out, but he manages to corner his foe with jewels in hand. Unmasked, his nemesis turns out not to be a man after all. Danielle is "The Cat," and she confesses that she has been working for her father and Bertani.

Robie speeds back to his vineyard and Francie races after to convince him that he does need her in his life. He agrees, but seems less than thrilled about including her mother.

Cast

Cary Grant - John Robie
Grace Kelly - Frances Stevens
Jessie Royce Landis - Jessie Stevens
John Williams - H. H. Hughson
Charles Vanel - Bertani
Brigitte Auber - Danielle Foussard
Jean Martinelli - Foussard
Georgette Anys - Germaine

Alfred Hitchcock makes his signature cameo approximately ten minutes in as a bus passenger seated next to Cary Grant.

Distribution

To Catch a Thief is the only Hitchcock film released by Paramount that is still owned and controlled by Paramount. The others were sold to Hitchcock in the early 1960s and are currently distributed by Universal Studios; the exception to the "reversion to Hitchcock" rule was Psycho, which Universal bought directly from the director in 1968.^[1]

Production

This was Hitchcock's first of five films in the widescreen process VistaVision.^[2]

In the original screenplay, Bertani willingly accepts arrest for masterminding the crimes, while John and Danielle forgive each another. Danielle is then taken into custody and the police drop the charges against John. Although Hayes fought to keep this ending intact, Hitchcock cut to the last scene at John's vineyard as soon as his innocence is established.

This was Grace Kelly's final film for Hitchcock; she became Princess Grace of Monaco in 1956. Edith Head designed Kelly's clothes for the production, including a memorable golden ball gown. Hitchcock later tried to cast Princess Grace in Marnie (1964), but the citizens of Monaco expressed disapproval in her acting in another film; she later served as a narrator for at least two films.

Jessie Royce Landis plays Cary Grant's potential mother-in-law. In North by Northwest she would play his character's mother.

Awards

The film won an Academy Award and was nominated in another two categories:^[3]

Won

Best Cinematography (Robert Burks)

Nominated

Best Art Direction (Hal Pereira, Joseph McMillan Johnson, Samuel M. Comer, Arthur Krams)
Best Costume Design (Edith Head)

References

^ Spoto, Donald (1999). The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock. Da Capo. p. 344. ISBN 0-306-80932-X.
^ Nico Orengo's book "La Guerra del Basilico" (The Basil War).
^ "NY Times: To Catch a Thief". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-12-22.

External links

[1] Spoto, Donald (1999). The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock. Da Capo. p. 344. ISBN 0-306-80932-X.

[2] Nico Orengo's book "La Guerra del Basilico" (The Basil War).

[NY_Times-3] "NY Times: To Catch a Thief". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-12-22.

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