"TO CATCH A THIEF: CENTENNIAL COLLECTION"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Cary Grant as JOHN ROBIE Grace Kelly as FRANCES STEVENS Jessie Royce Landis as JESSIE STEVENS John Williams as H.H. HUGHSON Not Rated Studio: Paramount Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
On the French Riviera, former cat burglar John Robie (Cary Grant) has become the prime suspect in a series of robberies that have liberated precious jewelry from rich tourists. In order to help clear his name, Robie makes a deal with H.H. Hughson (John Williams) of Lloyd’s of London. In exchange for a list of Hughson’s top clients vacationing in the French Riviera, Robie plans to anticipate the thief’s moves before they happen. Along the way, Robie starts up an affair with wealthy American socialite Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly), who suspects he might be targeting her family next.
WHAT I LIKED
Like most folks who enjoy the cinema, I thoroughly enjoy Hitchcock’s work. “To Catch a Thief” is considered one of his best works. While not really a suspense film, for which Hitchcock was best known, this movie is more of a romantic comedy from the mid-50s. It falls more in line with the nature of movies like “The Trouble with Harry” than something like “Rear Window” or “Psycho.”
Modern cinematography may spoil today’s moviegoers, but it’s very easy to see how a film like “To Catch a Thief” was a feat of the silver screen back then. The French Riviera is captured perfectly in this film, and it must have been brilliant to see in the projected VistaVision format.
As much of a fan of Hitchcock as I am, I have always also adored Grace Kelly as a leading lady from that era. She’s beautiful and a fine actor. Even though she’s half Cary Grant’s age when this picture was made, they work well off each other and provide an excellent, time-tested on-screen couple.
While not the typical Hitchcock film for which he is known, “To Catch a Thief” should keep you guessing while you have a chance to see the veiled sexual relationship between Grant and Kelly’s characters.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The only drawback of a film like “To Catch a Thief” is that it is hard to take in a modern context. As the special features point out, “To Catch a Thief” had to walk a tightrope for the ratings board. The veiled sexual context was lost on me considering I exist in the world of modern cinema where full-frontal nudity and graphic sex isn’t uncommon in film. Still, were this film made today, you could bet that it would star people like Brad Pitt and Reese Witherspoon.
To fully enjoy “To Catch a Thief,” one needs to understand that it’s not suspense, and it’s not as much of a mystery. It’s a romance, and if you’re expecting something else, you might be disappointed.
DVD FEATURES
Like other films in Paramount’s Centennial Collection, this double-disc set includes the feature film on the first disc with a commentary track, which is provided by Hitchcock historian Drew Casper.
The second disc features a retrospective of Paramount and the film industry at the time of this production. Because we lost Alfred Hitchcock in 1980, the material relies on Pat Hitchcock (his daughter) and Mary Stone (his granddaughter). They are featured in the 40-minute “A Night with the Hitchcocks” interview, as well as throughout the other featurettes.
The bonus material includes: “Unacceptable Under the Code: Film Censorship in America,” which chronicles how the heavy censorship of the 50s caused major changes in the film; “Writing and Casting To Catch a Thief,” which discusses the film adaptation and how they brought in the classic stars; “The Making of To Catch a Thief,” which offers a general behind-the-scenes look at the film; “Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly,” which focuses on the stars; “Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch a Thief: An Appreciation,” which gives us a more personal look at Hitchcock the man; and “Edith Head: The Paramount Years,” which focuses on the legendary costume designer.
There’s also the original theatrical trailer, photo galleries and an interactive travelogues of the South of France as seen in the movie.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.
