To Catch a Thief (1955)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

David Dodge (novel)
John Michael Hayes (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 August 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

WANTED by the police in all the luxury-spots of Europe!... A catch for any woman!

Plot:

When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence.

Plot Keywords:

Bad Guy Turns Good | Wooden Leg | Starting Over | Resistance Fighter | Diva

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 nominations

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

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.50 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Ireland:PG | Netherlands:6 | USA:Approved (certificate #17226) | Spain:T | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Canada:G (video rating) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Norway:12 (1955) | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The two leads ranked #8 on Moviefone's 'The Top 25 Sexiest Movie Couples'. [May 2008]

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hughson hands Robie the list of jewel owners, he hands it to him with his right hand. But in the next shot the list is suddenly in his left hand.

Quotes:

John Robie: For what it's worth, I never stole from anybody who would go hungry.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

Fully appreciable, at last on DVD, brightly restored in it's original VistaVision ratio.

This underrated Hitchcock piece is his tribute to his obsession with the dazzling Grace Kelly, who's even more beautiful than the Riviera set pieces. Teamed with Grant, they make a perfect couple, in a mischievous love story that's quite unique for Hitchcock. It's as if he decided to leave well-enough alone, and simply provided a series of grandiose setups for his two leads to cavort in; perhaps too surprisingly for Hitchcock devotees. Nonetheless, this is a sophisticated romp that's punctuated with some fine supporting performances. Sadly, Hitchcock would search for a Kelly substitute for the rest of his career; and his remembrance of this "vacation" picture would be a dominant influence in the creation of his dark masterpiece to come, VERTIGO.