#34 of 100 on my 100 Movies I’ve Never Seen Before Challenge (part II)
Alfred Hitchcock is truly a master filmmaker. Even when his story is simple, he is able to make it far more interesting than it might have been in the hands of another director. While he will probably be more well known for movies like “Psycho”, his relationship with Cary Grant may be what fueled some of his best movies.
In “To Catch a Thief”, Cary Grant plays a retired jewel thief, John Robie, a man who is trying to live a quiet life in the French Riviera. When a copy-cat thief starts making their way through the town, the French police have no one else to suspect, other than him. John has become quite accustomed to his life so he goes in search of the thief in order to clear his name.
Along the way, he meets the a woman, Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly), who is trolling around looking for a husband. The woman is adventurous, dangerous and has plenty of attitude. She manages to both annoy and pique the interest of John. The chemistry between Grant and Kelly, which is obvious from their other movies together, is one of the best things about this movie. You can see their distaste for each other as well as the curious lust they share, that ultimately draws them to each other.
This is a movie that really captures what is so fantastic about Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. “To Catch a Thief” plays out like a puzzle. The events unfold in a way that will not only keep you guessing as to what is going on with the plot but also keep you wondering about which characters you’re supposed to be paying attention to. There are a number of misleading plot threads, characters and typical red herrings that go along with any Hitchcock movie but the performances of Grant and Kelly will keep you mesmerized and distracted that you’ll never be quite sure when you may or may not have missed something important. That is the genius of Alfred Hitchcock.
“To Catch a Thief” is a great caper movie with perfect performances from the suave Cary Grant and the gorgeous Grace Kelly. The movie keeps you guessing from beginning to end and once again is loaded with story devices that have been used, re-used and copied in films over the past fifty plus years.
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