1955's "To Catch a Thief",
directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly,
Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, and Brigitte Auber.
Hitchcock is of course hailed as an
auteur master of suspense and tension, and his "Vertigo" regularly
dukes it out with Welles' "Citizen Kane" for consideration of the
greatest film of all time. However, "To Catch a Thief" plays it cool,
with much less suspense than your typical Hitchcockian fare.
Focusing on the exploits of a retired
jewel thief (Cary Grant), he lives in the South of France, and discovers that
he needs to clear his name after the exploits from
a copycat burglar put him at risk with the authorities. Grace Kelly shows up as
the wealthy daughter of a potential target, who sees through Grant's charms.
Their chemistry is palpable (I'm curious if their scene where they make out
while fireworks flash in the background inspired the term, "...and then
fireworks ensued?") and a treat. “TCaT” also won an Oscar for best cinematography,
as Hitchcock was experimenting with wide angle lenses now common place today.
But there isn't much else there, other than some overt commentary on how nice
being casually rich is.
It was really interesting to watch the scene
where Kelly recklessly speeds their car through twisty roads, as that was what
killed her in real life. Fun and effortless as entertainment, can only so far
it seems. By the end, you have to wonder if the surprise twist wasn’t the
person it needed to be for maximum effect. This is one thief that is guilty of
underachievement.
3/5
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