To Catch A Thief (1955)

      " ...a high-polish job, a kind of reversion to the urbanities of a gentleman Raffles..."

With Grace Kelly.

To Catch A Thief - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"Has Alfred Hitchcock over-refined his technique?  There are those who will say yes after seeing his To Catch A Thief, but this fan is quite happy with Hitchcock as he is.  In his latest mystery, the emphasis is less on the mystery than on the incidental mechanics that develop it, much as it was in Rear Window, though here the plot is even thinner.  

Nevertheless, it is a high-polish job, a kind of reversion to the urbanities of a gentleman Raffles, with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly ideal in the romantic leads."

- Philip K. Scheuer, Los Angeles Times

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 60 - To Catch A Thief (Lobby Card Style)

Part Of

For more, see also:

Quote From Today 5 August 2022

On This Day 4 August 2021

On This Day 28 August 2020

Quote From Today... To Catch a Thief (1955)

    "Why did I take up stealing?"

To Catch a Thief was Cary Grant's 60th full length feature film.

H. H. Hughson: You are a man of obvious good taste in everything. Why did you...

John Robie: Why did I take up stealing? To live better, to own things I couldn't afford, to acquire this good taste that you now enjoy and which I should be very reluctant to give up.

H. H. Hughson: Then you are frankly dishonest.

John Robie: I try to be.

On This Day...To Catch A Thief (1955)

 On this day in 1955, Cary Grant's 60th full length feature film was released at the Venice Film Festival.

Its official release was earlier in the month...its just that I missed it!!!!

Cary Grant plays John Robie, "The Cat", a reformed jewel thief who now lives on the French Rivera. Grace Kelly stars alongside as Frances Stevens.

It was Cary Grant's third film with director Alfred Hitchcock and his first film in colour!

With Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis and John Williams.

Jessie Royce Landis would later play Cary Grant's mother in his last collaboration with Hitchcock, North by Northwest.

"Grant gives his role his assured style of acting, meaning the dialogue and the situations benefit."
- Weekly Variety

"Grant once again demonstrates he is the master of timing, getting laughs where a lesser talent would draw a blank." - Daily Variety

"...Cary Grant and Grace Kelly ideal in the romantic leads." - Los Angeles Times

Cast:

John Robie                       Cary Grant

Frances Stevens                 Grace Kelly

Mrs. Stevens                      Jessie Royce Landis

H.H. Hughson                   John Williams

Bertani                               Charles Vanel

Danielle                             Brigitte Auber

Foussard                            Jean Martinelli

Germaine                           Georgette Anys

Publicity shot.

"The names Grant...Cary Grant!" This scene wouldn't look out of place in a Bond film!

Lobby Cards:

Directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock.

Distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Running time: 103 minutes.

"Lights, Camera...Action!" - The Directors - Part 2

After Howard Hawks' five films with Cary Grant, there were two directors who completed four films each with Grant...Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Donen.

Alfred Hitchcock:

13th August 1899 - 29th April 1990

"Hitch and I had a rapport and understanding deeper than words. He was a very agreeable human being, and we were very compatible. I always went to work whistling when I worked with him because everything on the set was just as you envisioned it would be. Nothing ever went wrong. He was so incredibly well prepared. I never knew anyone as capable. He was a tasteful, intelligent, decent, and patient man who knew the actor's business as well as he knew his own." 

- Grant on Hitchcock

Suspicion (1941)

On set with Joan Fontaine.

His appearance in the film.

Notorious (1946)

Hitchcock's appearance in a scene with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.

To Catch A Thief (1955)

 

On film with Grant.

On set with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant.

North By Northwest (1959)

An early appearance in the film.

                                                           

On set and behind the scenes with Cary Grant, Eve Marie Saint and James Mason.

"Cary is marvelous, you see. One doesn't direct Cary Grant, one simply puts him in front of a camera. 

And, you see, he enables the audience to identify with the main character. I mean by that, Cary Grant represents a man we know. He's not a stranger."

- Hitchcock on Grant

To be continued...The Directors - Part 3 - Stanley Donen.

The 1950's...

During the 1950's Cary Grant turned in some classic performances, 13 in total, from romance comedy to thrillers!

1950:

Crisis 1950

1951:

People Will Talk 1951

1952:

Room For One More 1952

Monkey Business 1952

1953:

Dream Wife 1953

1954:

No film released in this year.

1955:

To Catch A Thief 1955

1956:

No film was released in this year.

1957:

The Pride and The Passion 1957

An Affair to Remember 1957

Kiss Them For Me 1957

1958:

Indiscreet 1958

Houseboat 1958

1959:

North By Northwest 1959

Operation Petticoat 1959

Location, location, location!

I posted today on Instagram, a picture of Cary Grant, in what appears to be a deserted location, from the film To Catch a Thief.

With a caption, referencing the space we have on this planet to keep 2 metres apart.

However, as you can see from the second picture, (Port Hercule, Monaco)and if you have seen the film, the location was crowded.



That got me thinking about the stunning locations that were filmed as a backdrop to the drama.

Here are just a few!

The French Rivieria:



 Carlton InterContinental Cannes Hotel, La Croisette, Cannes.

The Flower Market, Cours Saleya, Nice

Avenue des Combattants en Afrique du Nord.