'' To Catch a Thief'' is a 1955 American

romantic thriller A romantic thriller is a narrative that combines elements of both the romance and thriller genres. The goal of romantic thrillers is to entertain audiences by evoking discomfort through moments of suspense along with heightened feelings of anxi ...

film directed by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

, from a screenplay by

John Michael Hayes John Michael Hayes (11 May 1919 – 19 November 2008) was an American screenwriter, who wrote four of Alfred Hitchcock's films in the 1950s. Early life and education Hayes was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to John Michael Hayes Sr. and Ellen M ...

based on the 1952 novel of the same name by David Dodge. The film stars

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

as a retired

cat burglar Burglary, also called breaking and entering (B&E) or housebreaking, is a property crime Property crime is a category of crime, usually involving private property, that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft ...

who has to save his reformed reputation by catching an impostor preying on wealthy tourists (including an oil-rich widow and her daughter played by

Grace Kelly Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982), also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. ...

) on the

French Riviera The French Riviera, known in French as the (; , ; ), is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is considered to be the coastal area of the Alpes-Maritimes department, extending fr ...

Plot

Retired jewel thief John "The Cat" Robie is suspected by the police in a string of burglaries on the

. When they come to his hilltop villa to question him, he slips their grasp and heads to a restaurant owned by his friend Bertani. The restaurant's staff, members of Robie's old gang who have been paroled for their work in the

French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

, are angry at Robie because they are all under suspicion as long as the new Cat is active. When the police arrive at the restaurant looking for Robie, Danielle, the daughter of the restaurant's wine steward Foussard, spirits him to safety. Robie realizes he can prove his innocence by catching the new Cat in the act. He enlists the aid of insurance agent H. H. Hughson, who reluctantly discloses a list of persons currently on the Riviera who own the most expensive jewelry. The American tourists Jessie Stevens, a wealthy ''nouveau riche'' widow, and her daughter Frances, top the list; Robie strikes up a friendship with them, posing as a businessman from

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

on vacation. Frances feigns modesty at first, but kisses Robie at the end of the night as she retires to her room. The day after, Frances invites Robie to a swim at the beach in

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

, where Robie runs into Danielle. He keeps up his cover of being a wealthy American tourist, despite Danielle's jealous barbs about his interest in Frances. Frances accompanies Robie to a villa where Robie suspects the new Cat might break in. Frances reveals that she knows Robie's real identity. He initially denies it, but concedes it that evening as the two watch a fireworks display from her hotel room. They kiss passionately. The next morning, Jessie discovers her jewels are gone. Frances accuses Robie of using her as a distraction so he could steal her mother's jewelry. The police are called, but by the time they reach Jessie's room Robie has disappeared. That night, Robie is attacked by an unknown assailant while staking out an estate trying to catch the thief. A second attacker raises a wrench and tries to kill Robie but accidentally instead hits the first assailant, who falls off the estate's seawall into the water. When the police reach the body in the water it turns out to be Foussard. The police chief announces to the press that Foussard was the jewel thief, but, as Robie points out privately in the chief's office with Hughson present, this would have been impossible because Foussard had a wooden leg and could not climb on rooftops. Foussard's funeral is interrupted by Danielle's loud accusation that Robie is responsible for her father's death. Outside the graveyard, Frances apologizes to Robie and confesses her love. Robie asks her to arrange his attendance at a

masquerade ball A masquerade ball (or bal masqué) is a special kind of formal ball which many participants attend in costume wearing masks. (Compare the word "masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal " costume parties" may be a descend ...

where he believes the Cat will strike again. Robie accompanies Frances to the ball dressed as a masked

Moor Moor or Moors may refer to: Nature and ecology * Moorland, a habitat characterized by low-growing vegetation and acidic soils. People * Moor (surname) * Moors, Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, and Malta during the ...

. The police hover nearby. When Jessie addresses the Moor as "John" and asks him to go and get her "heart pills", the authorities are tipped off as to his identity. Upon the masked Moor's return, the police wait as he and Frances dance together all night. When the masked Moor accompanies Frances to her room, he removes the mask and turns out to be Hughson, who switched places with Robie to conceal the latter's exit. Upstairs, the burglar silently cleans out several jewel boxes. Robie lurks on the rooftop, and his patience is finally rewarded when he spots a figure in black whom he unmasks as Danielle. The police throw a spotlight on him and demand that he halt, giving Danielle the chance to slip away. Robie flees as they shoot at him and manages to corner his foe with jewels in hand. She loses her footing on the roof and starts to fall, but Robie grabs her hand at the last second. While she hangs in his grasp, he forces her to confess to the police and admit that Bertani planned the thefts. Robie speeds back to his villa. Frances follows to convince him that she has a place in his life. He agrees, but looks less than thrilled when she says that "Mother will love it up here."

Cast

as John Robie ("The Cat") *

as Frances Stevens *

Jessie Royce Landis Jessie Royce Landis (born Jessie Medbury; November 25, 1896 – February 2, 1972) was an American actress. Her name is also seen as Jesse Royce-Landis. She remains perhaps best-known for her mother roles in the Hitchcock films '' To Catch a Thi ...

as Jessie Stevens *

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

as H. H. Hughson *

Charles Vanel Charles-Marie Vanel (21 August 1892 – 15 April 1989) was a French actor and director. During his 65-year film career, which began in 1923, he appeared in more than 200 films and worked with many prominent directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, ...

as Monsieur Bertani *

Brigitte Auber Brigitte Auber (; born Marie-Claire Cahen de Labzac , 27 April 1925) is a French actress who has worked on stage, film and television in Europe. Career Marie-Claire Cahen de Labzac was born in Paris on 27 April 1925.

as Danielle Foussard *

Jean Martinelli Jean Martinelli (15 August 1909 – 13 March 1983) was a French actor who appeared in over 50 French films between 1933 and 1983, mostly in supporting roles. One of his few international films was Alfred Hitchcock's classic film ''To Catch a Thie ...

as Foussard, Danielle's father *

Georgette Anys Georgette Anys (15 July 1909 – 4 March 1993) was a French film and television actress. A character actress, she appeared mainly in French productions, but also some American films which were shot in Europe including Alfred Hitchcock's '' To Cat ...

as Germaine, housekeeper *

René Blancard René Blancard (12 March 1897 – 5 November 1965) was a French film actor. He appeared in 80 films between 1922 and 1965. Selected filmography * '' The Mysteries of Paris'' (1922) – Bras-Rouge * ''Montmartre'' (1925) – Frédéric Char ...

as Commissaire Lepic (uncredited) *

Paul Newlan Paul Emory "Tiny" Newlan (June 29, 1903 – November 23, 1973) was an American film and TV character actor from Plattsmouth, Nebraska. He was best known for his role as Captain Grey on the NBC police series '' M Squad'' and for his roles ...

as Vegetable Man in Kitchen (uncredited)

Cast notes

makes his signature cameo, approximately ten minutes into the film, as a bus passenger sitting next to Cary Grant and a caged pair of birds.

Production

''To Catch a Thief'' was the director's first of five films made using the

VistaVision VistaVision is a higher resolution, widescreen variant of the 35 mm motion picture film format that was created by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954. Paramount did not use anamorphic processes such as CinemaScope but refined the ...

widescreen process, and the last of the three starring

. It was also was Hitchcock's penultimate collaboration with

, followed by ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. The original screenplay written by Ernest Lehman was intended to be the basis for ...

'' (1959); both films are about a man with a mistaken identity who goes on an adventure to prove his innocence. The costumes were by

Edith Head Edith Claire Head (née Posener, October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American film costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making he ...

, including Kelly's gold lamé gown for the film's costume ball. The car driven by Grace Kelly was a metallic blue 1953 Sunbeam Alpine Mk I.

Locations

''To Catch a Thief'' was filmed largely in the

Paramount Studios Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production and distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount Global. It is the sixth-oldest film studio i ...

, Hollywood, California, and on location in the

Alpes-Maritimes Alpes-Maritimes (; ; ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the France–Italy border, Italian border and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'A ...

of southeastern France. It included the resorts of

Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million Villefranche-sur-Mer Villefranche-sur-Mer (, ; ; ) is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera and is located southwest of the Principality of Monaco, which is just west of the French-Italian ...

, Saint-Jeannet and

Tourrettes-sur-Loup Tourrettes-sur-Loup (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in southeastern France. It has been called Tourrettes-sur-Loup ever since the early twentieth century although prior to that it ...

. Crucial to the film's success in shooting on location was the presence of unit production manager C.O. "Doc" Erickson. He had developed a reputation for his work on prior Paramount films that had relied on a great amount of location photography, such as ''

Shane Shane may refer to: People * Shane (name), a masculine given name and a surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with this name * Shane (actress) (born 1969), American pornographic actress * Shane (New Zealand singer) (born ...

'' (1953) and ''

Secret of the Incas ''Secret of the Incas'' is a 1954 American adventure film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Charlton Heston as adventurer Harry Steele, on the trail of an ancient Incan artifact. The supporting cast features Robert Young, Nicole Maurey ...

'' (1954). Erickson thoroughly researched the logistics of shooting in the South of France and communicated with Bill Mull, the production manager on '' Little Boy Lost'' (1953).

Distribution

''To Catch a Thief'' is the only Hitchcock film released by

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

that is still owned and controlled by the company. The other five films Hitchcock made at Paramount—''

Rear Window ''Rear Window'' is a 1954 American mystery film, mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by John Michael Hayes, based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story "After-Dinner Story, It Had to Be Murder". Originally released ...

'', ''

The Trouble with Harry ''The Trouble with Harry'' is a 1955 American Technicolor black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1950 novel by Jack Trevor Story. It starred Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Na ...

'', '' The Man Who Knew Too Much'', ''

Vertigo Vertigo is a condition in which a person has the sensation that they are moving, or that objects around them are moving, when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, perspira ...

'', and '' Psycho—''each passed from the studio to his personal ownership eight years after the date of their theatrical release, under the conditions of his contract. Those five are currently distributed by

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

Reception

The film drew mixed reviews from critics, with some enjoying Grant and Kelly in the lead roles as well as the French Riviera setting, while others expressed disappointment at the lack of suspense compared to earlier Hitchcock films.

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote in a positive review that the film "comes off completely as a hit in the old Hitchcock style ... Mr. Grant and Miss Kelly do grandly, especially in one sly seduction scene." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote that while the film was "not the suspense piece one usually associated with the Alfred Hitchcock name," it was "strong on sight and performance values" though it had "some plot weaknesses and is not as smooth in the unfolding as one might expect from an upper 'A' presentation." ''

Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City–based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publish ...

'' wrote, "Alfred Hitchcock has not endowed the action with as much suspense as one might expect in a picture produced and directed by him; nevertheless, its story of a one-time jewel robber who sets out to establish his innocence by catching a thief who was using his technique is tight and swiftly-paced, and constantly offers dramatic and comical developments." Richard L. Coe of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' called it "one of those de luxe pictures in which everyone lives in glorious workless luxury on the French Rivera, looks wonderful, speaks amusingly and is unconcerned with transit strikes or hurricanes. I loved every minute of it." Philip K. Scheuer of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' was also positive, calling Grant and Kelly "ideal in the romantic leads" and the dialogue "daring but delightful," adding, "Above all, there is the spell of the French Riviera—a lazy, laissez-faire thing that apparently captivated the director as much as it will audiences in the soft, beguiling hues of its Technicolor and VistaVision."

John McCarten John McCarten (September 10, 1911, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – September 25, 1974, New York City) was an American writer who contributed about 1,000 pieces for ''The New Yorker'', serving as the magazine's film critic from 1945 to 1960 and B ...

of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' dismissed the film as "an Alfred Hitchcock picture that makes you wonder what has happened to the man ... As the heiress, Grace Kelly is very pretty. She does not, presumably, try to act." ''

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote, "Even a comedy thriller needs considerably more in the way of plain excitement and tension than ''To Catch a Thief'' provides, and Hitchcock's celebrated habit of playing tricks with the audience ... seem a poor substitute for the real thing." ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' called the film "a thorough disappointment," writing that Hitchcock had "failed so completely that one can only wonder if, in this tale of high-class burglary on the Côte d'Azur, he has not altogether abandoned his devotion to 'tension.' Certainly the 'whodunnit' element in this film is remarkably slack; the unmasking of the master criminal, which is the climax of the story, comes as mildly as bread and milk."

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French filmmaker, actor, and critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. He came under the tutelage of film critic Andre Bazin as a ...

wrote "''To Catch a Thief'' completely satisfies all itchcock'sfans—the snobbiest and the most ordinary—and still manages to be one of the most cynical films Hitchcock has ever made." On

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

the film has an approval rating of 92% based on reviews from 53 critics, with an average rating of 7.9/10, with the critical consensus reading: "It may occasionally be guilty of coasting on pure charm, but ''To Catch a Thief'' has it in spades -- as well as a pair of perfectly matched stars in Cary Grant and Grace Kelly."

Accolades

Robert Burks Leslie Robert Burks (July 4, 1909 – May 11, 1968) was an American cinematographer known for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. Biography Burks was born in Chino, California, on July 4, 1909. At age 19, he began working as a special e ...

won the

Academy Award for Best Cinematography The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work on one particular motion picture. History In its first film season, 1927–28, this award (like others such as the acting awards) w ...

, while

Hal Pereira Hal Pereira (April 29, 1905 – December 17, 1983) was an American art director, production designer, and occasional architect. Pereira was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Sarah (Friedberg) and Saul Pereira. In the 1940s through the 1960s ...

Joseph McMillan Johnson Joseph McMillan Johnson (September 15, 1912 – April 17, 1990) was a leading Cinema of the United States, Hollywood art director born in Los Angeles. He was graduated from University of Southern California, USC with a degree in architecture befo ...

Samuel M. Comer Samuel M. Comer (July 13, 1893 – December 27, 1974) was a set decorator who worked on over 300 films during a career spanning four decades. He won four Academy Awards and was nominated for another 22 in the category Best Art Direction. He guide ...

and

Arthur Krams Arthur Krams (July 15, 1912 – September 29, 1985) was an American set designer. He first made a name for himself working for MGM on films such as '' Holiday in Mexico'', ''Easter Parade'' and ''The Student Prince'' in the mid 1940s. Later, he we ...

were nominated for

Best Art Direction The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted fro ...

, and

was nominated for Best Costume Design. In 2002,

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...

included the film in AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions (#46).

Adaptations

In May 2018, it was announced that

Viacom Viacom, an abbreviation of Video and Audio Communications, may refer to: * Viacom (1952–2005), a former American media conglomerate * Viacom (2005–2019), a former company spun off from the original Viacom * Viacom18, a joint venture between Pa ...

was set to adapt the film as a Spanish-language television series. It was launched in October 2019 as '' Atrapa a un ladrón'' ( es).

Soundtracks

* ''Alfred Hitchcock's TO CATCH A THIEF'' (EP). With ''Francie's Theme, You'll Love France'' and ''Unexpected'' by

Lyn Murray Lyn Murray (born Lionel Breeze, August 13, 1909 – May 20, 1989) was a composer, conductor, and arranger of music for radio, film and television. Early years Born in London, Murray was the son of a violinist. Before entering a career in music ...

, as well as ''Your Kiss'' by George Cates & Georgie Auld. Conducted by

. Tenor Sax Solos by

Georgie Auld Georgie Auld (May 19, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was a jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. Early years Auld was born John Altwerger in Toronto, Canada, and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. Before the family left Canada, Auld ...

. Coral Records EC 81083, USA 1955 and Coral Records CXP45-846 and Festival Records CXP45-846, Australia 1956. * ''To Catch A Thief / The Bridges At Toko-Ri'' (CD) by

. 22 Tracks from "To Catch a Thief". Conducted by

. Recorded at Paramount Scoring Stage, Los Angeles, USA 1954. INTRADA Special Collection Volume 266, 2014. * ''Serenade To A Princess - theme songs from the motion pictures made famous by GRACE KELLY'' (LP). With ''Francie's Theme'' by

and ''Your Kiss'' by George Cates & Georgie Auld. Conducted by David Carroll. Mercury Records MG 20156, USA 1956, Canada 1956. * ''TO CATCH A THIEF - A HISTORY OF HITCHCOCK II'' (CD). With ''Paramount Vista Vision Fanfare'' by Nathan van Cleave and ''To Catch a Thief - Suite (You'll Love France / My Jewels / Red Convertible / Riviera Car Chase / Bus Stop / Finale)'' by

. Performed by ''The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra''. Conducted by Paul Bateman. Recorded at Smecky Music Studios, Prague, Czech Republic. Silva Screen Records, USA 1995. * ''Psycho - The Essential Alfred Hitchcock'' (2-CD-Set). With ''To Catch a Thief: Suite'' by

and ''Paramount Vista Vision Fanfare'' by Nathan van Cleave. Performed by ''The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra''. Conducted by Paul Bateman. Recorded at Smecky Music Studios, Prague, Czech Republic. Silva Screen Records, FILMXCD 320, London 1999.

References

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

* * * * *
Historic reviews, photo gallery at CaryGrant.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:To Catch A Thief 1955 films 1950s mystery thriller films 1950s romantic thriller films American mystery thriller films American romantic thriller films 1950s English-language films Films based on American novels Films based on mystery novels Films directed by Alfred Hitchcock Films produced by Alfred Hitchcock Films scored by Lyn Murray Films set in Monaco Films set on the French Riviera Films shot in France Films shot in Monaco Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award 1950s French-language films Paramount Pictures films VistaVision films Films with screenplays by John Michael Hayes 1950s multilingual films American multilingual films 1950s American films English-language romantic thriller films English-language mystery thriller films French-language American films Articles containing video clips