To Catch a Thief

"From where I sat it looked as though you were conjugating some irregular verbs."

John Robie (Grant) is a retired cat burglar, known as "The Cat," living in the French Riviera.  A series of jewel heists bearing his modus operandi lead Commissaire Lepic (Rene Blancard) and the French police to suspect Robie.  He is innocent and wants to clear his name.  He evades the police and travels to Bertani's (Vanel) restaurant to see his former criminal colleagues.  They all went straight during WWII when they joined the French Resistance, and after the war Bertani opened a restaurant where they all work.  They believe Robie is guilty and are mad that the police are once again suspicious of their actions.  Bertani assigns Foussard's (Martinelli) teenage daughter Danielle (Auber) to help Robie escape.

Robie goes to a resort where he teams up with insurance man H.H. Hughson (Williams) to figure out the thieves next target.  American tourists Jessie (Landis) and Frances (Kelly) Stevens are at the top of the list.  Jessie is a bored widow, trying to find a husband for her daughter.  Francie is taken with Robie and they begin spending time together.  Can he prove stop the thieves, prove his innocence, and get the girl?


This is one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films.  The story is an adaptation of the 1952 "To Catch a Thief" written by David F. Dodge.  The cast is wonderful, and filled with actors that had previously worked with Hitchcock (or would work with him again after this film).  This was Hitchcock's third (and final) collaboration with Grace Kelly (Dial M for Murder and Rear Window).  It was also his third (of 4) collaboration with Cary Grant (Suspicion, Notorious, and North by Northwest).  Jessie Royce Landis appeared alongside Grant in North by Northwest and also appeared on an episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."  John Williams appeared in Dial M for Murder with Kelly.  French actor Charles Vanel did not speak any English and his English dialog was dubbed.  Brigitte Auber was a French actress who only made a few English language films.

In college I wrote a paper about the costumes in this film.  Edith Head was a phenomenal, and award winning, costume designer.  Grace Kelly's dresses, and the other costumes, in this film are gorgeous.  Head was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design (she was nominated 35 times and won 8 times).  She worked with Hitchcock on 8 films: The Birds, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Marnie, Notorious, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Topaz, Vertigo.

The film was also nominated for an Oscar in Best Art Direction, and won the Oscar for Best Cinematography (for Robert Burks).  And the film was featured on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions.


To Catch a Thief (1955) 106 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Cary Grant as John "The Cat" Robie
Grace Kelly as Frances Stevens
Jessie Royce Landis as Jessie Stevens
John Williams as H.H. Hughson
Charles Vanel as Bertani
Brigitte Auber as Danielle Foussard

Jean Martinelli as Foussard