To Catch a Thief

I find myself at a loss for words to describe To Catch A Thief. It doesn't fit neatly into the obvious boxes. It's about theft of jewelry from high-class people, but it isn't a heist movie. It's about an innocent man being fingered for crimes, but it isn't a high-tension man-on-the-run thriller. There's elements of conspiracy and murder, but it isn't sinister, nor does it feel life and death. It's light and breezy, but it's not a comedy. Every element of the movie feels like it belongs in another movie, or isn't serving the purpose you think it is, but it all comes together in such a way as to make for a damned good time. Cary Grant is, of course, as charming as all get out. Dude could charm a woman in white gloves to eat a ketchup popsicle. But he's a little more beleaguered here, as his charm won't get him anywhere with the cops and the former military compatriots who all think he's guilty of a string of burglaries done in his style. John (his character) is put off by not one but two women not just flirting with him, but overtly throwing themselves at him in a way that was just not how women in 50's operated; I can only think of the pearl-clutching back in the day at Grace Kelly's Francie as she all but dares John NOT to want to sleep with her. That brings up Grace Kelly, who is equally awesome; not the icy Hitchcock blonde, but a confident woman who knows what she wants is willing to say so. She has a natural grace and magnetism, and the chemistry between her and Grant is palpable. The direction is, of course, majestic. Taking place in France, Hitchcock uses the scenery to great effect. There's a decadence to the landscape, not hedonistic but lush and opulent, and it fits the movie well. The action scenes are filmed superbly as well, especially the final chase across a rooftop between John and the burglar. The direction and score and acting all come together in a weird way where, despite all this "it's this but not that" comments I made earlier sounding like faults, they work in harmony to make a movie that is a rarity in Hitchcock's catalog: a FUN movie. Between this and The Lady Vanishes, it shows Hitchcock knew how to craft his usual tales of suspense and intrigue without relying on the same style for all of them. I know this didn't get the best reviews at the time, and it's still not held up alongside Hitchcock's best. I disagree with those reviews. If you want something more cerebral like Vertigo, more tense like North By Northwest, or with more life-and-death stakes like Strangers On A Train, sure, it doesn't hit those notes. But I don't think it's trying to. It's trying to be a romp of sorts. A whirlwind escapade. And in that regard, I think it nails the tone it's trying for, and tells a story that's easy to follow and fun to experience.