Paramount Pictures presents To Catch A Thief: Special Collector’s Edition. Written by John Michael Hayes. Based on the novel by David Dodge. 109 minutes. Not Rated. Originally released in 1955.
Directed By:
Alfred Hitchcock
Cast:
Cary Grant. John Robie
Grace Kelly. Frances Stevens
Jessie Royce Landis. Jessie Stevens
The Film:
As stated time and time again, Alfred Hitchcock is the master of suspense. The man has delivered fantastic films. One of his finest, To Catch a Thief, stars Cary Grant and Grace Kelly; they are two actors of notable distinction. Both have star power, and they have appeared in a number of Hitchcock’s works.
Grant plays John Robie, a retired jewel thief known as “The Cat” who is wanted by the police because a copycat has started using his MO. Knowing no one will believe him, Robie takes it upon himself to find this thief and clear his name. To do this he changes his name and starts hanging around the French Riviera where he meets young rich American Frances Stevens (Kelly) and her mother Jessie (Landis).
Much to his surprise Frances knows who Robie really is but this doesn’t bother her. His adventurous past excites her. That is until her mother’s jewels are stolen.
This is a perfect Hitchcock film filled with suspense, humor, beautiful, Academy Award-winning cinematography and quick, witty dialogue. It also contains Hitchcock’s favorite the Magoffin: The film’s title leads us to believe the plot is about Robie trying to catch the copycat and clear his name; but the film is really about Frances seducing and ultimately catching Robie.
Cary Grant has a film presence rarely seen today and is always a joy to watch. Match that with the stunning Grace Kelly and sexual tension between them on screen is timeless. Much of the dialogue in To Catch a Thief was borderline obscene at the time but is very tame by today’s standards.
The film was shot in Paramount’s newest advancement in filmmaking, VistaVision, which was their answer to 20th Century Fox’s Cinemascope. Such advancement in technology gives us a breathtaking look at France, a locale where some of the production took place. As if Grants and Kelly’s faces aren’t enough to stare at. This film is one of the reasons to want to embrace the medium; it has everything a film lover could want.
Hitchcock finds his way into his film once again..
The DVD:
The Video:
The film is presented in widescreen 1.85:1 and is enhanced for 16:9 TVs. The transfer here is beautiful and all the cinematography is wonderfully preserved. There are so many breathtaking locations here and it’s great to see it so crisp and clear.
The Audio:
The film is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and mono. Hitchcock films always have the best scores and To Catch a Thief is no exception. The film sounds great!
Extras:
Audio Commentary with Peter Bogdonavich and Laurent Bouzereau: This is an okay commentary. Bogdonavich knew Hitchcock, and Bouzereau wrote a book about him. Some tidbits of information are imparted but nothing you can’t get somewhere else. More interesting for someone who doesn’t know so much about Hitchcock.
There are four featurettes on this disc: Writing and Casting and The Making Of To Catch a Thief; Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch a Thief; an appreciation; and Edith Head — The Paramount Years: These are four great featurettes with enough material for any film and Hitchcock fan. There are interviews with Hitchcock’s family, friends, and historians. They give intimate details into the making of To Catch a Thief and what was going on in his life during the time. The last featurette is all about Edith Head the famous costume designer.
Theatrical Trailer
The Inside Pulse
Many of Hitchcock’s films are classics and To Catch a Thief joins the list. With breathtaking cinematography and the wonderful chemistry of Grant and Kelly, you just can’t go wrong. An impressive film makes for an impressive DVD release.
