My Review: To Catch a Thief (8/10)

"Do you want a leg or a breast?"

Squeezed in the middle of Hitchcock's filmography, To Catch a Thief, is many times forgotten since it came out the year after Rear Window. Hitchcock also had greater success with his later films, Pyscho, The Birds, North by Northwest, and Vertigo so this film is easily discarded when we compare it to his other works. It is a shame because To Catch a Thief has many great things going for it which we now take for granted. For instance the love story mixed right in the middle of the mystery is captivating. Perhaps for modern audiences the mystery involving this copycat thief, known as the cat, may be way to easy to solve, but the heart of the story lies in the fantastic chemistry between Cary Grant's John Robie and Grace Kelly's Frances Stevens. The sparks fly between these two characters and their intense chemistry on screen is rarely equaled in modern films. This was my first Cary Grant film and only the second time I'v seen Grace Kelly on screen so perhaps that's why I enjoyed it so much. I was pleasantly surprised with this film and despite it not being at the same level of some of Hitchcock's other masterpieces it is a really enjoyable movie. The cinematography here is gorgeous and perhaps one of the best coming from Hitchcock. Deciding to film this on location in the French riviera was the best idea Hitchcock had and it really payed off. His cameo at the beginning of the movie just might be my favorite of his as well. There is also a spectacular car chase scene that is the highlight of the film. My only complaint lies in the fact that the resolution wasn't as strong as the opening and mid section of this film, but the pacing was well established and I enjoyed it.  Cary Grant and Grace Kelly were magnificent on screen together and I look forward to seeing more of their classic work in the future. 

The gorgeous scenery and the romance went perfect together in this charming film from Hitchcock. Grant and Kelly shared an incredible chemistry together and their witty remarks also added some comedy to the mix. The film might not be as artistic as some of his greater work, but this light weight romantic thriller shouldn't be disregarded when we consider Hitchcock's films because it showed his versatility as a director and his capability of directing less serious films and making them better than the actual material really was. It's an enjoyable film and it accomplishes its purpose of entertaining the audience as it takes us through the gorgeous riviera of France and introduces us to these beautiful beaches and mansions. Some of Hitchcock's better known films could have benefited from the two strong leads in To Catch a Thief because for a light film they really got the job done. It may be a forgettable film coming from Hitchcock but it is far more entertaining than most of the light movies we are exposed to in the theaters today. Despite not having heard great things about this film, I'm glad I had the pleasure to watch this and see the sparks fly between Grant and Kelly.