Movie Monday Review: To Catch A Thief

The Cat

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Starring: Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Charles Vanel, Brigitte Auber, Jean Martinelli

Summary

When a string of major jewel robberies occur in the South of France, the police are convinced that “The Cat” is back to his old tricks. These robberies are done so quietly and only the best jewels are taken, just as jewel thief John Robie, The Cat, did. Immediately, the police seek to arrest the American Robie (Cary Grant), who currently makes a living by tending vineyards and raising flowers at his villa there in France.

Escaping the police

Robie is bewildered at this and sends them on a wild goose chase through the French mountains. The police quickly return upon finding that Robie is not in the car they are chasing, but they are too late, Robie is gone.

Bertani at the restaurant

Making his way to a restaurant, he finds a whole host of waiters and cooks who are clearly mad with him. Robie meets up with his old friend Bertani (Charles Vanel), owner of the restaurant and former French Resistance colleague. Bertani explains that all his employees, former convicts and French Resistance fighters, are mad with Robie. They believe he has started stealing again and is thus breaking parole, thereby bringing suspicion on all of them. Robie explains that he is innocent and that someone else, who knows his style and where to get information, is being a copycat. He knows the police don’t believe him, so he insists that he will look for this “Cat” himself.

Robie with the Foussards

Bertani agrees to help and gets his head waiter Foussard (Jean Martinelli) to convince his daughter Danielle (Brigitte Auber) to get Robie out. Bertani also sets up a meeting for Robie with an insurance agent looking to stop the robberies and willing to take a chance. Hughson (John Williams), employee of an insurance agency backing some of the most expensive jewels around, meets with Robie and agrees to help him get a list of names to check out.

Mrs. Stevens with Hughson and her daughter

Danielle is in love with Robie and makes no secret of it. She taunts him, calling him The Cat, insisting that he is back to his old ways. He denies it, but she laughs at him. She claims life could be so much better in South America, where they could peddle stolen jewels, and live in luxury. He laughs her off.

Danielle with Robie, making their escape

Thanks to Hughson, Robie gets himself into the good graces of wealthy American lady Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) and her well-to-do daughter, Frances (Grace Kelly). Frances suspects him of being a thief, however, is determined to also fall in love with him and perhaps change his ways. When her mother’s jewels are stolen, she goes right to Robie, who denies it. She calls the police on him, forcing him to escape.

He stole your jewels!

Meanwhile, the thievery is continuing. Robie notices that a certain wealthy mansion is being watched every night and, with the help of Hughson, sets a police trap. In the process, he manages to be entangled in a fight with two men, one of them getting killed. He finds out that it is Foussard. The police claim they have caught The Cat and Robie seems to be free again. Robie goes to the police and laughs at them for thinking they caught the cat, when Foussard has a wooden leg and could never walk across roofs in secret.

Danielle is spitting mad with Robie, claiming that he killed her father. Robie doesn’t know who all he can trust anymore. Frances apologizes, beginning to realize she was wrong about Robie. She agrees to help him get into the coming party in the home of a very wealthy family.

Robie with Frances

Setting a trap, Robie goes into the party with the Stevens ladies. The police are all over and there are plenty of jewels to be had. The police watch Robie all night, although he is in costume, from head to toe. He dances with Frances all night, leaving after everyone else has gone. The police are satisfied, but are unaware, that it is not Robie behind the mask, but Hughson. Robie is on the roof.

Will the real Robie step forward?

Quietly he waits for the imposter to appear. Soon, it happens. He scampers across the roof, grabbing the pretend “Cat”. Unmasked, he sees that it is Danielle. The police hear the scuffle and appear, believing it is Robie. He grabs Danielle right as she’s about to go over the side of the roof and forces her to admit to what she has done. In a panic, she tells all. She was working for her father and Bertani to steal the jewels.

Don’t drop me!

Having cleared his name, Robie returns to his villa. Soon, however, Frances is there to apologize and beg for him to take her, for she loves him. He returns the sentiment.

It’s over…

Review

To Catch a Thief is a brilliantly made movie, directed by the creative Alfred Hitchcock. It is wonderful as a mystery, leaving you guessing until the end. There is enough suspense to make you wonder, but plenty of humor to keep it fun!

Robie’s Cat

The scenery is magnificent, offset by the constant French spoken throughout the movie, making it feel like you’re there. Cary Grant plays the suave character quite well, opposite the ever-glamorous Grace Kelly. She is always decked out in beautiful Edith Head designs. Jessie Royse Landis does a wonderful job of adding color and humor to the film, helping the story progress.

The Unmasking…

There is romance, of course, but is mild compared to some of Hitchcock’s films. As is his signature, look for Hitchcock toward the beginning of the movie, on the bus.

A glimpse of Hitchcock

An excellent film and worth watching. Enjoy at night with the lights out to add to the suspense!

Ellen Nolan

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