To Catch a Thief is a 1955 (70 years anniversary this year) thriller by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. It is the story of an older thief who, after retiring, is forced go back to his former profession because a copycat starts using his modus operandi; as such, he is forced to clear his name by catching the culprit. I will say that it is strange to see a then-fifty-year-old Carry Grant in the more serious role of a nimble and retired thief. His best interpretations featured him mostly in screwball comedies, so something feels slightly amiss, although he still manages to pull off the role.
As in usual hitchcockian fashion, the movie starts with a scream, just to set the tone. I would however argue that the general nature of the movie, given what it portrays, is not the one usually encapsulated in Hitchcock’s works. I would consider it a milder thriller than what we are accustomed to. Regardless, his techniques as a director still shine: through music, silence and actors staring at each other with circumspection, the viewer feels the tension that several scenes manage to create. Combine that with Hitchcock’s flare for long shots (towards the beginning of the movie there is a car chase, filmed from a helicopter in one take, that for the time must have been quite a feat), and it is easily recognizable as one of his movies.
There is a sexual undertone played out between the characters portrayed by Carry Grant and Grace Kelly, but I would emphasize one particular iconic moment. At a certain point, she puts on a diamond necklace trying to entice him, knowing fully well that he is the famous thief. This particular scene, played in half-light, does something I would argue would not be common today; to fetishize the necklace, Hitchcock covers Grace Kelly’s face in darkness while having only the moonlight shine on the diamonds. It is obviously a technique, but seems so unconventional for today’s standards where a director would possibly try to put focus on both actress and object. Maybe it’s just a personal take, but I think it is still worth mentioning.
I would give this movie a 6 out of 10 Hitchcock cameos (he was a passenger on a bus this time).