To Catch a Thief (1955)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

John Michael Hayes (screenplay)
David Dodge (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

September 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

WANTED by the police in all the luxury-spots of Europe!... A catch for any woman!

Plot:

When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence.

Plot Keywords:

Thief | Burglar | Cat | Riviera | Jewelry

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Cary Grant	...	John Robie
Grace Kelly	...	Frances Stevens
Jessie Royce Landis	...	Jessie Stevens
John Williams	...	H.H. Hughson
Charles Vanel	...	Bertani
Brigitte Auber	...	Danielle Foussard
Jean Martinelli	...	Foussard
Georgette Anys	...	Germaine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Adrian	...	Detective (uncredited)
John Alderson	...	Detective at the Costume Ball (uncredited)
Martha Bamattre	...	Kitchen Helper (uncredited)
René Blancard	...	Commissaire Lepic (uncredited)
Eugene Borden	...	French Waiter (uncredited)
Nina Borget	...	Frenchwoman (uncredited)
Margaret Brewster	...	Cold-cream Woman (uncredited)
Lewis Charles	...	Man with Milk in Kitchen (uncredited)
Frank Chelland	...	Chef (uncredited)
Wilson Cornell	...	Shepherd (uncredited)
Reinie Costello	...	Spanish Girl (uncredited)
William 'Wee Willie' Davis	...	Big Man in Kitchen (uncredited)
Dominique Davray	...	Antoinette (uncredited)
Louise De Carlo	...	Spanish Girl (uncredited)
Guy De Vestel	...	Detective (uncredited)
Gloria Dee	...	Persian Slave Girl (uncredited)
Kathleen Desmond	...	French Shepherdess (uncredited)
Lala Detolly	...	French Queen (uncredited)
Dolores Ellsworth	...	Persian Girl (uncredited)
George Ellsworth	...	Shepherd (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Woman at Costume Ball (uncredited)
Russell Gaige	...	Mr. Sanford (uncredited)
Steven Geray	...	Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Art Gilmore	...	Trailer Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Michael Hadlow	...	Monaco Policeman (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man Sitting Next to John Robie on Bus (uncredited)
Gladys Holland	...	Elegant French Woman (uncredited)
Jeshurun Howard	...	Boy (uncredited)
Jean Hébey	...	Police Inspector Mercier (uncredited)
Beverly Ruth Jordan	...	French Shepherdess (uncredited)
Lorraine Knight	...	French Huntress (uncredited)
Bela Kovacs	...	Detective (uncredited)
Jeanne Lafayette	...	Frenchwoman (uncredited)
Donald Lawton	...	Detective (uncredited)
Eddie Le Baron	...	Frenchman (uncredited)
Roland Lesaffre	...	Claude (uncredited)
Edward Manouk	...	Kitchen Helper (uncredited)
Jonathan Marlowe	...	Prince (uncredited)
Jerri McKenna	...	French Princess (uncredited)
Don Megowan	...	Detective at Costume Ball (uncredited)
Louis Mercier	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Detective (uncredited)
George Nardelli	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Vegetable Man in Kitchen (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Frenchman (uncredited)
George Paris	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Joan Patti	...	Spanish Girl (uncredited)
Leonard Penn	...	Monaco Policeman (uncredited)
Albert Pollet	...	Croupier (uncredited)
John Powell	...	Boy (uncredited)
Loulette Sablon	...	Frenchwoman (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo	...	Frenchman (uncredited)
Otto F. Schulze	...	Chef (uncredited)
Lal Singh	...	Maharaja (uncredited)
Adele St. Mauer	...	Woman with Birdcage on Bus (uncredited)
Marie Stoddard	...	Mrs. Sanford (uncredited)
Aimee Torriani	...	Woman in Kitchen (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	Jewelry Clerk (uncredited)
Geni Whitlow	...	Persian Slave Girl (uncredited)
Phyllis Young	...	Spanish Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
John Michael Hayes		(screenplay)
David Dodge		(novel)
Alec Coppel		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer

Original Music by
Lyn Murray		(music scored by)

Cinematography by
Robert Burks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini		(edited by)

Art Direction by
J. McMillan Johnson		(as Joseph MacMillan Johnson)
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Arthur Krams

Costume Design by
Edith Head		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervision
Bud Bashaw Jr.	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
William Davidson	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)
C.O. Erickson	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)
C.O. Erickson	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herbert Coleman	....	second unit director
Daniel McCauley	....	assistant director
Ralph Axness	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Paul Feyder	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Al Mann	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Dorothea Holt	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Joe Keller	....	props (uncredited)
Robert McCrillis	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recording
Harold Lewis	....	sound recording
Howard Beals	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Paul Franz	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
George Swarthout	....	sound cable man (uncredited)
August Van Koughnet	....	stage engineer (uncredited)
Bill Wistrom	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	transparency projection shots
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
W. Wallace Kelley	....	photography: second unit (as Wallace Kelley)
Bill Avery	....	still photographer (uncredited)
George Gall	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
James Grant	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Vic Jones	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gene Liggett	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
William Schurr	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Darrell Turnmire	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ed Fitzharris	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Grace Harris	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Other crew
Elsie Foulstone	....	dialogue coach
Richard Mueller	....	technicolor color consultant
Sylvette Baudrot	....	script supervisor: France (uncredited)
Claire Behnke	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Vincent McEveety	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount British Pictures (1955) (UK) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1955) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1955) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Amazonas Film (1992) (Germany) (theatrical) (subtitled version)
• Seven Films (2011) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2007) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Spain:T | Netherlands:6 | Ireland:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #17226) | Brazil:14 | Australia:PG | USA:Unrated | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Canada:G (video rating) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Norway:12 (1955) | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

There are subliminal shots of a black cat the first few times that John Robie (Cary Grant) appears. John's nickname is "the cat" because of his stealth ability.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When John and Frances first arrive for their "picnic" and John is standing at the back of the car, his shadow can be seen on the backdrop of the canvas; a flat shadow which would not be possible in the natural conditions which the canvas depicts.

Quotes:

Frances Stevens:I have a feeling that tonight you're going to see one of the Riviera's most fascinating sights.
[pause]
Frances Stevens:I was talking about the fireworks!
John Robie:I never doubted it.
Frances Stevens:The way you looked at my necklace, I didn't know...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

Cat burglar

With the magnificent setting of the French Riviera, "To Catch a Thief" is beautiful to look at. Alfred Hitchcock, the absolute master of suspense, appears to be having a lot of fun with this playful account of the rich and famous in their playground. The film is greatly enhanced by the magnificent photography of Robert Burke whose camera does wonders to show us that beautiful part of France.

The film begins with a teasing sequence where one sees a black cat running wildly on the roofs of villas, and later on, hysterical ladies are seen screaming when they realize they have been burglarized. The police links John Robie to the robberies since it appears it's his own modus operandi. In order to fool the authorities that are following him, John boards a bus full of ordinary people bringing things to the market and we catch a glimpse of Hitchcock himself, sitting in the back of the bus, next to John. This is the amazing opening for this film, which shows a lighter Hitchcock, out for a good time.

We then meet the rich Stevens, mother and daughter, who are vacationing at the posh Carlton Hotel in Cannes. The insurance agent, Hughson, introduces Robie to them. Hughson wants the Stevens women to be careful with their jewelry; at least, have them keep their gems in the hotel's safe, which they will not hear of. This seems to be an excuse for bringing together John and Frances, a beautiful and elegant woman who makes a point to show how much she hates having even a conversation with Robie, who will display all his charm and ultimately win her over.

The best asset in the film is the elegant and ravishing Grace Kelly, at the height of her beauty. Ms. Kelly was one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the screen. In a way, it seems almost as though this film was prophetic in what would happen in her life. First, becoming the fairy tale princess of Monaco, and later on, to die in the same highway one sees her racing her car. Ms. Kelly, dressed by the incomparable Edith Head shows an innate elegance and a great flair to carry clothes in such a wonderful manner.

Cary Grant, as John Robie, was at his best portraying the debonair former jewelry thief, a man with a past that had not committed a robbery for many years now, but whose fame preceded him everywhere. Mr. Grant and Ms. Kelly make a great romantic couple whenever we see them. Mr. Hitchcock got a lot out of these two actors and in the process, gives his fan something to care for.

John Williams is excellent as the insurance agent trying to protect his clients. Mr. Williams was a superb actor who almost seems not to be acting at all. The same can be said for the chic Jessie Royce Landis, who always showed she was a smart and elegant actress.

While this is a film so different from most of his other films, Mr. Hitchcock shows a great affinity for comedy in it. This proved to be a pause in his distinguished career to amuse his public. How well he succeeded!