Paramount Presents: TO CATCH A THIEF [1955 / 2020] [Blu-ray + Digital] [USA Release]
Alfred Hitchcock’s Most Romantic Suspense Thriller!
Cary Grant plays John Robie, reformed jewel thief who was once known as "The Cat," in this suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock classic presented here newly remastered from a 4K film transfer. When John Robie is suspected of a new rash of gem thefts in the luxury hotels of the French Riviera, he must set out to clear himself. Meeting pampered heiress Frances Stevens [Grace Kelly], John Robie sees a chance to bait the mysterious thief with her mother Jessie Stevens [Jessie Royce Landis] and her fabulous jewels. John Robie’s plan backfires, however, and Frances Stevens, who believes him guilty, proves her love by helping him escape. In a spine-tingling climax, the real criminal is exposed.
Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is proud to spotlight a new line of Blu-ray releases for collectors and fans – PARAMOUNT PRESENTS. From celebrated classics to film-lover favourites, each title comes directly from the studio’s renowned library, spanning over 100 years of storytelling. The films have never looked better on Blu-ray – each lovingly remastered from 4K film transfers, featuring never-before-seen bonus content, and exclusive collectable packaging.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nomination: 1955 Venice Film Festival: Nomination: Golden Lion Award for Alfred Hitchcock. 1956 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Cinematography in Colour for Robert Burks. Nomination: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in Color for Arthur Krams, Hal Pereira, J. McMillan Johnson and Sam Comer. Nomination: Best Costume Design in Color for Edith Head. 1956 Writers Guild of America: Nomination: Best Written American Comedy for John Michael Hayes.
FILM FACT No.2: Alfred Hitchcock makes his signature cameo, approximately ten minutes into the film, as a bus passenger sitting next to Cary Grant. Despite Brigitte Auber's character being referred to as a "girl" or "teenager," compared to Grace Kelly's supposedly more mature character, Brigitte Auber was actually 26 years old at the time of filming and more than a year and a half older than Grace Kelly. The costumes were by Edith Head, including Grace Kelly's memorable gold lamé gown for the film's costume ball. ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ is the only Alfred Hitchcock film released by Paramount Pictures that is still owned and controlled by the company. The other films were sold to Alfred Hitchcock in the early 1960’s and are currently distributed by Universal Studios.
Cast: Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Charles Vanel, Brigitte Auber, Jean Martinelli, Georgette Anys, George Adrian (uncredited), John Alderson (uncredited), Alex Ball (uncredited), Martha Bamattre (uncredited), René Blancard (uncredited), Eugene Borden (uncredited), Nina Borget (uncredited), George Boyce (uncredited), John Breen (uncredited), Margaret Brewster (uncredited), Ralph Brooks (uncredited), Lewis Charles (uncredited), Jack Chefe (uncredited), Frank Chelland (uncredited), Beulah Christian (uncredited), Wilson Cornell (uncredited), Reinie Costello (uncredited), Paul Cristo (uncredited), Oliver Cross (uncredited), William “Wee Willie” Davis (uncredited), Dominique Davray (uncredited), Louise De Carlo (uncredited), Guy De Vestel (uncredited), Gloria Dee (uncredited), George DeNormand (uncredited), Kathleen Desmond (uncredited), Lala Detolly (uncredited), Lala Detolly (uncredited), Minta Durfee (uncredited), Dolores Ellsworth (uncredited), George Ellsworth (uncredited), Nestor Eristoff (uncredited), Franklyn Farnum (uncredited), Bess Flowers (uncredited), Curt Furberg (uncredited), Russell Gaige (uncredited), Steven Geray (uncredited), Michael Hadlow (uncredited), Lars Hensen (uncredited), Alfred Hitchcock (Man Sitting Next to John Robie on Bus) (uncredited), Gladys Holland (uncredited), Jeshurun Howard (uncredited), Jean Hébey (uncredited), Barbara Jones (uncredited), Beverly Ruth Jordan (uncredited), Fred Kelsey (uncredited), Lorraine Knight (uncredited), Bela Kovacs (uncredited), Jeanne Lafayette (uncredited), Donald Lawton (uncredited), Donald Lawton (uncredited), Eddie Le Baron (uncredited), Roland Lesaffre (uncredited), Edward Manouk (uncredited), Jonathan Marlowe (uncredited), Jeri McKenna (uncredited), Don Megowan (uncredited), Louis Mercier (uncredited), Hans Moebus (uncredited), Mike Morelli (uncredited), Alberto Morin (uncredited), Sol Murgi (uncredited), George Nardelli (uncredited), Paul Newlan (uncredited), Barry Norton (uncredited), Monty O'Grady (uncredited), George Paris (uncredited), Manuel París (uncredited), Joan Patti (uncredited), Leonard Penn (uncredited), Murray Pollack (uncredited), Albert Pollet (uncredited), Jose Portugal (uncredited), John Powell (uncredited), Paul Power (uncredited), Paul Ravel (uncredited), Mitchell Rhein (uncredited), Ervin Richardson (uncredited), Loulette Sablon (uncredited), Cosmo Sardo (uncredited), Otto F. Schulze (uncredited), Bernard Sell (uncredited), Charles Sherlock (uncredited), Reginald Lal Singh (uncredited), Earl Spainard (uncredited), Betty Spotts (uncredited), Adele St. Maur (uncredited), Norman Stevans (uncredited), Marie Stoddard (uncredited), Aimee Torriani (uncredited), Philip Van Zandt (uncredited), Geni Whitlow (uncredited) and Phyllis Young (uncredited)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock (uncredited)
Screenplay: John Michael Hayes (screenplay), David Dodge (based on the novel) and Alec Coppel (contributing writer) (uncredited)
Composer: Lyn Murray (music score)
Cinematography: Robert Burks, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Technicolor Color Consultant: Richard Mueler
Costumes: Edith Head
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (VistaVision)
Audio: English: 5.1 Dolby TrueHD Audio
German: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Spanish [Castilian]: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Spanish [Latin America]: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Italian: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Japanese: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Danish, German, Spanish [Castilian], Spanish [Latin America], French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, English Audio Commentary Subtitles, German Audio Commentary Subtitles, Spanish Audio Commentary Subtitles, French Audio Commentary Subtitles and Italian Audio Commentary Subtitles
Running Time: 106 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: “It takes a thief to catch a thief.” That's the old saying, anyhow. And that's the thesis Alfred Hitchcock is exhibiting in this mystery thriller-romance via Paramount Pictures. With Cary Grant playing the catcher and Grace Kelly playing, well, we won't say! ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ [1955] comes off completely as a hit in the old Hitchcock style. We're not saying much about Ms. Grace Kelly, other than to observe that she is cool, exquisite and superior as a presumably rich American girl travelling with her mother in Europe in a quest, as her mother says, “in search of a man.” To say more might tip you as to whether she is what you suspect her to be the jewel thief whom Cary Grant is stalking through the lush gambling-rooms and gilded chambers of French Riviera villas, casinos and hotels.
Well from the start of the film it keeps you guessing whether he is the slick cat-burglar, because he says he is out to touch in his previous slick cat-burglar days and that is where Alfred Hitchcock keeps you on tender hook and vows to help an insurance man from Lloyds of London. What with his being an acknowledged old gem thief, living in a villa high above Cannes and chumming with a covey of ex-convicts, John Robie [Cary Grant] could be almost anything and he is the fellow who genuinely tries to use his own knowledge of being a cat-burglary to nab the thief who has been terrorising Cannes and causing hysterics and conniptions among the always ineffectual police. But then there are enough other suspects, especially ex-convicts, French thugs and pretty girls, not to mention that nervous Lloyds of London fellow.
Other memorable scenes from ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ include the elaborate costume ball which Alfred Hitchcock wanted to film merely to showcase Grace Kelly's shimmering gold gown and Cary Grant's unmasking of the thief on the rooftop. John Michael Hayes recalled that, during the filming of the final rooftop sequence, Alfred Hitchcock summoned him up to the high scaffolding, and says to him, “Look at them all down there,” and the director also said to his writer, “They think we're discussing something important or profound. But I only wanted to find out whether you're as frightened of heights as I am.” (Extract from “The Dark Side of Hitchcock”).
In his accustomed manner, Alfred Hitchcock has gone at this job with an omnivorous eye for catchy details and a dandy John Michael Hayes script. Most of his visual surprises are fantastic, spectacular vistas along the breath-taking Cote d'Azur. As no one has ever done before him, and especially Alfred Hitchcock has used that famous coast to form a pictorial backdrop that fairly yanks your eyes out of your head. Almost at the start, he gives you an automobile chase along roads that wind through cliff-hanging, seaside villages. The surprise is that it is seen from the air! If you have ever been on the Riviera, the images you view look totally brilliant, especially in the awesome Technicolor and VistaVision, splashed on that giant screen.
The screenplay and the actors keep things moving along at a fast pace, in a fast, slick, sophisticated vein. Cary Grant and Ms. Grace Kelly do us proud, especially in one sly seduction scene. If you've never heard double-entendre, you will hear it in this film. As the chap from Lloyds of London, John Williams is delightfully anxious and very dry, and Jessie Royce Landis is most amusing as Miss Kelly's low-down American mother. Brigitte Auber is fetching and funny as a frightfully forward French girl, and Charles Vanel has the air of a rascal as a local restaurateur. The direction, of course, is up to the usual high standards of Hitchcock. The film is expertly paced, with just enough jolts interspersed with the comedy to remind the audience that it is, after all, viewing an Alfred Hitchcock film. As Hitchcock himself has admitted, ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ has be entitled a “lightweight story,” at least compared to such thrillers as ‘Strangers On A Train’ [1951], ‘Rear Window’ [1954] and ‘Psycho’ [1960], to name a few of the film's approximate contemporaries. But a lightweight story in the hands of Alfred Hitchcock does not necessarily make for an inconsequential film. ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ is an outstanding comedy, and highlighted by the brilliant acting of Cary Grant, Grace Kelly and John Landis, and the Academy Award® winning cinematography of Robert Burks.
‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ glimpses Alfred Hitchcock in an almost relaxed fashion. Even at that, he is far and above so much better than any given filmmaker past and present. The film primarily showcases some great onscreen chemistry and powerful chewy and dialogue enhancing from Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. The film leans towards the more romantic side of things with an added element of mystery and suspense. It’s Alfred Hitchcock in a much more fun and loose sense. Plus, this is the movie where he took a nice vacation with this film and has the absolutely beautiful reels of film to show for it.
Overall, the film ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ has a power, mischievousness and a danger Kelly brings those layers in her as a potential suspect in the scheme of things. So much so, that on a first watch one might say “Ha, got this figured out easy” only to distract you from what is really going on and just radiantly flaunts itself off the screen in every frame. While this is on the top end of middle of the road Alfred Hitchcock, and there’s no denying it’s on the high end of his better looking picture. Alfred Hitchcock preferred shooting in the studio and on back lots for his films, but here he opts to shoot in France. And boy does he craft the perfect vacation scrapbook of their trip here with some beautiful locations and glamorous sets to dig into the wonderful world of a sneaky cat burglar and their prey.
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Blu-ray Image Quality – ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ has been remastered by Paramount Pictures that features a full 1080p High Definition presentation of the film and with an also stunning 1.85:1 aspect ratio. This Blu-ray, in many ways, is like watching ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ for the very first time especially in the wonderful Technicolor process. Never have the colours looked this amazing, all of them popping off the screen with shocking electricity that blew me away. Black levels are very striking and strong throughout, and clarity is total perfection and while the age of the print is evident in a handful of scenes by and large. Robert Burks’ aforementioned cinematography is dazzling, and pops majestically in the flower market and masquerade ball sequences. Outdoor night-time scenes are slightly uneven. Early shots of a black cat walking on a roof and the final scene of John Robie in pursuit of the real thief are heavily shadowed and show a deep, blurry sky — a conventional “movie night.” However, another scene set at night in which John Robie’s life is in danger looks as if it were shot day-for-night. Edith Head’s costumes and assorted fancy gowns worn at the ball feature a wide palette of sumptuous colours, from soft pastels to bold saturated tones. Shots of the French Riviera look absolutely terrific in VistaVision, and a process pioneered by Paramount Pictures in which the 35mm negative is oriented horizontally in the camera gate and shot onto a larger frame area. This increases resolution and results in a finer-grained print. Details such as patterns in dresses, folds in fabric, individual diamonds in necklaces, roof tiles, and strands of hair are sharp. Flesh tones are good, with Grace Kelly’s smooth complexion and Cary Grant’s tan nicely showing off their good looks. The car chase on the winding roads features long shots of speeding cars convincingly integrated with close-ups shot against a process screen as the stationary car is moved slightly left and right to suggest turns in the road. Paramount Pictures restoration of the negative is beyond outstanding.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ Blu-ray release brings you just one 5.1 Dolby TrueHD Audio experience, and offers a clear front speakers presentation, however, given the other available soundtrack options, this is as good as it is going to get. Dialogue, an essential component in relation to this film, is crisp and clear. Dialogue is clear throughout, and the mix produces a realistic balance of dialogue with ambient sound. Notable scenes include the roaring engines of cars as they race precariously along narrow roads, the growing intensity of fireworks seen from the window of Francie’s room, and water lapping against the float where John, Danielle, and Francie have an awkward conversation. Lyn Murray’s film music core is serviceable, but for such a light-hearted film, where as if they had used Bernard Hermann film music score it might have been a bit too heavy and also very ominous ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ does not need any of these special elements to get its point across or what director Alfred Hitchcock wanted the audience to experience.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary from Dr. Drew Casper, Professor of American Film and Hitchcock Film Historian: Alfred Hitchcock Film Historian Dr. Drew Casper, often sounding like as if he is reading off a script of his comments, and also discusses the VistaVision process, the composed film music score, the colour palette, shooting locales, Alfred Hitchcock's career and style, the specific technical merits of the shoot and the work and make-up of the cast, and even going so far in-depth to discuss how a slight angling of the credits, combined with their colour, suggests the film's duality between light and bubbly motifs and darker elements are trying to portray or in other words, Dr. Drew Casper audio commentary is just an over blown pompous rhetoric and is trying to find stuff that is not there and I wish he would keep his effete comments to himself, as he is just a boring idiot. Overall, I found this audio commentary not very interesting and very pedestrian, and finding things that are not there or very relevant, still it is up to you whether you agree with my comments or not, the ball is now in your court.
Special Feature: Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ [2020] [1080p] [1.78:1] [7:19] Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin notes that Alfred Hitchcock started making films during the silent era in England. Alfred Hitchcock hit a peak in the 1930’s, with many of his films doing good business also in the United States as well. Producer David O. Selznick hired Hitchcock to come to America to direct ‘Rebecca,’ which won the Best Picture Oscar. Alfred Hitchcock remained in America and his creative peak was in the 1950s when he became known as the “Master of Suspense.” Alfred Hitchcock became world famous and instantly recognizable when he hosted the anthology TV series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” He was known for appearing briefly at the beginning of his films. The role of John Robie was “hand tailored” for Cary Grant. Grant and Kelly bring out the best in each other. ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ was one of twelve Alfred Hitchcock films shot by Robert Burks. Leonard Maltin explains how the VistaVision process allows for greater resolution and more vivid colour. Alfred Hitchcock was one of the first directors to use storyboards for live action films, often drawing sketches himself. The film is “populated by the most elegant people imaginable.”
Special Feature: Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [6:06] Participation in this special feature are A. C. Lyles [Producer] and Richard Schickel [Film Historian] who inform us why Cary Grant and Grace Kelly were chosen for the film ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ and how the camera captured the magic allure of these two wonderful actors. One interesting fact that is brought to our attention, is that this was the last film Grace Kelly ever did and especially for director Alfred Hitchcock, because after this Grace Kelly married the Prince of Monaco.
Theatrical Trailer [1955] [1080p] [1.78:1] [2:16] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘TO CATCH A THIEF.’
Finally, ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ is one great and fantastic watch. Grace Kelly made very few films and retired a year after shooting this film, following her marriage to Prince Rainier. Monaco’s gain was Hollywood’s loss since Grace Kelly shows an unerring comedic talent and luminous screen presence. Co-star Cary Grant has deft control of the leading man persona and takes to comedy like a duck to water. Considering what passes for comic presentation in today’s cinema, he delivers a performance that should be mandatory viewing for all aspiring actors. There is also something to be said for clever, articulate dialogue without profanity or incoherence as the give-and-take between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly amply demonstrates. Also finding out why director Alfred Hitchcock knew how to make all aspects of this film come together and exploits the beautiful scenic landscape for all that its worth. But first and foremost, this film reminds us that the art of film making is a visual art form. In this regard, Paramount Pictures centennial celebration is well served by this brilliant Blu-ray reissue of ‘TO CATCH A THIEF’ and on top of all that the film shows some sexual tension to move the story past the clichéd wrong man plot. It's a classy feature film from the first frame to the very last frame with the right mix of suspense, romance, and a sly touch of Alfred Hitchcock's sense of humour. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
