Today’s quick review: To Catch a Thief. When jewels along the French Riviera begin to disappear, suspicion falls on John Robie (Cary Grant), a retired cat burglar. To prove his innocence, John must catch the real burglar in the act by staking out his potential targets. One such target is Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis), whose headstrong daughter Francie (Grace Kelly) proves to be a handful for John.
To Catch a Thief is a crime drama from Alfred Hitchcock. Unlike most Hitchcock films, To Catch a Thief has no psychological horror and only a modest amount of suspense. The film is a straightforward crime film with skillful acting, an interesting plot, and well-written dialogue. The presence of John’s old crew, an insurance agent from Lloyds of London, and the overeager police gives the linear plot a bit of complexity.
Cary Grant plays the confident, canny John Robie, out to prove his innocence in spite of appearances. To do so, he must charm Jessie Stevens, an easy task, and her daughter Francie, a more difficult one. Their relationship is romantically antagonistic, with Francie trying to poke holes in John’s cover as an American lumber tycoon and John trying to maintain his disguise long enough to scope out the real thief.
Watch To Catch a Thief if you are in the mood for a cerebral, well-executed crime film. While the plot has one or two rough spots and suffers from the lack of an identifiable villain, To Catch a Thief is a polished, satisfying movie worth acquainting yourself with. Skip it if you are looking for a crime film with a bit more action.
7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for quality of acting and storytelling.