Take the world’s most handsome and charming leading man and team him up with the world’s most beautiful and alluring woman, put them in an exotic location with a great plot and team them with the world’s most famous and talented director. What do you get? Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, “To Catch a Thief.”
John Robie (Grant) used to be a world-class jewel thief. Known as “The Cat,” he pulled off some amazing jobs in his day. But his conscience got to him, and he joined the French Resistance to try to atone for his sins. Now keeper of a vineyard in the French Riviera, he leads a quiet life. But someone has started copying his techniques, pulling off daring thefts in his style, and all the fingers of suspicion point right at him. He can’t even convince his old Resistance buddies that he’s innocent.
The only way to clear his name will be to catch the real perpetrator. Enlisting the help of Mr. Hughson, an insurance agent for Lloyds of London, he gets a list of the wealthiest jewelry owners in the area. Mr. Hughson realizes that if he can help Robie catch the real Cat, the company won’t have to pay out so much in reimbursement. He introduces Robie to Mrs. Stevens and her daughter Francie (Kelly).
Francie is immediately taken with Robie, and does some digging. She discovers that he’s using an alias and that he’s really a former famous thief, and she taunts him, inviting him to steal her jewels. When her jewels really are stolen, she’s furious with him for using her romantic overtures against her, but she is later convinced of his innocence and becomes an accomplice in bringing the real Cat to justice.
This movie is filled with great suspense, humor, and romance. Definitely a classic, definitely one of Hitchcock’s finest, and definitely well-acted, this movie is a must see and a must have in your collection.
This film was not rated.
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