tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post769436626620636912..comments2024-02-05T21:23:49.249-08:00Comments on Lady Eve's Reel Life: Break out the champagne (again), the '55 Hitchcock...The Lady Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-66655001134224132392012-04-18T17:17:17.673-07:002012-04-18T17:17:17.673-07:00'Gypsy - I suspect that making "To Catch ...'Gypsy - I suspect that making "To Catch a Thief" was a (well-deserved) vacation for Alfred Hitchcock in some respects, a respite of sorts coming on the heels, as it did, of "Strangers on a Train," "I Confess," "Dial M for Murder" and "Rear Window." Much as I give Grace Kelly credit for looking glorious in every outfit Edith Head concocted for her (including that jaw-dropping black & white beach ensemble), Mr. Grant is at least equally stunning - most especially in the casual outfit he wears at the beginning of the film. And you're right, he was a very fit 50-year-old...The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-25186835915959776222012-04-18T14:22:54.051-07:002012-04-18T14:22:54.051-07:00Lady Eve, your tribute post on “To Catch A Thief” ...Lady Eve, your tribute post on “To Catch A Thief” confirms something I have always suspected: classic film fans are creative, innovative, knowledgeable, fascinating and bubbly people. Your idea to compare the film to vintage champagne, which “boasts a rare combination of elegance and flair” and which is “light-bodied with a smooth finish that lingers”, paired with Kimberly’s fun tribute to costuming, has me daydreaming of balmy breezes and Côte d'Azur adventures (I caught Kimberly’s brief interview with Robert Osborne during the festival). I, like a few of your other readers, find TCaT less about vertiginous journeys and more about the fireworks between two beautiful people (and isn’t that one of many reasons we watch classic films!). If I may be permitted one observation, Grace Kelly might be lovely in lemon, but Cary Grant certainly looks wonderful for 50, nice abs in his Scots inspired swim trunks.whistlingypsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06126688373252306609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-28278038593211759102012-04-17T15:13:35.049-07:002012-04-17T15:13:35.049-07:00Yvette - I have to wonder if there was a spike in ...Yvette - I have to wonder if there was a spike in Americans traveling to the South of France after the release of "To Catch a Thief." The beautifully filmed Cote d'Azur does play a part in the film's appeal.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-79765810029389488602012-04-17T15:06:01.663-07:002012-04-17T15:06:01.663-07:00John - I'm going to have to sit down and think...John - I'm going to have to sit down and think about my top-ten favorite Hitchcock's one of these days. It's possible "To Catch a Thief" is in there somewhere. As you say, it is beautiful, a real eyeful, also nicely paced and engaging.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-27767204830887616862012-04-17T12:51:25.673-07:002012-04-17T12:51:25.673-07:00I do so wish I could share your enthusiasm about t...I do so wish I could share your enthusiasm about this film, Eve. But I am just not a Grace Kelly fan. She made one movie in which I tolerated her - REAR WINDOW - but that was about it.<br /><br />The three best things in TO CATCH A THIEF (besides Cary Grant and even he wears thin in this one) are Jessie Royce Landis (who can do no wrong), the spurned and very chic young French woman and, of course, the scenery.<br /><br />But probably I am in the very narrow minority on this one. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-32036597041182375292012-04-17T12:49:14.682-07:002012-04-17T12:49:14.682-07:00Eve,
I have to agree with R.D. this was not one ...Eve,<br /><br /> I have to agree with R.D. this was not one of my favorite Hitchcock's when I first watched it but like a good bottle of wine it gets better with age and more viewings. It still won't make it into my top 10 AH films but it is always a treat and you give the royal treatment. Probably Hitchcock's most beautiful film with both actors and scenery.John/24Frameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14719659042858962026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-14051316099028841592012-04-16T12:13:41.247-07:002012-04-16T12:13:41.247-07:00"Cinema chef" surely describes Hitchcock..."Cinema chef" surely describes Hitchcock, R.D., and he was adept at more than one cuisine. I have always been such a fan of his VistaVision/Technicolor films of the '50s that the original version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" didn't stand much of a chance with me in comparison with the remake.<br /><br />I came upon the interesting observation in David Thomson's Selznick bio that Hitchcock learned how to use glamor in his films as a direct result of working with Selznick. Hitchcock's post-Selznick films weren't all marked by glamor, though most had some, but "To Catch a Thief" is absolutely infused with it.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-14662287630511896262012-04-15T22:28:42.596-07:002012-04-15T22:28:42.596-07:00Eve, this is a film I wasn't that thrilled abo...Eve, this is a film I wasn't that thrilled about when I first saw it some years back. But I've seen it several times since then and not only has it proven to be remarkably rewatchable, but I have grown more fond of it with each viewing. It's one of my very favorite Hitchcock Light films. I had a similar experience with the remake of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and now prefer it to the original from the 30s. The French Riviera, Grant, Kelly, Royce Landis, and Wood--you identified the ingredients that make this one so special. And of course the creative imagination of the cinema chef who mixed those things up--Alfred Hitchcock. To all the culinary comparisons I'll add another--a Grand Marnier souffle!R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-84204021890543836252012-04-15T19:56:39.832-07:002012-04-15T19:56:39.832-07:00FlickChick - More like a box of expensive chocolat...FlickChick - More like a box of expensive chocolates and a bottle of fine French champagne (wrapped in big pink bows) for me! (she wrote during a commercial break during "Mad Men")...The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-58871548257566292012012-04-15T17:01:14.175-07:002012-04-15T17:01:14.175-07:00Beautiful people in beautiful places doing nasty t...Beautiful people in beautiful places doing nasty things - what could be more entertaining? For what it is, it is as perfect as a box of bonbons wrapped in a big pink bow.FlickChickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17351624749230610755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-26379652436065272852012-04-15T14:37:00.051-07:002012-04-15T14:37:00.051-07:00Dawn - I do like your idea of a glass of champagne...Dawn - I do like your idea of a glass of champagne to go along with watching "To Catch a Thief." Sounds like a very good plan.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-42635783396633744232012-04-15T14:33:58.967-07:002012-04-15T14:33:58.967-07:00Silverscreenings - I hope you had a chance to watc...Silverscreenings - I hope you had a chance to watch Kimberly's video at the end of my post on Grace Kelly's style in "To Catch a Thief," Edith Head really outdid herself. It occurred to me as I read your comment that the extensive location footage of the Cote d'azur does give the viewer a palpable sense of traveling on the Riviera.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-26530554045878287592012-04-15T14:24:15.940-07:002012-04-15T14:24:15.940-07:00Love the glamour of the classic film, TO CATCH A T...Love the glamour of the classic film, TO CATCH A THIEF. The clothes, the sets and the fabulous story line. I'm always ready for a glass of champagne and to watch Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, play on the French Riviera. Cheers..Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476174860119487509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-54602008331586714082012-04-15T14:05:22.810-07:002012-04-15T14:05:22.810-07:00I haven`t seen this movie in a long time, and your...I haven`t seen this movie in a long time, and your review is prompting me to see it again. :) I am a big fan of Grace Kelly, and her wardrobe, and I love the scenery in this film. Thanks for a great review!Silver Screeningshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04955048716754142299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-25545864915324137292012-04-15T12:51:07.854-07:002012-04-15T12:51:07.854-07:00Hello Desert Rocks (with another thank you to Dori...Hello Desert Rocks (with another thank you to Dorian), happy to know you enjoyed my "TCaT" piece.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-53700626319502901072012-04-15T12:48:00.211-07:002012-04-15T12:48:00.211-07:00Thanks, Dorian, I'm glad you enjoyed this bit ...Thanks, Dorian, I'm glad you enjoyed this bit of 'bubbly' of mine. As with so many of his films and as you mention, Hitchcock assembled a first rate supporting cast for "To Catch a Thief." Jessie Royce Landis is a real stand-out in this one and "N by NW." I've always had an eye for Hitchcock's quirky supporting characters - several of the ladies are referenced in this post - but I think, too, of Edmund Gwenn and Robert Benchley in "Foreign Correspondent," Hume Cronyn and Edna May Wonacott in "Shadow of a Doubt," Marion Lorne in "Strangers on a Train," etc., etc. Possibly the 'quirkiest' of his characters wasn't a supporting character at all, but Norman Bates of "Psycho"...The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-25195396963670010452012-04-15T11:53:39.755-07:002012-04-15T11:53:39.755-07:00I just popped by thanks to my friend Dorian and lo...I just popped by thanks to my friend Dorian and loved your detailed descriptions of the Hitchcock classic. Intangible Heartshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05047040538015079182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-77352510446128219302012-04-15T11:36:21.082-07:002012-04-15T11:36:21.082-07:00Eve, your post about TO CATCH A THIEF is as sparkl...Eve, your post about TO CATCH A THIEF is as sparkling and soignee as Hitchcock's timeless caper itself! You nailed it when you said "Hitchcock’s breathtaking onscreen vision of Kelly brings to mind Josef von Sternberg’s ravishing cinematic glorification of Marlene Dietrich 20 years earlier"! Cary Grant and Grace Kelly were a perfect team, aided and abetted beautifully by that great supporting cast: John Williams, Charles Vanel, Brigitte Auber, and wonderful Jessie Royce Landis virtually stealing the show as Jessie Stevens! What a great choice for the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival, including Kimberly Truher of GlamAmor fame! Great post!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-72102718762982578272012-04-15T10:32:43.459-07:002012-04-15T10:32:43.459-07:00MCB - Much as I respect Hitchcock's early Brit...MCB - Much as I respect Hitchcock's early British work and admire and enjoy his best from the '40s, he reached a peak in the '50s with his VistaVision/Technicolor films. While "To Catch a Thief" isn't in the same league as "Rear Window" or "Vertigo," and not quite up to "North by Northwest," it is incomparable. Really, no other film of the genre (which this film may have launched) is its equal. "Charade" comes closest, but I've always thought it lacks the sustained high-watt dazzle and balanced pace of "To Catch a Thief."<br /><br />A note: I neglected to mention Hitchcock's brilliant, Oscar-nominated film editor, George Tomasini, in this post. Like Robert Burks, Edith Head and Bernard Herrmann he worked on many Hithcock's films (in Tomasini's case, everything from "Rear Window" to "Marnie").The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-2701451878171722462012-04-15T09:44:03.045-07:002012-04-15T09:44:03.045-07:00"To Catch A Thief" is light entertainmen..."To Catch A Thief" is light entertainment and as such is very successful. Grant and Kelly are both iconic ideals of beauty and sophistication - they are like flawless diamonds set in the perfect local of Cote d'Azur. This was never a film that I felt compelled to repeatedly watch, but I respect it for achieving what it set out to do, which is to entertain. The image of the murder reflected in the victim's glasses in "Strangers On A Train" is one of my favorites from the darker side of Hitchcock.Motorcycle Boynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-43701631803266076542012-04-15T08:20:53.257-07:002012-04-15T08:20:53.257-07:00Kim, Though "To Catch a Thief" isn't...Kim, Though "To Catch a Thief" isn't among my Hithcock top 10, I've always enjoyed it immensely - the director was in top form (and seemed to be having some sophisticated fun) + Cary Grant, Grace Kelly (she isn't a favorite of mine either, but she and he have great chemistry) - + Jessie Royce Landis & John Williams (love them!), the French Riviera in VistaVision/Technicolor and a mystery. As you say, no matter what, it is a Hitchcock film and worth watching for that alone.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509825018139758536.post-42411032454424384412012-04-15T08:09:33.257-07:002012-04-15T08:09:33.257-07:00I think To Catch a Thief is beautifully filmed and...I think To Catch a Thief is beautifully filmed and entertaining, but it is far down the list of my favorite Hitchcock films. I was never a big Grace Kelly fan, so this might add to this. Still, it is a Hitchcock film, so it is always fascinating to watch and interpret.Kimberly J.M. Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078951928157843937noreply@blogger.com