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To Catch a Thief

To Catch a Thief

List Price: $24.99
Your Price: $18.74
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Movie Star Who Became A Princess!
Review: Cary Grant plays a famous thief who has retired to an easy life in Monaco. When jewel thievery goes on the rise in his city, he finds himself blamed for all of it and must clear his name. Grace Kelly is a visiting American heiress who gets turned on at the thought of his criminal activity, so naturally the two of them find a lot to do when they're alone in the dark. More famous for having been the film responsible for Kelly's meeting her eventual husband, Prince Rainier of Monaco, the film is one of Hitchcock's glossiest film adventures. Gorgeously shot in bright Technicolour, it's exciting and daring, a film you'll enjoy thoroughly if you don't expect the kind of suspense you get from Rear Window or Shadow of a Doubt.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Grant & Kelly are magic in Hitchcock widescreen dvd Classic
Review: Alfred Hitchcock brings the beautiful and talented Grace Kelly back for a third time in a starring role in his great movie run of the 1950's. ("Dial M for Murder" and "Rear Window" were her first 2) Hitch also persuades Cary Grant out of semi-retirement to co-star with Kelly. (Later Grant stars in another Hitchcock thriller - "North by North West" (voted into the American Film Institutes top 100 American Films of the last 100 years -1998)).

This proved to be a very wise choice because their(Grant's as "The Cat" burgular & Kelly's as a rich socialite)chemistry are electrifying. Having Jessie Royce Landis as Kelly's heiress mother was also a perfect choice. John Williams, the moustachio Englishman Insurance agent closes out this outstanding cast.

Summary: Wealthy retired cat burgular (Grant) is accused of again stealing precious jewels from all the rich French Riveria millionairess'. The police and jewelery Insurance agent (Williams) pursue and try to catch "The Cat" in the act. Grant befriends Williams, the rich Kelly and her heiress mother Royce. Together we try to unravel who is the real "Cat". Along this winding road of mystery Grant and Kelly light up the silver screen with a steamy (for the 50's) romance.

This Paramount WideScreen Collection DVD has been meticulously remastered both in picture(Enhanced for 16x9 HDTV's) & sound (Dolby Digital). What a delightful TECHNOCOLOR movie. Grace Kelly's beauty and her colorful gowns are vibrant & elegeant.

Lots of Extra Features; 3 Featurettes - Writing & Casting, To Catch A Thief, The Making of To Catch A Thief & Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch A Thief. An Edith Head - The Paramount Years Featurette (see really knows how to compliment the stars!). A theatrical trailer and finally Photos & Poster Gallery.

This is a very enjoyable mystery and the ending presents a nice surprise. This was one of Hitchcocks favorite movies & sadly his last with the beautiful Grace Kelly. (Hitchcock had a great 4th movie for her (MARNIE) which see wanted to do but because of her future family obligation reluctantly refused Hitch. (she was to marry Prince Ranier of Monaco - ironically where "TO CATCH A THIEF was filmed and more sadly died in an automobile accident on the mountain road in the same film many years later as Princess Grace). Her death then was as sad as Princess Diana's was recently.

Grace Kelly and Cary Grant are gone now but they are immortalized through their great films forever. "TO CATCH A THIEF" is a great addition to your Hitchcock & DVD library. Enjoy.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Worth buying ... but could still use a facelift!!
Review: After reading some of the customer reviews here on Amazon.com, I almost didn't purchase this DVD. "To Catch A Thief" is one of my favorite Hitchcock movies of all time (yes, I know it's not "Vertigo", "Rear Window" or "North By Northwest" -- but "To Catch A Thief" wasn't supposed to be serious, it was simply Hitch & some friends having fun!), and I already owned the video. So when I read that the DVD was little improved from the admittedly poor video, I opted not to buy it. Then my video went south, and I was forced to a DVD purchase.

Imagine my happy surprise when the colors leaped off the screen at me, when the crispness of the pictures knocked my socks off!! Wow!! Whoever wrote that this DVD is "washed out" probably needs a new TV. Granted, I'd love to see this movie digitally remastered -- and soon!! -- but until that happens this DVD is a far better version of this movie than any I've ever seen. I am unfortunately too young to have seen the original in the theatres, but I'd have to guess that this DVD comes pretty close. I'm frankly thrilled with it!!

Cary Grant is wonderful, Grace Kelly is divine, the supporting cast (especially John Williams and Jessie Royce Landis) get their chops in, and a good time is had by one and all. And even beyond the stunning visuals, the scintillating dialogue and clever wordplay are easily worth the price of the movie! Don't look for Hitch's usual suspense or intrigue here; there's relatively little of those to be had. Rather, think of "To Catch A Thief" more as a very stylish romantic comedy, filmed in the inimitable Hitchcock fashion.

My vote is four stars -- a very worthy effort, and a happy new purchase, but still a movie that could stand a serious remastering!! If that ever happens, I'll buy that DVD, too!! (That's a hint.)

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Stylish Cinema
Review: Alfred Hitchcock once dismissed "To Catch a Thief" as a lightweight diversion, yet it remains an important work in several respects. Hitchcock made the picture in 1954 during one of his most prolific periods. The filmmaker's energy is evident in the vividness of the Riviera cinematography (by Oscar winner Robert Burks) and imaginative use of the newly developed VistaVision process. Cary Grant and Grace Kelly deliver stunningly cool performances -- the carnal nature of their characters' romance (as well as the unmentioned difference in age) adds to the overall lasciviousness. The film also should be credited for its underlining theme of "sex as larceny," a recurring motif in later Hitchcock works such as "Psycho" and "Marnie." Though not terribly suspenseful, "To Catch a Thief" ranks among Hitchcock's most stylish and elegant achievements due to the distinct perfectionism of its scenic and acting grandeur.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A fine addition to your Hitch collection
Review: Hitchcock never made a movie in CinemaScope, in spite of the ignorance of others who have commented here about this DVD. To Catch a Thief does not have an aspect ratio of 2.35 to 1, as another 'well-informed' reviewer commented.

The transfer is fine. Though the source material could have been better chosen. The featurettes are the typical celebration of the movie type. Nothing too controversial is revealed, nor is it expected. A running commentary like the one on the Sunset Boulevard DVD would have been nice.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Much less than it could, should have been.
Review: The movie is an evergreen; Hitchcock with less twist and more romance.

The DVD, that's something else. Sound quality is so - so; but the pix, that's worse. Not shown in the theatrical 2.35:1 Cinemascope format, such is never more evident than in the Hitchcock trademark scene ! The one early in the film on the bus when the camera pans left-to-right from the lady with the bird in the cage, past Cary Grant/John Roby to one-half (!) of Hitch sitting next to Roby. The pan'n-scan 4:3 version at least gets all of Hitchcock's dead pan on the screen.

With so many lesser works getting better technical treatment, it is disappointing that the publisher didn't make a better effort; guess they cried all the way to the bank !

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Eye Candy
Review: This movie was made before jet travel and TV were pervasive. In addition to beautiful scenery of Monaco, it has beautiful Grace Kelly for the men and Cary Grant for the women. The lovely blond supporting player is good on the eyes too!

The script has great jokes, a little snide about Texas oil widows and thrill seeking heiresses. It started the movie practice of adding humor to otherwise 'serious' films as in the scene where Cary Grant breaks into a lady's hotel room at night to escape capture. She wakes up and says "Stop!" Then upon seeing him better, says "stop" again but coyly. He takes a moment to wag his finger and admonishes gently: "ah, ah, ah!"

The visual metaphors of fireworks, etc. add grist to movie buff trivia mills. And of course, it was during the filming of this movie that Grace met Prince Rainier. A thoroughly romantic story in every aspect.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: DVD not up to snuff !
Review: The aspect ratio on the DVD is trimmed back from the original Cinemascope for an HD TV look and without any edit-based panning. Such is never more evident than in the Hitchcock signature scene ...the one on the bus; when the camera (original production technique) scans only slightly from the left (the woman with bird in the cage) past John Roby (Cary Grant) to the viewer's right, Hitch is sitting there, all one-HALF of him ! Actually the VHS version at the 4:3 ratio, and employing pan'n-scan, might be appreciated by viewers as giving a better treatment !

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hitchcock Masterpiece
Review: As a fan of both Hitchcock and Cary Grant, I was happy to get the DVD when it was finally released. This movie has both of these great motion picture giants at the peak of their powers. The transfer to DVD was perfect.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A beautiful film!
Review: This is the most wonderful Alfred Hitchcock film! It contains a wonderful plot and a wonderful Grace Kelly. Five stars for Hitchcock. Go see it!


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