To Catch a Thief

Hitchcock with a lot of cheese. This film is built around Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, probably even more so around the luxurious location. The French Riviera is the real star of this otherwise tepid mix or romance and mystery. If you want crummy accents and forced banter, look no further.

John Robie is a retired thief who paid his dues. When a copycat criminal commits several crimes in Robie's neighborhood, he becomes the obvious suspect. To clear his name, Robie will need to figure out who the real thief is. Then he bumps into Frances, a young lady who is intrigued by Robie.

There's no real chemistry between Grant and Kelly, and the ugly colors don't do justice to the stupendously beautiful setting. What remains is a film that fails as mystery as well as a romance. I didn't even care about the resolution of the plot, I was just glad this Hitchcock was finally over. At least the film doesn't take itself too seriously, its only saving grace.