By Natalia Apostolou | @cinema.monamour
To Catch A Thief
Even if you are not the typical Alfred Hitchcock lover, the least you can do is to admit that any Hitchcock movie is, if anything, a treat for the eyes. To Catch A Thief is no exception, as it offers a bouquet of visually stunning images and iconic fashion moments that have made golden history.
The film is set in the picturesque French Riviera and Mr. Hitchcock takes advantage of every shot, using the fantastic, spectacular vistas along the breathtaking Cote d’Azur. But diamonds are what the movie really worships, surrounded by the sapphire-blue of the Mediterranean and cloudless skies. Hitchcock wittily begins by disrupting those tourist images with a scream of horror from a woman whose valuables have been stolen.
Cary Grant plays, always in the most charming and sophisticated way possible, a retired jewel thief, once known as ‘The Cat’, who has to prove his innocence after being suspected of returning to his former occupation. Who is this notorious new thief that has been copying Grant’s distinctive style, spreading the terror on some of the wealthiest vacationers on the Riviera? While our ‘hero’ takes a vow on finding out who this copycat of himself is, he falls in love with a rich American girl, played beautifully by Grace Kelly, who is willing to assist him in the investigation. Grace Kelly is fascinated by Grant and perhaps what makes it all more exciting for her is the possibility that he may be the thief everyone is looking for. ‘You are like an American in an English movie’, she observes, as they drive around in her expensive car, having as a background the gorgeous French Riviera.
But there is one scene that cannot be forgotten. Grace Kelly is escorted to her hotel room by Cary Grant. She wears an exquisite light blue gown, the one that only princesses and fairies can wear, and as she opens the door, she turns, looks at him in the most elegant look in the history of cinema, gives him a long utterly cool kiss, and then without saying a word, steps inside and closes the door. He is left grinning and confused. The room, of course, where this iconic scene took place, is at The Carlton Hotel in Cannes’ famous boulevard, La Croisette.
The InterContinental Carlton Cannes Hotel is an elegant hotel where the charm and tradition of yesteryear live on in an absolute harmony with the demands of modern life. Staying there, will definitely be an unforgettable experience and, who knows? You may end up giving a breathtaking cinematic kiss to the man of your dreams, proving him that in every ‘ice queen’ there is always a little bit of fire. Well, maybe, even more than that.
Can you guess which is the iconic movie filmed in a historic hotel we are going to talk about next time? Here is a hint: Hollywood’s most successful male symbol meets a prostitute and it doesn’t take long enough for them to fall in love. Oh! I bet you found it, I can practically hear you singing the movie’s famous title.