MovieChat Forums > To Catch a Thief (1955) Discussion > Literally a James Bond film

Literally a James Bond film

posted 10 years ago by Starcraft_rules
21 replies | jump to latest

I think Hitchcock might as well be credited with creating James Bond film formula. His Cary Grant films are all very proto-Bond, but this one especially. Here's a few Bond elements I noticed:
- Main character is a professional thief/spy with military background
- He has a nemesis
- Everybody seem to know his name, so he uses an alias
- He is supposed to be undercover but isn't really
- Cary Grant looks like a cross between Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan
- Takes place in a picturesque locations
- Starts with a chase on a mountain road
- Two (or three?) love interests of main character
- One of which turns out to be a villain
- All characters enjoy expensive lifestyles
- Casinos
- Watersport (and swimsuits)
- Suits, fashionable cloths, sportcars, parties, etc
- Rather unrealistic bondian dialogue between Grand and Kelly (they try to outwit each other)
- Ending that could have been an inspiration for From Russia With Love beginning.

Seems more James Bond than any of Daniel Craig's films. What do you think?

[–] cartesianthought 8 years ago

It has many of the basic building blocks of a Bond movie, and in that sense it was a precursor.

Although Hitchcock is the best director, I don't think TCAT can compete with Dr. No and Goldfinger. James Bond just took this formula and went wild with it: added more sex, violence, excitement, set pieces and so on.

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 5 years ago

Should add two beautiful Bond girls to that list too!

Cary Grant would of made an excellent 007 and Hitchcock should of directed a Bond movie!

[–] liscarkat (18489) 4 years ago

Yes, it has all the elements of a Bond film, which just emphasizes what a great Bond Grant would have made, and what a great Bond director Hitchcock would have been!

[–] CoSMiGoNoN (77) 2 years ago

That's not what "literally" means.