Le Stuff

2012/01/26

To Catch A Thief: Take 10

Le Stuff’s Definitive Location Guide to Alfred Hitchcock’s Classic Film

Series Post #12

John Robie and Francie Stevens depart beneath the old stone gate of the Sanford Villa. They are followed, quite conspicuously, by the police.

The uber-stylish powder blue Sunbeam Alpine convertible cruises across a scenic bridge.

In the distance the Mediterranean and promontory of St Jean cap Ferrat are in full view.

Pan left and viewers are treated to an expansive view of the ancient, cliffside village of Eze.

Grace Kelly is stunning.

The ensuing driving scenes (in which Grant and Kelly discuss the location of the picnic site) were obviously shot in Hollywood using rear screen projection and feature (most likely) the upper corniche in the background. This is not the same road, as has been widely reported, on which Grace was killed in a tragic car accident in 1982.

Princess Grace’s vehicle ran off the D37 just below the village of La Turbie.

Hitchcock was a master at Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under To Catch A Thief

Tagged as Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, To Catch A Thief, John Robie, Alfred Hitchcock, Upper Corniche, La Turbie, Sanford Villa, Eze, St Jean cap Ferrat

2011/10/01

Casa Mare in Old Antibes

My wife and I recently visited our beautiful Norwegian friend, Maren, who happens to live in the best house on the best street in Antibes. She has spent the past several years tirelessly renovating a spectacular five bedroom home, Casa Mare, in the old town’s Safranier-district.

I was eager to see the results of her hard work so I rang her up and within seconds my irresistible charm succeeded in wrangling a private tour.

Pas mal, n’est pas?

Casa Mare is situated on what must be one of the most charming streets in the south of France, the Rue du Bas Castelet. With brimming flower boxes and eager vines stretching across a narrow walkway, the pedestrian-only avenue could easily double as a movie set.

The house fits perfectly into this idyllic setting.

Each of the bedrooms is decorated, with hand-made furniture no less, in soothing neutral tones evoking a simple, effortless style. Heavy wooden ceiling beams and original rustic floor tiles add a comfortable authenticity to contemporary Casa Mare. All rooms are equipped with Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Accommodations

Tagged as Antibes, Antibes market, Casa Mare, French Riviera, Old Town of Antibes

2011/07/30

To Catch A Thief: Take 9

Le Stuff’s Definitive Location Guide to Alfred Hitchcock’s Classic Film

Series Post #11

After the wonderful raft scene just off the beach in front of The Hotel Carlton, Francie Stevens (Kelly’s character) convinces John Robie to let her accompany him on a “villa shopping” excursion.

What follows is one of the great driving sequences in cinematic history.

Hitchcock certainly must have known that the French Riviera would electrify the screen almost as much as Grant and Kelly, and to his credit, he let it.

A tour of “To Catch A Thief” locations is, quite simply, a tour of some of the most beautiful scenery the French Riviera has to offer.

Stevens and Robie depart for the hills from the hotel parking lot in her sublime Sunbeam Alpine convertible. For anyone who has been to Cannes it’s interesting to note how things have changed in front of The Carlton. In 1954 one simply had to pull off The Croisette (back then a pleasant two lane road) and park in front of the hotel. Today the former parking area has been turned into a garden and The Croisette expanded into a four lane boulevard separated by a tree-lined median.

In the next clip the Sunbeam Alpine is seen traveling along a winding road (most likely the moyenne corniche) with the Mediterranean in the background. The promontory of land jutting out into the azure water is St Jean cap Ferrat.

The moyenne corniche is still one of the world’s great drives and I heartily recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

The ensuing scene, featuring plenty of clever dialogue by both Grant and Kelly, was played out at Hollywood’s Paramount studios using rear-screen projection, but it’s interesting to note that Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under To Catch A Thief

Tagged as Cannes, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, To Catch A Thief, John Robie, Alfred Hitchcock, Brigitte Auber, Moyenne Corniche, Best Drive French Riviera, Eze Village, Sanford Villa