Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief is being remade. I can't.
The more I learn about Hollywood studio execs, the less I would like to know. Nothing is sacred anymore. Hollywood has already remade a few of Alfred Hitchock classics and now comes word they are going ahead with a remake of the Cary Grant/Grace Kelly classic To Catch a Thief. And it’s being re-tooled by the screenwriter of Good Luck Chuck no less! Are those the muffled sounds of screams I hear?!
Way back in 2004, Paramount was hot on the trail of remaking the 1955 release that starred Cary Grant as an American expat on the French Riviera who falls for a wealthy American, played by Grace Kelly, as a rash of jewel thefts breaks out. At that time, the studio wanted Todd Komarnicki (Perfect Stranger) to rewrite the project that would leave most of the original story intact - a reformed jewel thief scrambles to clear his reputation while being framed for a series of elaborate robberies from the super-rich- but change the setting to Miami, a former hot spot location for movie shoots.
Thank God for small miracles that the project stalled and sat on the shelf. That is until someone decided to dust off the idea again. Speaking with Moviehole, screenwriter Josh Stolberg (who also wrote Piranha 3D) updated the status of this remake:
“I wrote, with Bobby [Florsheim], a remake of ‘To Catch a Thief’ for Paramount. Neal Moritz is producing, and it’s exciting because it’s one of my favourite Hitchcock movies and it was fun to come at it from a different angle - make it a little bit more modern and ‘gadgety.’ It’s the first script that I’ve ever written that [encompasses] a lot of heists and action sequences and.. it was a blast! I’m really excited. We just turned in the script to the studio a couple of months ago and they’re working on casting now. It takes place in Santorini… it’s a travelogue of the most amazing places on Earth...it’s gonna be a fun, fun ride I think.”
As I stated above, Hollywood has had a love affair with remaking Hitchcock classics but have mostly been received to poor reviews and disastrous box office numbers. Dial M For Murder turned into The Perfect Murder which was lauded by critics and audiences alike. Strangers on a Train was loosely remade into the dark and mean spirited Throw Mama From the Train. Let’s also not forget Gus Van Sant’s ill advised shot-for-shot remake of Psycho. Disturbia, which was a loose-ish remake of Rear Window, has been the only remake to do well both critically and commercially.
What are your thoughts? Would you like to see this Hitchcock classic tarnished remade?
Will Stolberg being a fan of the original mean he will respect the original material?
(LOL, no. The remake alone = disrespect.)
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