![]() As thirty-six is the square of six, it therefore acted as a metaphor for "numerous strategies". Wáng's choice of this term came from the I Ching, where six is the number of yin that shared many characteristics with the dark schemes involved in military strategy. ![]() The number thirty-six was used by Wáng as a figure of speech in this context, and is meant to denote "numerous stratagems" instead of any specific number. As Wáng received news that Xiao Baojuan, son and crown prince of Emperor Ming, had escaped in haste after learning of the rebellion, he commented that "of the thirty-six stratagems of Lord Tán, retreat was his best, you father and son should run for sure." "Lord Tán" refers to general Tan Daoji of the Liu Song Dynasty, who was forced to retreat after his failed attack on Northern Wei, and Wáng mentioned his name in contempt as an example of cowardice. ![]() When Emperor Ming came to power and executed many members of the court and royal family for fear that they would threaten his reign, Wáng believed that he would be targeted next and rebelled. Wáng was a general who had served Southern Qi since the first Emperor Gao of the dynasty. The name of the collection comes from the Book of Qi 's seventh biographical volume, Biography of Wáng Jìngzé ( 王敬則傳). ![]() Zhang Yingyu's The Book of Swindles, a late-Ming-dynasty work that focuses on the realms of commerce and civil society, shares some thematic similarities. Its focus on the use of cunning and deception both on the battlefield and in court have drawn comparisons to Sun Tzu's The Art of War. In between his suspense masterpieces,Alfred Hitchcock sometimes liked to work on less intense projects,and this is one of them.There isn't much opportunities for palm-sweating tension or balletically-composed thrills as you'd expect from old Hitch,but in TO CATCH A THIEF this seems quite deliberate.The intention from the very start is partaking in a light comedy-thriller,and on this level it is very enjoyable.And accomplished performers such as Cary Grant,Grace Kelly,Jessie Royce Landis and John Williams further help to give it further resonance and quality.The one disappointment in the film is it's slow pace.There are some parts in the film that drag and produce lethargy,but the beautiful locations,photography and cast save it,including a witty and sometimes surprisingly risqué script which caused some concern from censors at the time.Grant and Kelly rank as one of the best romantic couples ever on screen,and rub genuine sparks off each other.Even at 50 years old,Grant is as handsome,if not more handsome,than he ever was previously,and also looks amazingly lithe,agile and fit,as befits a retired cat burglar,and despite being almost double Grace Kelly's age,is wholly convincing as her suitor.Grace herself never looked more alluring and ravishing,and Jessie Royce Landis and John Williams provide fine support.Williams himself is barely a year older than Grant,yet you wouldn't suspect that at all when they're together on screen,and how ludicrous it is compared to Grant when towards the film's end Kelly puts a relieved head on his shoulder(even Williams himself seems embarrassed!).Such is Grant's eternal youthfulness that Miss Landis played his mother in the superior NORTH BY NORTHWEST(1959) the fact is she's a few months younger than Cary! There's a well-known tragic coda to the film the later titled Princess Grace of Monaco lost her life in a car accident on the very same stretches of road that Hitchcock filmed a chase sequence,but barring this sad fact TO CATCH A THIEF is still very decent Hitchcock,not great Hitchcock.But very decent Hitchcock is still far better than 95% of other directors,so there's no problem in watching and enjoying this film.The Thirty-Six Stratagems is a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, and civil interaction. ![]()
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