Gloves
The cat burglar wears black gloves in the opening scenes, and when we are introduced to John Robie he is wearing brown gardening gloves while plucking roses. This imagery provokes an association in that both gloved hands are plucking beautiful things (jewels and roses). This subtle detail makes us ask if Robie is indeed up to his old tricks, or if he has in fact retired from being “The Cat.” Has he changed gloves? This imagery fits perfectly into Hitchcock’s ‘who done it?’ picture.
Needle In A Haystack
Hitchcock begins with a wide shot of the people walking through the flower market in Nice. Then cuts to a close up of different bunches of flowers and quickly zooms out. These images help us understand that Robie is searching for a needle in a haystack, and helps us as the audience to experience it through the image.
Beneath the Surface of the Water
During transit from the restaurant to the beach club at Cannes, Robbie turns of the boat’s engine that Danielle is driving. It’s clear that Danielle has a bone to pick with Robie. The imagery here of two people out to sea in the same boat allows us to get a sense that these two characters may not be telling each other all there is to know. The mere fact that the boat is turned off shows that what is going on beneath the surface of these characters is taking them nowhere.
We also see this in the scene with Daniell, Robie and Frances in the Riviera. They are all talking heads with their heads above water and so much more going on beneath the surface. Frances ably swims away while Danielle is holding on to the ladder of the platform to stay afloat, and Robie begins to slightly submerge beneath the water.
Layers
Robie descends the stairs to greet two policemen in his home. This image, seemingly simple, provokes much more with a closer examination. There are three physical levels to this home. We see the two policemen standing at the entry level, there’s the upstairs level, and finally we see the maid fade into the shadows of the living space below the stairs Robie has descended. The multiple levels of the house help us understand that there are parts of this story that haven’t been revealed to us yet.
Hitchcock also uses this in the scene at Bertani's restaurant. When the police arrive we see them on the dining terrace with the Riviera behind they, but the shot is from the inside dining room and the perspective is that of Bertani who is even further into the restaurant in his office (just beyond the inner dining area). Again, multiple layers that must be traveled for the truth.
