Grace Kelly & Carey Grant in a still from my favorite scene of "To Catch a Thief"

Hitchcock's tale of a bauble obsessed klepto reformed, "To Catch a Thief" starred American princess Grace Kelly & nodded to the most sovereign of jewel enthusiasts, Marie Antoinette. Her peripheral portrait, identifiable by bouffant & bows is apparently hung on the majority of walls in the French Riviera where the classic film is set. This glancing historical reference reminds us that diamonds are indeed forever.

My favorite biography to date (I have not yet finished "Thelonious Monk: The Life of an American Original, so ranking is subject to change) is Hilaire Belloc's "Marie Antoinette." It is a volume rich in detail & linguistically beautiful to behold, fitting homage for such a luxurious life. One chapter in particular, "The Diamond Necklace," compels me to leaf through its pages time & again. It tells the story of perps who forged her signature to carry out a heist which lent infamy to the name Marie Antoinette, setting public opinion against her & ultimately laying the groundwork for her demise.

Kirsten Dunst lurks prettily as the legend Marie Antoinette

The exclusion of content pivotal as this, along with many other facts which were glossed over in the pastel shallows of 2006's Coppola film, greatly lessened my esteem for the semi-biographical silver screen portrayal of the monarch.