Synopsis
The Cure perform "Catch" inside and around Villa Beau Site, a faded mansion overlooking Nice. Robert Smith sings among ornate rooms, weathered walls, winding staircases, and sunlit grounds, while the band members appear in relaxed, lightly staged performance scenes. The elegant setting, Mediterranean views, and traces of decay give the video a dreamy, melancholy atmosphere that suits the song's wistful lyrics. The villa's elderly owner also appears, adding an intimate, almost cinematic presence to the otherwise leisurely performance.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was filmed at Villa Beau Site in Nice, France, on May 15, 1987. The property belonged to Gisèle Tissier, an elderly former harpist and fashion entrepreneur.
- The villa's faded grandeur became one of the video's defining visual features. It was already in a state of decline when the band filmed there, with weathered interiors, old costumes, dolls, and overgrown outdoor areas.
- Tim Pope later recalled that tortoises were wandering around the grounds and that one room contained decaying ballerina dresses and damaged dolls.
- Robert Smith reportedly disliked only one moment in the finished video: Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst descending the staircase while miming violin. Smith felt Tolhurst did not convincingly pretend to play.
- The location later became associated with the final years of Tissier's life. After her death, Villa Beau Site was left to the city of Nice and was recognized as a historic monument.
- "Catch" was released as the second single from *Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me* in June 1987. It was issued as a single in the United Kingdom and Europe, but not as a standard US single.