The Man Who Knew Too Much Details

More mastery from the master

Alfred Hitchcock's more assured telling of a film he made twenty-one years earlier is infinitely superior to the original. Hitchcock said himself that his first version was the work of an amateur, and although it certainly isn't a bad film, he does appear to be right. That being said, this remake, although definitely better, still isn't among Hitchcock's best work. That's certainly not to say that it isn't good, it's just more than a little overindulgent, and that drags it down. Hitchcock seems all too keen to drag certain elements out, and these are parts of the film that aren't entirely relevant to the plot, which can become annoying. Some of these dragged out sequences, such as the one that sees James Stewart and Doris Day eating in a Moroccan restaurant are good because it helps establish the different culture that our American protagonists have found themselves in, but for every restaurant scene, there's an opera sequence and it's the latter that make the film worse.

The plot follows a middle-aged doctor and his wife that go to Morocco for a holiday with their young son. While there, they meet a French man on the bus and another middle-aged couple in a restaurant. However, things go awry when the French man dies from a knife in the back, shortly after whispering something to the doctor. The holiday then turns into a full blown nightmare when the couple's son is kidnapped, which causes them to cut it short and go to London in order to try and find him. The film has a very potent degree of paranoia about it, and it manages to hold this all the way through. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that this is the most paranoid film that Hitchcock ever made. Like most of Hitchcock's films, this one is very thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat for almost the entire duration, with only the aforementioned opera sequence standing out as a moment in which the tension is diffused. There is also more than a little humour in the movie, which gives lighthearted relief to the morbid goings on, and actually works quite well.

The original version of this story was lent excellent support by the fantastic Peter Lorre. This film doesn't benefit from his presence, unfortunately, but that is made up for by performances from the amazing James Stewart, and Doris Day. James Stewart is a man that is always going to be a contender for the 'greatest actor of all time' crown. His collaborations with Hitchcock all feature mesmerising performances from him, and this one is no different. (Although his best performance remains the one in Mr Smith Goes to Washington). Stewart conveys all the courage, conviction and heartbreak of a man that has lost his child and would do anything to get him back brilliantly. In fact, that's one of the best things about this film; you are really able to feel for the couple's loss throughout and that serves in making it all the more thrilling. Doris Day, on the other hand, is a rather strange casting choice for this movie. She's definitely a good actress, but she's more associated with musicals and seeing her in a thriller is rather odd (even if she does get to flex her vocal chords a little).

As I've mentioned; this is not Hitchcock's best film, but there's much to enjoy about it and although I'd recommend many Hitchcock films before recommending this one, I'll definitely give it two thumbs up as well.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Visually exciting but over-deliberate in places

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a remake of Alfred’s Hitchcock’s 1934 original, filmed at Lime Grove Studios London, and remade in 1956 by Hitchcock himself.

The remake is a very American affair starring classic American actors Doris Day and James Stewart. Made in 1956, the time of the Suez crisis in Egypt, and filmed in Marrakech, London and Paramount Studios in Hollywood, the film centres on Day and Stewart as they search for their abducted son.

The picture uses the classic Hitchcock situation of normal and moral people caught up in trouble and forced to get themselves out of it through their own means and without any help from the relevant authorities. Similar to the wrong man situation, also heavily used by Hitchcock, Day and Stewart are innocent people forced to do remarkable things on their own.

The film contains classic Hitchcockian moments such as a climatic spectacle at the Royal Albert Hall, the barrel of a gun beautifully protruding from behind a deep red velvet curtain and a scene where the camera zooms out when a villain enters the room, creating the sinking feel in one’s stomach and visually depicting the fear of Stewart’s character.

Just like the film, the score is also covered from the original film and plays a huge part in the final scene. Further music is supplied by Doris Day who sings Que Sera, Sera which is actually a plot point and just about acceptable however, her singing was probably as hip as a black and white television in the 1950, but in the 21st century it all sounds very dated indeed. The inclusion of the song may have been to satisfy the Doris Day fans and appeal to a wider middle American audience as I doubt Hitchcock would have wanted the implausibility and sentimentality associated with it.

Other aspects of the film and story telling can also seem implausible and over-deliberate and the ending is rather abrupt, however Day’s and Stewart’s performances are top class and the film moves along at a satisfactory pace.