The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Chris W

  
  This is Alfred Hitchcock doing a remake of one of his own films from early on in his career, and it's an interesting choice. The original was a slick, fun little thriller in its own right, and it really helped set the standard for the bulk of his career from then on. This time… More
  This is Alfred Hitchcock doing a remake of one of his own films from early on in his career, and it's an interesting choice. The original was a slick, fun little thriller in its own right, and it really helped set the standard for the bulk of his career from then on. This time around though, the telling of the storyt is a lot more polished, more artistic, and 45 minutes longer. Both films are great, but this one is the stronger of the two, but by how much is really up for debate. It's the usual Hitch story: family goes on vacation, meets interesting people, and they get caught up in situations they aren't prepared for, and are in way over their heads. To top it off, the family can't do much since their son has been kidnapped as a way of threatening them, so not only do they need to try to stop an assassination, they need to get their son back. As I said, this version is a lot more slick and polished. The sets and costumes look great ,AStewart is solid as always, and it's really ncie seeing Doris Day do something dramatic. The film is a mixture of suspense thriller and comedy, and it sometiems works well, but on the other hand, it is fairly uneven at times, and it seems like the film can't make up its mind about which tone to stick with. Also, the film si pretty dated with the rather un PC way characters deal with race and culture, but hey, that's the 50s for you. Nevertheless, this is an exciting film that never fails to hold one's attention, and there's some excellent sequences, most notable being the 14 minute or so sequence at Royal Albert Hall that is done with no dialogue, and relies soley on music and visuals to build tension and suspense. It's a real showstopper. All in all, this is required viewing for fans of the genre, and especially fans of Hitch. The original should also be checked out, as it's a real joy as well.

• Graham J

  
  One of my favorites from Hitchcock. Jimmy Stewart, as always, gives his all and the Vista Vision technology is used to it's fullest. Also, Doris Day puts in her best performance.

• Kyle F

  
  The Man Who Knew Too Much can't seem to decide whether to be a light-hearted comedy or a full-out thriller, but there are plenty of wonderful moments to be had along the way. Doris Day is good, and James Stewart is more hesitant and confused than ever as the bumbling doctor.… More
  The Man Who Knew Too Much can't seem to decide whether to be a light-hearted comedy or a full-out thriller, but there are plenty of wonderful moments to be had along the way. Doris Day is good, and James Stewart is more hesitant and confused than ever as the bumbling doctor. It's worth checking out, even if it does overstay it's welcome.

• Alexander D

  
  Until I saw this film, I had never heard of a situation in which a director remakes their own film.

• Lewis C

  
  I'm not sure why I didn't have a more enthusiastic reaction to The Man Who Knew Too Much. Hitchcock is the director that got me interested in classic cinema, and Rear Window, Notorious, Psycho, The Birds, Rebecca, and The Lady Vanishes are all among my favorite movies.… More
  I'm not sure why I didn't have a more enthusiastic reaction to The Man Who Knew Too Much. Hitchcock is the director that got me interested in classic cinema, and Rear Window, Notorious, Psycho, The Birds, Rebecca, and The Lady Vanishes are all among my favorite movies. It's a globe-trotting adventure with all the tension, intrigue, assassinations, conspiracies, and suspense you could want, but there's something about it that just didn't really catch my interest until the last 30 minutes, or so. The ending is great, but the rest of the movie was just missing something, in my opinion. The problem certainly wasn't with the two lead actors. James Stewart gave another great performance under Hitchcock's eye (he was my favorite Hitchcock leading man), and Doris Day was charmingly determined and convincing as a confused wife and mother, desperately searching for her son. The Man Who Knew Too Much certainly isn't a bad movie (is there such a thing as a bad Hitchcock movie?), and I expect that other people might have a more favorable response to it than I did. I suspect this is just one of those times when a good film just doesn't completely "click", with me, for whatever reason. I recommend it to anyone who is interested, though.

• Anthony L

  
  The Man Who knew too Much is not my favourite Hitchcock by a long stretch. It seems less 'of its time' and just plain 'dated' compared to his other classics and it has that 'remade for an American audience' feel about it. It's also a 'family… More
  The Man Who knew too Much is not my favourite Hitchcock by a long stretch. It seems less 'of its time' and just plain 'dated' compared to his other classics and it has that 'remade for an American audience' feel about it. It's also a 'family friendly' film, not that that is a bad thing, it's just that I prefer the more macabre of his films. The early Moroccan scenes are a little cringe-worthy in places and as beautiful as Doris Day's voice is, you do start to wonder why she was cast here (but that's not to say she did a bad job). Good but not great from the master of suspense.

• AJ V

  
  I liked the original, but this one has Grant in it, and a cool song from Day, so I really liked it.

• Conner R

  
  I don’t really have strong feelings either way on the remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much. It’s not really all that much an improvement over the original, aside from the bigger budget and bigger names. It’s a fun thriller, but not all that special in comparison to Hitchcock’s… More
  I don’t really have strong feelings either way on the remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much. It’s not really all that much an improvement over the original, aside from the bigger budget and bigger names. It’s a fun thriller, but not all that special in comparison to Hitchcock’s other films. It’s not as good looking as it could’ve been, but I think that’s mostly because of the indoor sets. I think it’s more dated than it rightfully should be, but I’d still say it’s a worthwhile and necessary experience.

• Jeremy S

  
  Hitchock's only remake of one of his own films raises the question of the superiority of his American work to his British work. This remake exceeds the original, more lavish with some of Hitchock's most powerful scenes ever. The films climaxes in the Albert Hall, one of… More
  Hitchock's only remake of one of his own films raises the question of the superiority of his American work to his British work. This remake exceeds the original, more lavish with some of Hitchock's most powerful scenes ever. The films climaxes in the Albert Hall, one of Hitchock's best ever set peices. With the all time great song 'Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)' performed by Doris Day. And the amazing score by Bernard Herrmann, who appears in the film directing the orchestra, is one of his best.

• Jennifer D

  
  Again, very long feeling, but fairly interesting. I liked it.

• Thomas B

  
  this is a really good movie. the plot is interesting and the acting is heart wrenching. hitchcock doing what he does best

• Cassandra M

  
  The original The Man Who Knew Too Much brought Alfred Hitchcock acclaim for the first time outside of the United Kingdom. Of course part of the reason for the acclaim was that folks marveled how Hitchcock on such a skimpy budget as compared to lavish Hollywood products was able to… More
  The original The Man Who Knew Too Much brought Alfred Hitchcock acclaim for the first time outside of the United Kingdom. Of course part of the reason for the acclaim was that folks marveled how Hitchcock on such a skimpy budget as compared to lavish Hollywood products was able to provide so much on the screen. The original film was shot inside a studio. For whatever reason he chose this of all his films to remake, Hitchcock now with an international reputation and a big Hollywood studio behind him (Paramount)decided to see what The Man Who Knew Too Much would be like with a lavish budget. This is shot on location in Marrakesh and London and has two big international names for box office. This was James Stewart's third of four Hitchcock films and his only teaming with Doris Day and her only Hitchcock film. I do wonder why Hitchcock never used Doris again. At first glance she would fit the profile of blond leading ladies that Hitchcock favored. Possibly because her wholesome screen image was at odds with the sophistication Hitchcock also wanted in his blondes. Doris does some of her best acting ever in The Man Who Knew Too Much. Her best scene is when her doctor husband James Stewart gives her a sedative before telling her their son has been kidnapped by an English couple who befriended them in Morocco. Stewart and Day play off each other beautifully in that scene. But Doris especially as she registers about four different emotions at once. Day and Stewart are on vacation with their son Christopher Olsen in Morocco and they make the acquaintance of Frenchman Daniel Gelin and the aforementioned English couple, Bernard Miles and Brenda DaBanzie. Gelin is stabbed in the back at a market place in Marrakesh and whispers some dying words to Stewart about an assassination to take place in Albert Hall in London. Their child is snatched in order to insure their silence. For the only time I can think of a hit song came out of a Hitchcock film. Doris in fact plays a noted singer who retired from the stage to be wife and mother. The song was Que Sera Sera and I remember it well at the age of 9. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing it in 1956, it even competed with the fast rising Elvis Presley that year. Que Sera Sera won the Academy Award for Best Song beating out such titles as True Love from High Society and the title song from Around the World in 80 Days. It became Doris Day's theme song for the rest of her life and still is should she ever want to come back. In fact the song is worked quite nicely into the plot as Doris sings it at an embassy party at the climax. Instead of doing it with mirrors, Hitchcock shot the assassination scene at the real Albert Hall and like another reviewer said it's not directed, it's choreographed. You'll be hanging on your seats during that moment. This was remake well worth doing.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Another accomplishment from 'Hitch', THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is an engaging thriller with great photography, direction and writing, that never lets you lose interest in it. James Stewart and Doris Day are very impressive as the "McKennas", and while the rest of… More
  Another accomplishment from 'Hitch', THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is an engaging thriller with great photography, direction and writing, that never lets you lose interest in it. James Stewart and Doris Day are very impressive as the "McKennas", and while the rest of the cast was good, there was no one extraordinary. The climax is one of the best I've ever seen and the ending is very clever and funny. Great song.

• Ken S

  
  This would be a 5 star movie if Jimmy Stewart had gone crazy Anthony Mann style. However the film we do have is a charming, sophisticated, funny, suspenseful film with Hitchcock operating at the height of his powers.

• Lafe F

  
  A classic in its time. It now seems a bit dated and unbelievable. James Stewart's unique accent always grates me. His ignorance of local customs when visiting Morocco made him less of a hero. Doris Day is charming and effective in any movie; I liked her repeated performances of… More
  A classic in its time. It now seems a bit dated and unbelievable. James Stewart's unique accent always grates me. His ignorance of local customs when visiting Morocco made him less of a hero. Doris Day is charming and effective in any movie; I liked her repeated performances of "Que Sera, Sera", which must've sold a lot of albums at the time. Their kidnapped son Hank (Christopher Olsen) was annoyingly and exhuberantly performed; he didn't seem too upset being kidnapped. There were some effective scenes of mystery and suspense established by the master direction of Hitchcock. The market chase and murder was wonderful, especially when the dying man delivered his message. The finest scene was the assassination plot at the Royal Albert Hall. This movie looked very high-budget for 1956, with impressive production values. I laughed at all the rear-projected vehicle scenes, which almost every movie of the period used. I did not like the slow direction of many scenes; I realize it was used for suspense-building. But then we are thrown an abrupt wrap-up; it would've been nice to see more of a reunion of the boy with his parents - why not time for another Doris Day song?

• Jennifer X

  
  Puaha every time I think of this title I say in a dark, foreboding voice (or rather, but I perceive as a dark, foreboding voice): the MAN who knew TOO MUCH!!! My favorite part of this was that Que Sera Sera song.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Only Hitch could surpass himself in this suspenseful, intriguing and yet charming and hilarious top-notch thriller.

• xGary X

  
  Hitchcock unwisely remakes his own perfectly decent film, the result a flabby and uninvolving affair with a dreadfully miscast Doris Day who never convinces.

• Drew S

  
  One of my absolute favorite Hitchcock films.

• Michael G

  
  Not Hitchcock's best, but still great.

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