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The Man Who Knew Too Much

  • 1934
  • Approved
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
20K
YOUR RATING
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
CrimeMysteryThriller

An ordinary British couple vacationing in Switzerland suddenly find themselves embroiled in a case of international intrigue when their daughter is kidnapped by spies plotting a political as... Read allAn ordinary British couple vacationing in Switzerland suddenly find themselves embroiled in a case of international intrigue when their daughter is kidnapped by spies plotting a political assassination.An ordinary British couple vacationing in Switzerland suddenly find themselves embroiled in a case of international intrigue when their daughter is kidnapped by spies plotting a political assassination.

  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • Charles Bennett
    • D.B. Wyndham-Lewis
    • Edwin Greenwood
  • Stars
    • Leslie Banks
    • Edna Best
    • Peter Lorre
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    20K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett
      • D.B. Wyndham-Lewis
      • Edwin Greenwood
    • Stars
      • Leslie Banks
      • Edna Best
      • Peter Lorre
    • 146User reviews
    • 77Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Photos111

    The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    D.A. Clarke-Smith and Pat Hagan in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    Frank Vosper in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    Peter Lorre and Frank Vosper in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    Peter Lorre and Cicely Oates in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    Peter Lorre and Leslie Banks in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    D.A. Clarke-Smith in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    Peter Lorre in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
    Peter Lorre and Frank Vosper in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Leslie Banks
    Leslie Banks
    • Bob Lawrence
    Edna Best
    Edna Best
    • Jill Lawrence
    Peter Lorre
    Peter Lorre
    • Abbott
    Frank Vosper
    Frank Vosper
    • Ramon Levine
    Hugh Wakefield
    Hugh Wakefield
    • Clive
    Nova Pilbeam
    Nova Pilbeam
    • Betty Lawrence
    Pierre Fresnay
    Pierre Fresnay
    • Louis Bernard
    Cicely Oates
    Cicely Oates
    • Nurse Agnes
    D.A. Clarke-Smith
    D.A. Clarke-Smith
    • Binstead
    • (as D.A. Clarke Smith)
    George Curzon
    George Curzon
    • Gibson
    Frank Atkinson
    • Policeman Shot Behind Mattress
    • (uncredited)
    Betty Baskcomb
    • Lawrence's Maid
    • (uncredited)
    Cot D'Ordan
    • Concierge
    • (uncredited)
    Tony De Lungo
    • Hotel Manager
    • (uncredited)
    Clare Greet
    Clare Greet
    • Mrs. Brockett
    • (uncredited)
    Pat Hagan
    • Policeman at Siege
    • (uncredited)
    Joan Harrison
    Joan Harrison
    • Secretary
    • (uncredited)
    Edward A. Hill-Mitchelson
    • Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett
      • D.B. Wyndham-Lewis
      • Edwin Greenwood
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Peter Lorre arrived in Great Britain, his first meeting with a British director was with Alfred Hitchcock. By smiling and laughing as Hitchcock talked, the director was unaware that Lorre, a Hungarian, had a limited command of the English language. Hitchcock subsequently decided to cast Lorre in this movie, and the young actor learned much of his part phonetically.
    • Goofs
      (at around 21 mins) When Bob Lawrence and his daughter exit the chalet porch to watch the trap shoot, Bob pushes the left door outwards. When the camera cuts to an outside view of their leaving the building, it's the other door that is swinging shut, and it is closing from the inside.
    • Quotes

      Abbott: Tell her they may soon be leaving us. Leaving us for a long, long journey. How is it that Shakespeare says? "From which no traveler returns." Great poet.

    • Connections
      Edited into 365 Days, also Known as a Year (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Storm Clouds Cantata
      (1934) (uncredited)

      Music by Arthur Benjamin

      Words by D.B. Wyndham-Lewis

      Performed by London Symphony Orchestra

      Under the direction of H. Wynn Reeves

    User reviews146

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Lorre learns English as Hitch continues to grow as a director
    One of Alfred Hitchcock's earliest classics, made before he came to Hollywood. A couple's daughter is kidnapped to keep her parents quiet about an assassination plot. The couple is played by Leslie Banks and Edna Best. Banks is good in a role that's a long way from his florid performance in The Most Dangerous Game from a couple of years earlier. Best is impressive in a sympathetic turn. Peter Lorre is menacing and even a little creepy as the leader of the assassins. This was his first English-speaking role (he learned the language while filming). Nice photography from Curt Courant and some fun little creative touches from Hitchcock. The dry humor is blended nicely with the action and suspense. The cult of sun worshippers and The Royal Albert Hall scene are both worthy of Hitch's highlight reel. Perhaps one too many abrupt cuts from one scene to the next, often as a character is in mid-sentence. But clearly Hitch was still honing his craft. At least he was trying things as opposed to the static direction of many of his contemporaries.

    Remade in 1956 by Hitchcock himself, with James Stewart and Doris Day. That version is more polished and "Hollywood," and is arguably the more popular of the two. Although neither film is perfect, I prefer this one. It may not have the two decades of advancements in production techniques or the bigger budget of the remake, but it has a tighter plot, shorter runtime, faster pace, darker tone, and it builds suspense without the distracting side stuff of the remake. Plus there's no incongruous scenes of Doris Day singing.
    helpful•9
    1
    • utgard14
    • Jul 4, 2017

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    FAQ2

    • Is this film in the public domain?
    • Every copy I've seen has been terrible. Which is the best version to buy?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 21, 1935 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Italian
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Covek koji je suvise znao
    • Filming locations
      • Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, London, England, UK(finale)
    • Production company
      • Gaumont British Picture Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • £40,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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