The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

An American physician and his wife take matters into their own hands after assassins planning to execute a foreign Prime Minister kidnap their son.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

John Michael Hayes (screenplay), Charles Bennett (based on a story by)

Stars:

James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda de Banzie

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Stewart	...	Dr. Benjamin McKenna
Doris Day	...	Josephine Conway McKenna
Brenda de Banzie	...	Lucy Drayton
Bernard Miles	...	Edward Drayton
Ralph Truman	...	Inspector Buchanan, Special Branch
Daniel Gélin	...	Louis Bernard
Mogens Wieth	...	Ambassador
Alan Mowbray	...	Val Parnell
Hillary Brooke	...	Jan Peterson
Christopher Olsen	...	Hank McKenna
Reggie Nalder	...	French Marksman
Richard Wattis	...	Albert Hall Assistant Manager
Noel Willman	...	Woburn, Special Branch
Alix Talton	...	Helen Parnell
Yves Brainville	...	French Police Inspector

Storyline

While in London, for a medical convention, Dr Ben McKenna, his wife, Jo, a former singer, and their teenage son, Hank decide to take a quick trip to Marrakesh. Whilst there, hanks kidnapped by a British couple. A man, who the McKenna's had met the same day, is stabbed, in front of them, but before he dies, he tells Ben there's a plan to assassinate on a politician. Fearing for his son's safety, the McKenna's don't tell this to the police. As the he clock grows ever closer - to the l both the speed time of the assassination, and to dealt find Hank, the tension ratches up.

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Plot Keywords:

french morocco | american abroad | american couple | assassination attempt | mix up | 

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Taglines:

Alfred Hitchcock strikes the highest note of suspense the screen has yet achieved!

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many of the Moroccan extras had been mistakenly informed that they would only be paid if they were actually visible in the movie. This led to a lot of pushing and shoving to get close to the camera, until the crew explained to them that they would be paid no matter what.

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Goofs

The Camden Town scene: As Dr. McKenna walks along the deserted street, a figure (Ambrose Chappell Jr.) turns the corner and walks behind him, down the center of the pavement (seen from Dr. Mckenna's POV). The camera cuts to view further along the street, with both characters in shot, but Ambrose Chappell has "jumped" to the edge of the pavement.

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Quotes

Jo McKenna: So, what do you do?
Louis Bernard: I buy and sell.
Jo McKenna: I see. And what do you buy and sell?
Louis Bernard: Whatever gives the most profit.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: A single crash of Cymbals and how it rocked the lives of an American family.

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Alternate Versions

The original film opened with the Paramount logo followed by their patented wide screen process, Vista Vision. In the 80's, Universal re-issued the film with their logo, and dropped the reference to Vista Vision. The Blu-Ray edition retains the Paramount/Vista Vision logos at the start, but carries the 80's Universal logo at the end.

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Connections

Referenced in Alfred Hitchcock: More Than Just a Profile (2005)

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Soundtracks

Storm Cloud Cantata
(1934)
by Arthur Benjamin and D.B. Wyndham-Lewis
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Bernard Herrmann
Orchestrated by Bernard Herrmann (uncredited)
Covent Garden Chorus and Barbara Howitt, soloist

User Reviews

Que Sera Sera

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Arabic French

Release Date:

1 June 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'homme qui en savait trop

Filming Locations:

Blenheim Gardens, Brixton, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,190

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Filwite Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1