The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)

Wallace Ritchie is mistaken for a spy and must stop a plot to assassinate international leaders at a banquet.

Director:

Jon Amiel

Writers:

Robert Farrar (novel), Robert Farrar (screenplay)

Stars:

Bill Murray, Joanne Whalley, Peter Gallagher

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Murray	...	Wallace Ritchie
Peter Gallagher	...	James Ritchie
Joanne Whalley	...	Lori
Alfred Molina	...	Boris 'The Butcher' Blavasky
Richard Wilson	...	Sir Roger Daggenhurst
John Standing	...	Gilbert Embleton
Simon Chandler	...	Hawkins
Geraldine James	...	Dr. Ludmilla Kropotkin
Anna Chancellor	...	Barbara Ritchie
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Sergei
Cliff Parisi	...	Uri
John Thomson	...	Dimitri
Janet Henfrey	...	Ms. Goldstein
Terry O'Neill	...	Spenser
Isabel Hernández	...	Consuela (as Isabel Hernandez)

Storyline

American Wallace Ritchie (Bill Murray) gets a ticket for an audience participation game in London, England, then gets involved in a case of mistaken identity. As an international plot unravels around him, he thinks it's all part of the act.

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Plot Keywords:

mistaken identity | animated title sequence | spy spoof | hitman | american in the uk | 

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Taglines:

He's on a mission so secret, even he doesn't know about it.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language, innuendo, comic violence and sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Wallace Ritchie (Bill Murray) uses the mallet to break down the door, he yells "Here's Johnny!" This is a nod to Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) breaking down the door with an axe and saying the same thing in The Shining (1980). The mallet is also the signature weapon used by Jack Torrance in Stephen King's novel The Shining, unlike the axe used in the Stanley Kubrick movie.

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Goofs

When Wally first points the revolver at Lori, you hear a sound as though he is cocking the hammer, but the revolver he is holding is a hammer-less model. There is no hammer to cock and make this sound.

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Quotes

Stage Manager: Excuse me, no pass, no entry.
Boris 'The Butcher' Blavasky: I'm looking for a tall American.
Stage Manager: Aren't we all, dear, but we've got a show to put on, in case you didn't notice.

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Connections

References The Bullwinkle Show (1959)

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Soundtracks

Korobeiniki
(uncredited)
Traditional
[Plays during the Russian folk dancers sequence.]

User Reviews

The Comedy of Errors, or nothing to do with Shakespeare, as interpreted by a Theater of the Absurd theater company

Jon Amiel's "The Man Who Knew Too Little" is one of the funniest movies that keeps the viewer in a laughing state all the time. Mr. Amiel shows an affinity to comedy as he takes us along for a fun ride into this amusing movie. The film is based on the funny Robert Farrar book, who also adapted the material for the screen.

This film is a sort of comedy of errors in which an innocent man is drawn into an international conspiracy that he has no clue is going on around him because his brother, in order to get him away from his dinner party, decides to treat him to a performance of a play in which the viewer is part of the show.

Little does Wally Ritchie realize what he has gotten into. That's the basic premise for the film, which works well because Wally doesn't suspect what he's involved in. So he goes along for the fun of it, thinking nothing about the bad guys that are trying to get rid of him, for real.

Bill Murray proves he is one of the best comedy actors working today. The sequence involving Mr. Murray dancing with a Russian folk group at the hotel where something terrible is set to occur is just pure perfection. Mr. Murray is a likable actor and never makes himself obnoxious in any situation. He is a delight to watch.

The rest of the cast is good. Peter Gallagher is Wally's brother. Joanne Whalley makes a perfect femme fatale. Alfredo Molina has some excellent moments as Boris, the butcher, the man who wants to eliminate Wally out of the picture.

"The Man Who Knew Too Little" is a fun film to watch thanks to Jon Amiel.

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 November 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Watch That Man

Filming Locations:

Piccadilly Circus, Piccadilly, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,604,819, 16 November 1997

Gross USA:

$13,717,039

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,717,039

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Regency Enterprises, Polar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1