The Man Who Knew Too Much
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Barbara Burke, Hillary Brooke, James Stewart, Patrick Aherne, Yves BrainvilleBrand: STEWART,JAMES
Cinematographer: Robert Burks
Cinematographer: Richy Mueller
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Arabic (Original Language); English (Original Language); French (Original Language); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Dubbed)
Format: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 120 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-02-07
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of The Man Who Knew Too Much
Movie Review: Political Intrigue in Color with Music
Summary: 4 Stars
The Man Who Knew Too Much, 1956 film
The film begins with a symphony orchestra. Recognize the music? The Cymbals clash at the climax. An American family Dr. Benjamin McKenna, wife Jo, son Hank are traveling in North Africa, riding in the back of the bus. Hank makes a cultural blunder but passenger Louis Bernard smooths things out. He recommends a good hotel. They visit Marrakesh by bus. Wife Jo notices things like being pumped for information. A song provides entertainment. "She's marvelous." Bernard makes a living by buying and selling things. Who was at the door? They meet the Draytons. Dr. McKenna breaks bread. They see Bernard with his friend. [Does McKenna act like he is less intelligent?] The market is like a county fair. "Its best to keep out of trouble." The police chase a man, someone stabs him in the back! Bernard has a message for Dr. McKenna. The crowd watches. The police question Dr. McKenna and Jo. Was it just a coincidence? A telephone message warns McKenna about talking! What happened to Hank?
There is something strange going on. Dr. McKenna diagnosed the problem. We learn more from McKenna's speech. The Special Branch meets them in London and asks for the message. Does McKenna show good judgment? Can an amateur match a professional? Is there a connotation to a "Taxidermist" (as in `Psycho')? This comic scene provides relief. Jo figures out the correct name and leaves. [Is there something subversive in using a chapel for intrigue and spying? A charity organization would be better.] "It doesn't hurt to be kind." A clever plot uses the music to mask the shot! [Would a real professional wait to collect his pay?] Finally McKenna seeks professional help at the chapel. Does adversity work to make us better? [More comedy?] A blessing in disguise? It depends.
McKenna talks to Drayton, but is stopped. The police arrive. People arrive at the Royal Albert Hall. Jo gets a warning. Then the symphony begins. The suspense builds up as we know what will happen. Can Jo risk the life of her son? [What would you do?] Does that scene echo the action of John Wilkes Booth? We learn who is behind the assassination. How can they rescue Hank? [This was done better in the first film.] Jo sings again. Hank hears the song and whistles in reply. [Believable?] Drayton makes a misstep. There is a happy ending.
This is a revised version of Hitchcock's 1934 film. The original was simpler, grittier, and had a better story. This lush, colorful version seems flawed in comparison but still entertaining. The 1978 version "Foul Play" was more of a comedy but still viewable. Note how Hitchcock gives a Luger pistol for the villain.
Summary of The Man Who Knew Too Much
No Description Available.Genre: Mystery
Rating: PG
Release Date: 7-FEB-2006
Media Type: DVD
Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of his own 1934 spy thriller is an exciting event in its own right, with several justifiably famous sequences. James Stewart and Doris Day play American tourists who discover more than they wanted to know about an assassination plot. When their son is kidnapped to keep them quiet, they are caught between concern for him and the terrible secret they hold. When asked about the difference between this version of the story and the one he made 22 years earlier, Hitchcock always said the first was the work of a talented amateur while the second was the act of a seasoned professional. Indeed, several extraordinary moments in this update represent consummate filmmaking, particularly a relentlessly exciting Albert Hall scene, with a blaring symphony, an assassin's gun, and Doris Day's scream. Along with Hitchcock's other films from the mid-1950s to 1960 (including Vertigo, Rear Window, and Psycho), The Man Who Knew Too Much is the work of a master in his prime. --Tom Keogh
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