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Movies / On DVD / The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Man Who Knew Too Much

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The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

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Reviews Counted:28

Fresh:25

Rotten:3

Average Rating:7.7/10

Consensus: Remaking his own 1934 film, Hitchcock imbues The Man Who Knew Too Much with picturesque locales and international intrigue, and is helped by a brilliantly befuddled performance from James Stewart.

Runtime: 2 hrs

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is Alfred Hitchcock's remake of his 1935 movie of the same name. While vacationing in French Morocco, an American family becomes accidentally involved in a series of... THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is Alfred Hitchcock's remake of his 1935 movie of the same name. While vacationing in French Morocco, an American family becomes accidentally involved in a series of international incidents after the father overhears an assassination plot. Compared with its predecessor, this version is lavish, with a larger budget and a much bigger cast. While maintaining Hitchcock's fascination with an average Joe caught up in menacing events, the characters portrayed by Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day put a spin on the story that highlights the 1950s sensibilities that influenced the remake. Ben McKenna (Stewart), an American doctor, and his family stumble into the middle of an assassination plot while vacationing in Marrakech. When his son is kidnapped by the conspirators, McKenna must race against the clock to stop the murder and save his son's life. Stewart, as one might expect, gives a seamless performance as the average man thrown into exceptional circumstances. Day brings a bit of levity and performs the only musical number to appear in a Hitchcock film. (The song, "Que Sera, Sera," would win an Oscar and become a popular hit.) This later version of Hitchcock's suspenseful film also features the masterful Albert Hall sequence, arguably almost the equal of the renowned plane sequence in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. [More]

Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles

Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles, Daniel Gelin, Christopher Olsen, Reggie Nalder, Richard Wattis, Noel Willman

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter: John Michael Hayes, Angus MacPhail
Story: Charles Bennett, D. B. Wyndham-Lewis
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock
Composer: Bernard Herrmann

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Man Who Knew Too Much

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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This version lacks some of the economy of the first, and, unusually for Hitchcock, it sags in the middle. Fortunately, there's a marked improvement as it reaches the last third.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/27/09
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Hitch's remake of his own film results in an equally compelling action thriller with sterling performances from Stewart and Day.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/27/09
Kim Newman
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Starting slowly amid colourful but rather superfluous travelogue-style Moroccan footage, the film improves no end as it progresses.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
02/13/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Hitchcock's scenes are beautifully framed and tautly directed.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
03/27/09
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film is uncharacteristically rigid and pious for Hitchcock; it feels more like a work of duty than conviction.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 1 Comment
03/27/09
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

While drawing the footage out a bit long, he still keeps suspense working at all times and gets strong performances from the two stars and other cast members.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Far superior to the 1934 version, The Man Who Knew Too Much, underestimated at its 1956 release, should be considered as one of Hitchcock's dozen masterpieces.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
07/01/08
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Each version has certain elements superior to the other, but both films rank as minor Hitchcock works.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/16/08
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

No review available.

comment Comment
08/17/07
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

One of Hitch's best from his '50s period...and his only one with a hit song ("Que Sera").

comment Comment
07/28/06
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Even in mammoth VistaVision, the old Hitchcock thriller-stuff has punch.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
03/25/06
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment 1 Comment
10/09/05
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

No review available.

comment Comment
04/15/05
Jon Niccum
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World

Understated tension from the master of overstatement.

comment Comment
04/08/05
James Plath
James Plath
DVDTown.com

No review available.

comment Comment
08/18/04
Mark Sells
Mark Sells
Oregon Herald

No review available.

comment 2 Comments
01/07/04
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

No review available.

comment Comment
01/05/04
Greg Maki
Greg Maki
Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

No review available.

comment Comment
11/20/03
Michelle Alexandria
Michelle Alexandria
Eclipse Magazine

Bloated remake of the superior original, but has its moments.

comment Comment
07/31/03
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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