- Actors: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles, Ralph Truman
- Directors: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writers: Angus MacPhail, Charles Bennett, D.B. Wyndham-Lewis, John Michael Hayes
- Producers: Alfred Hitchcock, Herbert Coleman
- Format: PAL
- Language Arabic, English, French
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Classification: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Run Time: 120 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004RNNE
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 47,286 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
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 film-making, 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, Amazon.com
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is my favourite Hitchcock movie - for many reasons really.
The casting is superb for a start - Hitchcock regular Jimmy Stewart is just the right choice for the unlikely hero whilst Doris Day (who may seem like an odd choice to some) is just delightful as Stewart's wife. Doris Day, in my view, steals the movie.
The storyline itself is deep and exciting - never lets up for a moment. The locations make the movie rich and colourful - ranging from Morrocco to London. The camerwork is superb - resulting in some truly suspenseful scenes and beautifully shot moments. Oddly, my favourite scene is the Moroccan restaurant scene where Stewart almost has to wrestle his dinner off the table! Delightful stuff.
OK - to the storyline then: husband and wife (Stewart - a doctor, and Day - a retired stage musical actress) go on holiday to Morocco with their son Hank. Whilst there, they are befriended by a mysterious Frenchman who is rather nosy about their identities. The next day, the Frenchman (disguised as a Moroccon) stumbles through a crowded markeplace and collapses into Stewart's arms - whispering something before he dies of a stab wound.
What he whispered is deadly news - so deadly it results in the couple's son being kidnapped and held to ransom. The ransom? That the couple DO NOT REVEAL TO ANYONE what was whispered by the dying Frenchman, or Hank will die.
The chase moves to London and to Stewart and Day hunting down the kidnappers and going all out to foil the kidnapper's ultimate plan.
Exciting, endearing and entertaining throughout. This is a classic to grace your DVD collection for life.
The casting is superb for a start - Hitchcock regular Jimmy Stewart is just the right choice for the unlikely hero whilst Doris Day (who may seem like an odd choice to some) is just delightful as Stewart's wife. Doris Day, in my view, steals the movie.
The storyline itself is deep and exciting - never lets up for a moment. The locations make the movie rich and colourful - ranging from Morrocco to London. The camerwork is superb - resulting in some truly suspenseful scenes and beautifully shot moments. Oddly, my favourite scene is the Moroccan restaurant scene where Stewart almost has to wrestle his dinner off the table! Delightful stuff.
OK - to the storyline then: husband and wife (Stewart - a doctor, and Day - a retired stage musical actress) go on holiday to Morocco with their son Hank. Whilst there, they are befriended by a mysterious Frenchman who is rather nosy about their identities. The next day, the Frenchman (disguised as a Moroccon) stumbles through a crowded markeplace and collapses into Stewart's arms - whispering something before he dies of a stab wound.
What he whispered is deadly news - so deadly it results in the couple's son being kidnapped and held to ransom. The ransom? That the couple DO NOT REVEAL TO ANYONE what was whispered by the dying Frenchman, or Hank will die.
The chase moves to London and to Stewart and Day hunting down the kidnappers and going all out to foil the kidnapper's ultimate plan.
Exciting, endearing and entertaining throughout. This is a classic to grace your DVD collection for life.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
A couple on holiday witness a murder and are entrusted with information regarding a planned assasination. In order to prevent them passing the information to the authorities their child is kidnapped - they return to England and attempt to recover the child. This is the basic plot this remake shares with Hitchcock's classic 1935 original of this movie - the differences account for the very distinct nature of this excellent version.
The most important shift is in the casting - gone are the urbane English couple to be replaced with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day as the all American applepie family (for once Hitchcock is not casting against type), and the emotional cataclysm of the kidnapping more forcefully brought home in this movie as Hitchcock allows himself time to develop the family relationships. He has also switched from the father-daughter relationship to a mother-son. Emotional depth is earned at the price of pace ( this version is much longer than the original).
The shifting of the opening scene from a studio mock-up of Switzerland to real life Morocco says a great deal about the production values of this version - and it certainly looks good. The London scenes too benefit from location shooting.The famous Albert Hall scene is much improved in this version with Hitchcock ratcheting up the tension in his usual style. So far so brilliant.
After the Albert Hall scene, however, the movie parts from its original, jettisoning the brilliant siege, and introducing a rather silly musical finale in the embassy. Lovers of Doris Day will relish her 'Que Sera Sera' (I prefer the Sly and the Family Stone version), but I do feel the movie tails off slightly.
It is, however, a very entertaining film with a flavour of its own - falling short of the original perhaps, but only by a whisker.
The most important shift is in the casting - gone are the urbane English couple to be replaced with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day as the all American applepie family (for once Hitchcock is not casting against type), and the emotional cataclysm of the kidnapping more forcefully brought home in this movie as Hitchcock allows himself time to develop the family relationships. He has also switched from the father-daughter relationship to a mother-son. Emotional depth is earned at the price of pace ( this version is much longer than the original).
The shifting of the opening scene from a studio mock-up of Switzerland to real life Morocco says a great deal about the production values of this version - and it certainly looks good. The London scenes too benefit from location shooting.The famous Albert Hall scene is much improved in this version with Hitchcock ratcheting up the tension in his usual style. So far so brilliant.
After the Albert Hall scene, however, the movie parts from its original, jettisoning the brilliant siege, and introducing a rather silly musical finale in the embassy. Lovers of Doris Day will relish her 'Que Sera Sera' (I prefer the Sly and the Family Stone version), but I do feel the movie tails off slightly.
It is, however, a very entertaining film with a flavour of its own - falling short of the original perhaps, but only by a whisker.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This film is Alfred Hitchcock's only remake, out of his 53 films. An excellent choice in my opinion. Bernard Herrmann's score is phenomenal as always, be sure to pay attention to the overature at the opening credits of the film, this will prove useful during the film's extrodinary Albert Hall sequence, in which Hitchcock uses no dialogue for 15 minutes (a feat few filmmakers are capable of since the advent of sound). Jimmy Steward's acting is near flawless, much like his other Hitchcock films "Rear Window" and "Vertigo." Doris Day, although not Hitch's best or most famous blonde, sings an award winning song that is compelling. Overall a great film, and a must own for all Hitchcock fans.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
hitch at his best: a family suspense thriller
This is one of my favorite films from childhood: a family - not exactly normal because Doris Day is an internationally famous singer - on vacation get embroiled in a caper that is... Read more
Published 3 months ago by rob crawford
Great film.
I bought this film for my 11 year old daughter because we have always sung Que sera and I wanted her to see the film it came from. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Lhlhht
'The Man Who Knew Too Much:' aHitchcock, Day and James Stewart...
This treasure of a DVD, bought new, was delivered quickly and came wonderfully cheaply. Set in the 1950s Middle East and in London, James Stewart and Doris Day make a wonderful... Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2009 by Sr Avril Landay
The rhythm is firm enough to counterbalance the nostalgia
This film has aged very little because this time Alfred Hitchcock does not try to identify the enemy. Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2009 by Jacques COULARDEAU
I'm Glad My Vacations Are Nothing Like This
Dr. Ben McKenna (James Stewart) has turned a medical conference in Paris into an extended family vacation. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2008 by Mark Baker
Don't you realize that Americans dislike having their children stolen?
The arguments rage amongst Hitchcock fans as to which version of The Man Who Knew Too Much is the better, with no real clear winner being declared. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2008 by IWFIcon
Thrilling...
This movie revolves around an assasination attempt of a prime minister of an unmentioned country visiting United Kingdom. Read more
Published on 22 April 2008 by Ogun Eratalay
Not one of the Master's best
Definitely not one of the Master's best. The actors struggle hard with a stiff, plodding script, and though she tries her best and sings sweetly, Doris Day soon finds herself out... Read more
Published on 9 April 2008 by Triestino
An entertaining thriller
Hitchcock's 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' is a remake of his own black and white film from 22 years earlier. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2007 by S J Buck
One of his time fillers
This film starts very well with a gripping murder scene and some intriguing developments on location in North Africa. Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2007 by Lou Knee
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