307. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Running Time: 120 minutes
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Written By: Charles Bennett, D.B. Wyndham-Lewis, John Michael Hayes
Main Cast: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles

HITCHCOCKTOBER FEST!: PART VII

I saw "The Man Who Knew Too Much" years and years ago and prior to watching it this time around, the only thing I could seem to remember about it was Doris Day belting out "Que Sera, Sera". I'm not sure why that's all that I was able to remember, because this was a very memorable film and in my opinion, a highly underrated Hitchcock movie.

The plot follows Dr. Ben McKenna (Stewart), his wife Jo (Day) and their son Hank, as they vacation in Morocco. While traveling on a bus, the McKenna's begin chit chatting with a Frenchman, who identifies himself as Louis Bernard. The stranger is, for some reason, very interested in the McKenna's, asking them various questions about their background. Later, Ben and Jo become suspicious of the man and even more suspicious of him when he breaks dinner plans with them. At the restaurant, where they were supposed to dine with Mr. Bernard, the McKenna's continue their befriending ways and strike up conversation with a couple seated beside them. The couple introduce themselves as the Drayton's and the two couples dine together. The following day in the marketplace in Morocco, as the McKenna's and Drayton's spend the day together, they witness the murder of Louis Bernard and just before he dies clutches for Dr. McKenna, telling him that a man, a statesman, is to be murdered. He gives him a few more clues before dying. The next thing that the McKenna's know, their son is kidnapped and the Drayton's may be the culprits. As Dr. McKenna pieces together clues and tries to locate the whereabouts of his son, he is eventually drawn to London, where he thinks Hank might be being held.

I loved this movie! Actually I'm quite surprised by that statement myself, as it had some elements to it that I'm usually not attracted to. I've never been one for movies about spies and espionage or even political thrillers for that matter, but that seems to be in the background here, as we follow the McKenna's who are the innocent ones who only want to get their son back. James Stewart was great and reminded me that an aging Jimmy Stewart is just as good as a young Jimmy Stewart. I'm not sure I've ever seen a Doris Day movie, outside of this one, but she was really good too, and fit right in with Hitchcock's famous string of blond leading women.

SPOILER ALERT!

This movie did what "Spellbound" and "Notorious" should have done, in that it took the suspense and strung it throughout the entire film. The whole movie is engaging and really just wraps you up and allows you to get lost in the plot. Just when you think things are about to be wrapped up, Hitchcock throws in another monkey wrench and strings the plot out a little longer, but it never seems unnecessary and everything in the film seems very relevant. I also loved how Hitchcock toyed with us a bit before he revealed who the bad guy really was. In the beginning we're lead to believe that Louis Bernard is the villain. We then meet a very charming and polite older couple - The Drayton's. The Hitchcock throws us for a loop when it is revealed that Louis Bernard is actually a government agent and the the Drayton's are the Hitchcock heels this time around. The whole movie is able to provide that feeling of "shit is going down" and I allowed myself to fully get swallowed up by the movie and have a lot of fun with it.

Guess I'll keep it short for "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and end by saying that in my opinion, this movie doesn't get near the attention that it deserves and shoots right to the top of my personal fav' Hitchcock films.

RATING: 10/10 Yep, that's right...I had to go the full monty here, as I had so much fun with this movie and on a personal level, everything just seemed to click with me.

MOVIES WATCHED: 167
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 834

October 21, 2010 12:28pm