Rating: 
Summary: I love Hitchcock, but...
Review: I can't believe some of the other reviewers are saying (presumably with a straight face) that this movie is "Hitchcock's finest?" Obviously they have not seen his masterpieces like "Rear Window" or "North by Northwest." This is a fairly pleasant movie with virtually no suspense and the last thirty minutes drag dreadfully. The sets are ridiculously phony... how about some location shots, Hitch?Jimmy Stewart was a brilliant actor, but he's virtually wasted here. Doris Day was cute and sang a couple of nice songs but never for a moment was she believable in this role. What about the inconsistencies in the plot? If your little boy was kidnapped, would you *not* go to the police? What about the couple who kidnapped him who later turned out to be a Vicar and his wife in some parish church in England? How in the world do you explain that? Would a world-class hired assassin miss? Never mind that an assassin would never attempt to kil his victim in a public theatre. John Wilkes Booth at least fired directly behind Lincoln, he wasn't three balconies away. There are just too many such ridiculous elements in this movie to make it anything more than average.
Rating: 
Summary: My Favoirte Hitchcock Film
Review: "The Man Who Knew Too Much" is another of those classic Hitchcock thrillers. It has all the ingredients: a suspenseful plot, first-class acting, dramatic scenes, even great locations and an award-winning song. With all this going for it, though, it just doesn't have quite the impact (in my opinion, anyway) of films like "Psycho", Rear Window", "Vertigo" or "North By Northwest". Perhaps, as somebody else has pointed out, it's because of the "weepy" character portrayed by Doris Day. Sometimes you want to just give her a good shake and tell her to pull herself together. But, who's to say how weepy a woman should be whose child has been kidnapped by terrorists. Perhaps it's because the assasins seem, when all is said and done, a little less ruthless than they ought to be. Still, this is an excellent movie. The scene in the Royal Albert Hall, leading up to the assasination attempt, is justifiably famous and a great example of Hitchcock's ability to draw out a key scene for maximum dramatic impact. He had truly mastered his craft by this point in his career. While I don't consider this film quite the equal of Hitchcock's greatest movies (for example, the four listed above), it is still nmuch better than the average flick. Maybe just a hair short of a full five stars. Say, five minus, but not enough to drop it down to four plus.
Rating: 
Summary: Careful with what you share¿
Review: The McKenna's are on vacation in Europe and they have decided on visiting the lively north African country Morocco where Dr. Ben McKenna (James Stewart) once was stationed during World War II. On the trip to the city of Marrakech the family meets Louis Bernard through an accident caused by Hank, their son. Louis seems to be very interested in the who they are and what do. Jo (Doris Day), Bens wife, thinks it seems odd that a man wants to know so much, but do not disclose anything about himself. Later on the McKenna's meet another British couple who they spend the day with, and during the day in a large marketplace Louis appears dying from a stab wound. Before Louis dies he reveals for Ben through a whisper that a murder is about to take place in London. However, someone kidnaps Hank, so Ben and Jo have to approach the dangerous situation with caution. The Man Who Knew Too Much provides suspense that is built up slowly, but done so with shrewd awareness of what the audience expects. This leaves the audience with a noteworthy cinematic experience, however, the film is still far from Hitchcock's best creations.
Rating:
Summary: TREMENDOUSLY ENTERTAINING
Review: This film is great fun. It sets up its exotic North African locale effectively from the beginning, and Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day (as Dr. and Mrs. McKenna) have a strong rapport as a couple traveling with their young son. The movie quickly puts you on edge, as you sense that things are not as they seem and that this family is getting embroiled into some unknown but sinister events. As the plot unfolds and their predicament becomes clearer, the suspense ratchets up in a series of great, anguished scenes in the police office (as Stewart nervously flips the pages of a book while listening to a phone conversation about his endangered son) and the hotel (with Doris Day's pitch-perfect scene in which she finds out that their son has been kidnapped). As the story shifts to London, we have the wonderful "Chappell's Taxidermy" scene and other gems that lead to the justly famous climax at Albert's Hall. There Hitchcock effectively uses dramatic music and acting to let the suspense SLOWLY build to a fever pitch. Part of what makes this scene so stunning is the stillness that prevails during most of it. We know what is coming, but nobody seems able to stop it. Most directors today would try to throw in a bunch of gunplay, explosions, and chases but would end up with something that would not be in the least bit suspenseful. Although the last part of the film still is entertaining, it seems somewhat anti-climactic after the scene in Albert Hall, and the film ends rather abruptly with a scene played for laughs that needs more breathing space to be effective. The plot seems to hang together well except for one glaring exception: how did the three criminals manage to take over the church in London and have a thriving congregation? Also, and this is a minor point, the first scene with "Que Sera Sera" seems rather stagey, as if part of Mary Poppins or the Sound of Music somehow got mistakenly inserted into this film. Finally, the colors are rather garish. Let's hope that a remastering will take place soon. All carping aside, this is a gripping film. Doris Day offers a heartfelt, emotional performance and Jimmy Stewart is wonderful as always.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT DAY!
Review: Alfred Hitchcock's second version of one of his favorite stories is one of the best, most dramatic suspense films of all. It stars James Stewart and Doris Day as an American couple vacationing in Morocco whose young son is kidnapped to insure their silence when they discover an assassination plot. Moving his film from Africa to England, Hitchcock dazzles American eyes with beautiful and exotic locales while employing his trademark policy of allowing the viewers to know more than the characters know in order to keep suspense at its height. Boy, does that work! I have seen the film more than a dozen times and still can't stay off the edge of the seat. One of the greatest casting coups in Hitchcock history has Doris Day playing the anguished mother and wife of the man who knew too much, and although the story's title names the man, it is the wife's story all the way. She is the emotional center of the story; it is her intuitions, her suspicions, her deductions that propel the narrative, and Doris Day plays the part to a fare-thee-well offering a performance which sizzles through a gamut of emotions from the lighthearted fun of dueting with her little boy (to the by now standard, "Whatever Will Be Will Be") to the anguish of having to decide to try to stop the assassination even though it may cost her son's life. Day never makes a false move; her hysteria on learning of her son's kidnapping is a masterpiece of acting control and her anguish during the concert in the Albert Hall where the assassination is to take place is palpable to the viewer even though it is communicated only visually. This film is perfect Hitchcock and an extraordinary revelation of Doris Day to those who know her only as a comedienne. I might add that when Queen Elizabeth knighted Sir Alfred, he chose the Albert Hall sequence from this film to be the capstone of the film excerpts presented at the ceremony.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie for every collection
Review: Jo McKenna (Doris Day), and her husband Dr. Ben McKenna (James Stewart), and their little son Hank McKenna (Christopher Olson) go on holiday to a small mid eastern country! While their they get tied up in a fight for right full of intrigue, kidnapping, murder! Their they meet a detective that is on the tail of an American Family supposedly going to be bombing the British Royalty He first expects the McKenna family but then he is mysteriously murdered! They then find out that their dear friends that they make are actually the people who are planning the nasty deed! Well they kidnap Hank and Jo and Ben follow them to London this movie has a touching ending! Jo is playing Que Sera Sera at a big party in London at Buckingham Palace and Hank hears it and Hank's captors wife tells him to whistel the tune and he does it and Ben hears it and follows the tune up to find his son! Great classic movie and Tear Jerker! I highly suggest it to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Doris day and James Stewart in a murder mystery.
Review: Alfred Hitchcock remade his own 1934 motion picture. The black & white 75 minute version was good. But now we have this glorious Technicolor 1956 version with a new cast and is 2 hours long. Doris Day and James Stewart are traveling to Marrakech with their son, Hank (Christopher Olsen). Aboard the bus, their son accidentially had removed the black veil (absolutly forbidden) of a native woman. A Mr. Louis Bernard (Daniel Gelin) steps in to save the boy and his parents from disaster. Mr. Bernard turns out to be a kind man from France and helps the family on their vacation. There first stop is in Morocco. Doris is very suspicious of Mr. Bernard because he asks so many questions. Her husband assures his wife it's just small conversation. While the couple goes to dinner without Mr. Bernard, who had a sudden matter to attend to, they meet a couple at dinner who befriends them and helps with dinner etiquette and shopping at the Trade
Market Place. Ultimatly, the couple gets involved in a murder mystery.
This is an excellent Alfred Hitchcock motion picture. Very serious. Doris Day ofers a fine dramatic performance. She also debuts the tune, "Que Sera Sera", which plays a very key role in the film. Christopher Olsen was also in "I'll See You In My Dreams" (1951) and is the brother of Susan Olsen of "The Brady Bunch" tv series.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Hitchcock Adventure
Review: Less a thriller than an colorful adventure with suspenseful elements, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH should not be really be compaired with such Hitchcock masterpieces as VERTIGO, REAR WINDOW, or PSYCHO; it is instead more akin to such enjoyable romps as TO CATCH A THIEF and NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Shot largely on location in Morocco and London, the film tells the story of a married couple (James Stewart and Doris Day) whose holiday is interrupted when they innocently run afoul of an assasination plot--and when their young son is kidnapped in order to insure their silence. James Stewart and Doris Day are quite effective in their roles of the All-American couple, and the characters are given an unusual twist: Stewart, a midwestern doctor, is outgoing but has a touch of "the ugly American abroad" about his personality; Day, who plays a popular stage and recording star who retired upon her marriage, has a suspicious nature. These qualities of personality and background play extremely well into the story. THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH contains a number of famous scenes; both the scene in which Stewart drugs Day before telling her of the kidnapping and the very complex Albert Hall sequence, involving what seems hundreds of cuts, are very powerful. Less often noticed, although to my mind equally if not more satisfactory, are the more subtle scenes in which Hitchcock combines an edge of suspense along with perverse humor, as when Stewart attempts some detecting at a taxidermist shop and Day belts out "Que Sera, Sera" (written for this film) in a most unsuitable way at a pivitol embassy cocktail party. Although THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH lacks the depth and impact of Hitchcock's greater work, it remains an enjoyable film and one that compares very well with his work as a whole. It's Hitchcock-light, but recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Doris day and James Stewart in a murder mystery.
Review: Alfred Hitchcock remade his own 1934 motion picture. The black & white 75 minute version was good. But now we have this glorious Technicolor 1956 version with a new cast and is 2 hours long. Doris Day and James Stewart are traveling to Marrakech with their son, Hank (Christopher Olsen). Aboard the bus, their son accidentially had removed the black veil (absolutly forbidden) of a native woman. A Mr. Louis Bernard (Daniel Gelin) steps in to save the boy and his parents from disaster. Mr. Bernard turns out to be a kind man from France and helps the family on their vacation. There first stop is in Morocco. Doris is very suspicious of Mr. Bernard because he asks so many questions. Her husband assures his wife it's just small conversation. While the couple goes to dinner without Mr. Bernard, who had a sudden matter to attend to, they meet a couple at dinner who befriends them and helps with dinner etiquette and shopping at the Trade
Market Place. Ultimatly, the couple gets involved in a murder mystery.
This is an excellent Alfred Hitchcock motion picture. Very serious. Doris Day ofers a fine dramatic performance. She also debuts the tune, "Que Sera Sera", which plays a very key role in the film. Christopher Olsen was also in "I'll See You In My Dreams" (1951) and is the brother of Susan Olsen of "The Brady Bunch" tv series.
Rating:
Summary: Review.
Review: 'The Man Who Knew too Much' is supposed to be one of Alfred Hitchcock' best films, but I don't remember being too impressed by it. Watch it for the sake of seeing James Stewart on the screen. It is always a pleasure to see him up there.
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