The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

starring James Stewart, Doris Day

directed by Alfred Hitchcock

120 minutes

Ben (James Stewart) and Jo McKenna (Doris Day) are visiting French Morocco with their son when he is kidnapped by another couple. They learn that Hank, their son was kidnapped in order to keep them quiet about a plot to murder a prime minister who will be visiting London in the next couple days. Ben and Jo head to London. They say nothing when questioned by first the French authorities in Marakesh and then Scotland Yard in London about what's really going on.

Ben and Jo find the location where Hank is being held but the kidnappers whisk him away before Ben and Jo can recover him. The assassination attempt occurs at the Royal Albert Hall, during a concert. The assassination attempt is foiled but it isn't until later than night that Ben and Jo are able to recover their son from the kidnappers.

Thoughts

I saw this film at the AFI Silver Theater. It was part of the Hitchcock / Herrmann series that they currently have going. The film was introduced by film historian Steven C. Smith who recently wrote a book about the Alfred Hitchcock directed films for which composer Bernard Herrmann wrote the music. This film was one of eight films upon which they collaborated.

There are some scenes in this movie, set in Morocco, that were made using a rear projection of the background. It was a little disappointing to see this technique being used, especially given that some scenes were clearly filmed on site in Morocco.  

I might have seen this before. Some of the scenes seemed familiar, like I might have seen bits and pieces of this movie over the years but I don't have a clear recollection of watching it before. 

This is good, not great, but I enjoyed it. It's your standard story of a family getting caught in the middle of political intrigue (without truly understanding what's going on) and fumbling their way through to foil the bad guys and escape unscathed, for the most part.

Notes

I've seen at least dozen films in which Jimmy Stewart has appeared. Most recently I saw him in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). I've only seen one other film in which Doris Day appeared in recent years, Storm Warning (1950). Carolyn Jones had a small role in this film. She played Cindy Fontaine, a friend of Jo McKenna. I saw her earlier this week in episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), 1.13 The Cheney Vase.