198. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Listen for the crash of the cymbals.
Title: The Man Who Knew Too Much
Date Watched: 1/25/2013
Original Ranking Out of 10: N/A
Revised Ranking Out of 10: 8
Synopsis: After witnessing a murder, a doctor learns about a political assassination that he'd report to the authorities if only someone hadn't kidnapped his son first.
The Good: Solidly constructed thriller. The final 30 - 40 minutes is some of the most suspenseful material Hitchcock ever filmed.
The Bad: A tad melodramatic, but, you know? It's good melodrama.
Why Do I Own This Movie?: Hitchcock blu-ray set.
Should I Still Own This Movie?: Yes.
What Did I Notice That I Didn't Notice Before?: I had forgotten much of the first half of the movie, remembering only the climactic elements. I guess I noticed Doris Day's freckles, but, more than that, I noticed that she actually turns in a really good performance. She's an atypical Hitchcock blonde, but it's surprising she never worked with him again. Or him with her, as the case may have been.
There's another kind of stupid thing towards the end regarding a character who doesn't go to the hospital because he's still important to the plot, but whatever.
Other Impressions: Some movies sneak up on you. The Silence of the Lambs was one of them, for me, and so were E.T. and Rear Window. The Man Who Knew Too Much was so quiet that I didn't appreciate how good it was until several months later when I was at a Johnny Rockets or something with a friend (...ugh... I'm glad I'm not friends with her anymore) and Que Sera Sera came on. The song is associated with Ms. Day, but, for me, more than her, it's associated with this movie and some of its final moments.
I told my friend what happened in association with that song and I realized just how much information the movie needed to get out in order to get to that point. We always start a movie out knowing, in theory, nothing, and by the end, we hopefully feel like we understand the characters or the story or whatever. Some movies start with an intro card (i.e. Star Wars) or a voice over (Looper) to get us caught up and others intentionally keep us in the dark (The Matrix). Those are all efficient devices and have their advantages and disadvantages, but The Man Who Knew Too Much starts with nothing.
It's just a story about an ordinary guy, well, mostly. He's a doctor married to a famous singer. He's not a spy and he's not an action hero, but slowly, he's forced into a situation where he needs to be one. And we go along with him every step of the way until, by the end, we buy that he could have done everything that he's done. And, more than that, we buy that he would. Characters are all motivated and, more than many other Hitchcock thrillers, they're the focus.
This movie doesn't get a whole lot of discussion in Hitchcock circles, probably because it's not great Hitchcock. But it's still pretty damn good Hitchcock. I sit through most Netflix movies bored, eager to get up and do something else. That didn't happen here. I not only didn't want to stop the movie at any point -- I was on the edge of my seat. This isn't exactly an Avengers-style exciting movie -- it's a more deliberate kind of suspense, where the somewhat slower pacing actually adds to the excitement -- but it has a timeless quality to it.
And I think that's because it's so focused on the characters. The set pieces here are great, but, what's more important is that we're experiencing them along with the two unlikely heroes. Other movies settle for wowing you with their technical expertise, The Man Who Knew Too Much is too subtle for that, never drawing attention to itself. That's why it took me several months to realize how good it was and a decade to find an excuse to watch it again.
The List
Title: The Man Who Knew Too Much
Date Watched: 1/25/2013
Original Ranking Out of 10: N/A
Revised Ranking Out of 10: 8
Synopsis: After witnessing a murder, a doctor learns about a political assassination that he'd report to the authorities if only someone hadn't kidnapped his son first.
The Good: Solidly constructed thriller. The final 30 - 40 minutes is some of the most suspenseful material Hitchcock ever filmed.
The Bad: A tad melodramatic, but, you know? It's good melodrama.
Why Do I Own This Movie?: Hitchcock blu-ray set.
Should I Still Own This Movie?: Yes.
What Did I Notice That I Didn't Notice Before?: I had forgotten much of the first half of the movie, remembering only the climactic elements. I guess I noticed Doris Day's freckles, but, more than that, I noticed that she actually turns in a really good performance. She's an atypical Hitchcock blonde, but it's surprising she never worked with him again. Or him with her, as the case may have been.
There's another kind of stupid thing towards the end regarding a character who doesn't go to the hospital because he's still important to the plot, but whatever.
Other Impressions: Some movies sneak up on you. The Silence of the Lambs was one of them, for me, and so were E.T. and Rear Window. The Man Who Knew Too Much was so quiet that I didn't appreciate how good it was until several months later when I was at a Johnny Rockets or something with a friend (...ugh... I'm glad I'm not friends with her anymore) and Que Sera Sera came on. The song is associated with Ms. Day, but, for me, more than her, it's associated with this movie and some of its final moments.
I told my friend what happened in association with that song and I realized just how much information the movie needed to get out in order to get to that point. We always start a movie out knowing, in theory, nothing, and by the end, we hopefully feel like we understand the characters or the story or whatever. Some movies start with an intro card (i.e. Star Wars) or a voice over (Looper) to get us caught up and others intentionally keep us in the dark (The Matrix). Those are all efficient devices and have their advantages and disadvantages, but The Man Who Knew Too Much starts with nothing.
It's just a story about an ordinary guy, well, mostly. He's a doctor married to a famous singer. He's not a spy and he's not an action hero, but slowly, he's forced into a situation where he needs to be one. And we go along with him every step of the way until, by the end, we buy that he could have done everything that he's done. And, more than that, we buy that he would. Characters are all motivated and, more than many other Hitchcock thrillers, they're the focus.
This movie doesn't get a whole lot of discussion in Hitchcock circles, probably because it's not great Hitchcock. But it's still pretty damn good Hitchcock. I sit through most Netflix movies bored, eager to get up and do something else. That didn't happen here. I not only didn't want to stop the movie at any point -- I was on the edge of my seat. This isn't exactly an Avengers-style exciting movie -- it's a more deliberate kind of suspense, where the somewhat slower pacing actually adds to the excitement -- but it has a timeless quality to it.
And I think that's because it's so focused on the characters. The set pieces here are great, but, what's more important is that we're experiencing them along with the two unlikely heroes. Other movies settle for wowing you with their technical expertise, The Man Who Knew Too Much is too subtle for that, never drawing attention to itself. That's why it took me several months to realize how good it was and a decade to find an excuse to watch it again.
The List