The Man Who Knew Too Much (1935)

Crappy film

Absolutely the worst movie.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

This version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" may not be as lavish or have the technical qualities of the James Stewart remake but for plotting, storytelling and suspense, it is much better. The 1934 film is worthy of a higher rating than what it has on this website. I would give the film a 7.6 at least. A British family who are on holiday in Switzerland, befriend someone who is then murdered by a sniper. This occurs at the Swiss hotel during a party scene. No one suspects anything is wrong, until it is too late. It so happens that the murdered man was a secret agent who was on the trail of an international gang of political activists. After he has been silenced, the British family discover that their daughter has been captured by the gang. Peter Lorre gives the best performance in "The Man Who Knew Too Much" but Leslie Banks does well also. Hitchcock wisely keeps the plot fairly streamlined and without any unnecessary subplots to hinder the narrative. The film hardly steps out of the studio but it doesn't matter as the suspense and excitement is sustained effectively. Every scene counts for something as the parents frantically search for their daughter. There are many highlights. Leslie Banks discovering the hideout at a church and taking on all the villains at once. The scene where a gang member masquerades as a dentist and tries to kill Banks. Like the later version, there is a scene based at a theatre where during a concert, the political target for the gang is due for assassination. Hitchcock built up the suspense very well. The climax is very exciting as it comes down to a final confrontation between the police and the gang holding the kidnapped girl. Hitchcock didn't really direct action scenes as such but he does so here. The running time rushes by, which is always a good sign. One of the earliest masterpieces from Alfred Hitchcock.

The man known as the Sultan of Suspense had made a few movies prior to 1934. But it was "The Man Who Knew Too Much" that got Alfred Hitchcock a lot of attention. The 1956 version starring Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day is the more famous one, but this one still bears watching. For the most part I didn't see connections to other Hitchcock movies, but there was one thing. Nurse Agnes reminded me of Mrs. Danvers in "Rebecca" (Hitch's first movie in the United States): the black dress, the soft and eerie voice, and the tendency to manipulate people.Anyway, it's a fine piece of work. Peter Lorre is perfect for his role. I recommend the movie.Sarajevo. They probably had no idea that a few decades later that city would be the scene of another massive war.PS: producer Michael Balcon is the maternal grandfather of Daniel Day-Lewis.

While British couple Bob and Jill Lawrence and their daughter Betty are holidaying in Switzerland they become friends with Louis Bernard. He is then shot but before he dies he asks Bob to get a note that is hidden in his room and take it to the British Consulate. He retrieves the note but before he can do anything with it he is handed another note… this one warns him that Betty has been kidnapped and he will never see her again if he tells anybody about the content of the first note.The Lawrences return to London and are questioned by the authorities but don't say anything. A phone call then reminds them of the threat to their daughter. This is traced to Wapping where Bob ultimately finds the villains, led by Abbott who appeared friendly when they spoke to him in Switzerland. He and his associates are plotting to kill a foreign dignitary during a performance at the Albert Hall. It will require some quick thinking if Abbott's plans are to be thwarted and Betty saved.Given that this film is over eighty years old it isn't surprising that it feels a bit dated at times but not as much as one might expect. At only seventy five minutes it certainly doesn't drag but at the same time it doesn't feel rushed. The early scenes, in Switzerland, do a great job of setting up the story and introducing the key characters. Once Betty had been kidnapped the tension rose and presented a real dilemma for our protagonists; on the one hand the bad guys are threatening their daughter on the other they are told that if the assassination isn't stopped Europe could be plunged into another war. There is some good action; especially in the final shoot out. The cast is impressive with Leslie Banks and Edna Best doing a solid job as Bob and Jill Lawrence and young Nova Pilbeam doing well as Betty however it is Peter Lorre who dominates proceedings as Abbott… a surprisingly likable character given what he is doing; I'd never have guessed that he didn't actually speak English so had to deliver his lines phonetically. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of older films.

The remake needs to be re-watched by me, from memory it was more polished than this film with the better production values, had two great lead performances, a fun scene with the taxidermist and the plot is more fleshed out due to a longer length, but it also wasn't as witty or suspenseful as this, the child was an annoyance and the Que Sera Sera song was unnecessary. This said, the remake does need to be re-watched to see whether that's correct or not. This film is not perfect, and is not as good as The 39 Steps, Sabotage and especially The Lady Vanishes of the 30s British period Hitchcocks but is definitely worth seeing still. It did come across as too short, so the story had a tendency to be rushed and convoluted, and there are times where the action was on the stiff side. The Man Who Knew Too Much is well made still, the settings and locations are a wonder to behold and fit the story like a glove while the photography is atmospheric and professionally done. The music from Arthur Benjamin has a haunting sweeping quality, not among the all-time great Hitchcock film scores but very competent and fits the mood of the film well. The script has a fresh wit and the gallows humour that it's laced with is still humorous and holds up relatively well, the scripting for the more suspenseful scenes is good too and doesn't detract. The story is not perfect, but is mostly interesting and suspenseful, with some great scenes like the chair scene, the dentist scene and the climax. The cast are good generally, Peter Lorre is the definite standout managing to be creepy with a dose of humanity also. Leslie Banks carries the film well, a deliberately emotionally compressed performance but not a wooden one. Edna Best is moving and sympathetic in her role, while Hugh Wakefield is a hoot. Nora Pilbeam did come across as an annoying brat at first but as she grew more resourceful and somewhat feisty she does become less so. All in all, classic Hitchcock it isn't quite, but very good Hitchcock it is. 8/10 Bethany Cox