Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Man Who Knew Too Much

  • 19561956
  • PGPG
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
64K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Doris Day and James Stewart in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:17
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Thriller

An American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is ki... Read allAn American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is kidnapped.An American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is kidnapped.

IMDb RATING
7.4/10
64K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • John Michael Hayes(screenplay)
    • Charles Bennett(based on a story by)
    • D.B. Wyndham-Lewis(based on a story by)
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Doris Day
    • Brenda de Banzie
Top credits
  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • John Michael Hayes(screenplay)
    • Charles Bennett(based on a story by)
    • D.B. Wyndham-Lewis(based on a story by)
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Doris Day
    • Brenda de Banzie
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 288User reviews
    • 90Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos3

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 2:17
    Trailer [OV]
    The Man Who Knew Too Much
    Trailer 2:10
    The Man Who Knew Too Much
    A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock
    Clip 2:27
    A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock

    Photos131

    Doris Day in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
    Doris Day and James Stewart in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" Doris Dayn. 1956 Paramount
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" Doris Day and James Stewart. 1956 Paramount
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" James Stewart. 1956 / Paramount.
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" James Stewart.  1956 / Paramount.
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" James Stewart. 1956/Paramount
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" Doris Day with James Stewart. 1956/Paramount.
    "Man Who Knew Too Much, The" Doris Day in wardrobe. 1956/Paramount.
    Doris Day and Sanford Roth in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
    James Stewart and Doris Day at the piano on the set of "The Man Who Knew Too Much," 1956. Modern silver gelatin, 14x11. $600 Modern silver gelatin, 14x11, matted on 20x16 board. $600 © 1978 Sanford Roth / AMPAS MPTV
    Alfred Hitchcock on the set of "The Man Who Knew Too Much," self-portrait with the help of Bill Avery for "Hollywood Shoots Itself," 1956. Vintage silver gelatin, 14x11, signed. $800 © 1978 Bill Avery MPTV

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • Dr. Benjamin McKennaas Dr. Benjamin McKenna
    Doris Day
    Doris Day
    • Josephine Conway McKennaas Josephine Conway McKenna
    Brenda de Banzie
    Brenda de Banzie
    • Lucy Draytonas Lucy Drayton
    Bernard Miles
    Bernard Miles
    • Edward Draytonas Edward Drayton
    Ralph Truman
    Ralph Truman
    • Inspector Buchanan, Special Branchas Inspector Buchanan, Special Branch
    Daniel Gélin
    Daniel Gélin
    • Louis Bernardas Louis Bernard
    Mogens Wieth
    • Ambassadoras Ambassador
    Alan Mowbray
    Alan Mowbray
    • Val Parnellas Val Parnell
    Hillary Brooke
    Hillary Brooke
    • Jan Petersonas Jan Peterson
    Christopher Olsen
    Christopher Olsen
    • Hank McKennaas Hank McKenna
    Reggie Nalder
    Reggie Nalder
    • French Marksmanas French Marksman
    Richard Wattis
    Richard Wattis
    • Albert Hall Assistant Manageras Albert Hall Assistant Manager
    Noel Willman
    Noel Willman
    • Woburn, Special Branchas Woburn, Special Branch
    Alix Talton
    Alix Talton
    • Helen Parnellas Helen Parnell
    Yves Brainville
    • French Police Inspectoras French Police Inspector
    Carolyn Jones
    Carolyn Jones
    • Cindy Fontaineas Cindy Fontaine
    London Symphony Orchestra
    • Themselvesas Themselves
    Bernard Herrmann
    Bernard Herrmann
    • Conductoras Conductor
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • John Michael Hayes(screenplay)
      • Charles Bennett(based on a story by)
      • D.B. Wyndham-Lewis(based on a story by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Rope
    7.9
    Rope
    The Trouble with Harry
    7.0
    The Trouble with Harry
    Shadow of a Doubt
    7.8
    Shadow of a Doubt
    Marnie
    7.1
    Marnie
    To Catch a Thief
    7.4
    To Catch a Thief
    Frenzy
    7.4
    Frenzy
    Strangers on a Train
    7.9
    Strangers on a Train
    The Wrong Man
    7.4
    The Wrong Man
    Spellbound
    7.5
    Spellbound
    The Birds
    7.7
    The Birds
    The Man Who Knew Too Much
    6.7
    The Man Who Knew Too Much
    Dial M for Murder
    8.2
    Dial M for Murder

    Storyline

    Edit
    While attending a medical conference in Paris, American physician Dr. Ben McKenna, his wife, retired musical theater actress and singer Jo McKenna née Conway, and their adolescent son Hank McKenna decide to take a side trip to among other places Marrekesh, French Morocco. With a knife plunged into his back, Frenchman Louis Bernard, who the family met earlier in their bus ride into Marrakesh and who is now masquerading as an Arab, approaches Ben, cryptically whispering into Ben's ears that there will be an attempted assassination in London of a statesman, this news whispered just before Bernard dies. Ben is reluctant to provide any information of this news to the authorities because concurrently Hank is kidnapped by British couple, Edward and Lucy Drayton, who also befriended the McKennas in Marrakesh and who probably have taken Hank out of the country back to England. Whoever the unknown people the Draytons are working for have threatened to kill Hank if Ben divulges any information told to him by Bernard. With what little information they have on hand, Ben and Jo head to London to try and thwart the assassination attempt and more importantly find an alive and safe Hank. Scotland Yard is aware of some pieces to the puzzle, including the fact that Bernard was a French secret service agent and that there will be an assassination attempt on someone. They and the McKennas will have to work together as they hit a diplomatic roadblock, one that may be overcome with a special Jo Conway song. —Huggo
    • french morocco
    • american abroad
    • american couple
    • assassination attempt
    • mix up
    • 135 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A little knowledge can be a deadly thing!
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Throughout the filming, Doris Day became increasingly concerned that Alfred Hitchcock paid more attention to camera set-ups, lighting, and technical matters than he did to her performance. Convinced that he was displeased with her work, she finally confronted him. His reply was, "My dear Miss Day, if you weren't giving me what I wanted, then I would have to direct you!"
    • Goofs
      When Hank is being taken by his kidnappers from the chapel to the embassy, the group gets in a left-hand drive large 1953 Humber Mark IV Super Snipe on a Hollywood sound stage. The pretend driver enters on the right, but the supposed front seat passenger can be seen releasing the handbrake, and holding the steering wheel. The car's exhaust sound also does not match the Humber. In the second scene later, the same car enters the embassy rear gate, also on a Hollywood sound stage, and the car can be seen as having red seats. In the next cut, the car pulls up at the rear of the embassy, and Hank and the kidnappers exit. The car has now become a smaller and earlier 1951 Humber Mark IV Hawk, with tan seats, filmed on location in London, although both cars show the same registration number.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Dr. Ben McKenna: Sorry we were gone so long, but we had to pick up Hank!

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits prologue: A single crash of Cymbals and how it rocked the lives of an American family.
    • Alternate versions
      The original film opened with the Paramount logo followed by their patented wide-screen process, Vista Vision. In the 1980s, Universal reissued the film with their logo, and dropped the reference to Vista Vision. The Blu-Ray edition retains the Paramount/Vista Vision logos at the start, but carries the '80s Universal logo at the end.
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Le contrôle de l'univers (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Storm Cloud Cantata
      (1934)

      by Arthur Benjamin and D.B. Wyndham-Lewis

      Performed by London Symphony Orchestra

      Conducted by Bernard Herrmann

      Orchestrated by Bernard Herrmann (uncredited)

      Covent Garden Chorus and Barbara Howitt, soloist

    User reviews288

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Que Sera Sera
    The original The Man Who Knew Too Much brought Alfred Hitchcock acclaim for the first time outside of the United Kingdom. Of course part of the reason for the acclaim was that folks marveled how Hitchcock on such a skimpy budget as compared to lavish Hollywood products was able to provide so much on the screen. The original film was shot inside a studio.

    For whatever reason he chose this of all his films to remake, Hitchcock now with an international reputation and a big Hollywood studio behind him (Paramount)decided to see what The Man Who Knew Too Much would be like with a lavish budget. This is shot on location in Marrakesh and London and has two big international names for box office. This was James Stewart's third of four Hitchcock films and his only teaming with Doris Day and her only Hitchcock film.

    I do wonder why Hitchcock never used Doris again. At first glance she would fit the profile of blond leading ladies that Hitchcock favored. Possibly because her wholesome screen image was at odds with the sophistication Hitchcock also wanted in his blondes.

    Doris does some of her best acting ever in The Man Who Knew Too Much. Her best scene is when her doctor husband James Stewart gives her a sedative before telling her their son has been kidnapped by an English couple who befriended them in Morocco. Stewart and Day play off each other beautifully in that scene. But Doris especially as she registers about four different emotions at once.

    Day and Stewart are on vacation with their son Christopher Olsen in Morocco and they make the acquaintance of Frenchman Daniel Gelin and the aforementioned English couple, Bernard Miles and Brenda DaBanzie. Gelin is stabbed in the back at a market place in Marrakesh and whispers some dying words to Stewart about an assassination to take place in Albert Hall in London. Their child is snatched in order to insure their silence.

    For the only time I can think of a hit song came out of a Hitchcock film. Doris in fact plays a noted singer who retired from the stage to be wife and mother. The song was Que Sera Sera and I remember it well at the age of 9. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing it in 1956, it even competed with the fast rising Elvis Presley that year. Que Sera Sera won the Academy Award for Best Song beating out such titles as True Love from High Society and the title song from Around the World in 80 Days. It became Doris Day's theme song for the rest of her life and still is should she ever want to come back.

    In fact the song is worked quite nicely into the plot as Doris sings it at an embassy party at the climax.

    Instead of doing it with mirrors, Hitchcock shot the assassination scene at the real Albert Hall and like another reviewer said it's not directed, it's choreographed. You'll be hanging on your seats during that moment.

    This was remake well worth doing.
    helpful•105
    29
    • bkoganbing
    • May 23, 2006

    FAQ9

    • What is 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' about?
    • Is this movie based on a book?
    • Where were the McKennas from?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 1, 1956 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much
    • Filming locations
      • St Saviour's Church Hall, St Saviour's Church, Lambert Road, Brixton, London, Greater London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Filwite Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,190
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Review: ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Is Just a Touch Too Drab, Too Slow
    Review: ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Is Just a Touch Too Drab, Too Slow
    Apr 25TV Insider
    Andrew Garfield Delves Into a Bloody Mystery in First ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Trailer (Video)
    Andrew Garfield Delves Into a Bloody Mystery in First ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Trailer (Video)
    Feb 23The Wrap

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Doris Day and James Stewart in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.