THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956)

Spotlight on Movie Mothers - Mothers Dearest and Star Birthday - James Stewart

Star Birthday - James Stewart 

James Stewart was born on 20 May 1908 and is still known today for a number of memorable films including The Philadelphia Story (1940), Rear Window (1954) and It's A Wonderful Life (1946).

Recommended viewing

• Born to Dance (1936)
• Another Thin Man (1936)
• The Last Gangster (1937)
• The Shopworn Angel (1938)
• You Can't Take it With You (1938)
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
• Destry Rides Again (1939)
• The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
• The Mortal Storm (1940)
• The Philadelphia Story (1940)
• Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
• It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
• Rope (1948)
• The Stratton Story (1949)
• The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
• Carbine Williams (1952)
• The Naked Spur (1953)
• Rear Window (1954)
• The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
• Vertigo (1958)
• Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
• The FBI Story (1959)

Keeping with the spotlight on Movie Mothers throughout May, I have selected his performance with Doris Day in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) for my blog.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) is a suspense film starring James Stewart  and Doris Day, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It was the third of four films  James Stewart made with Alfred Hitchcock, and by starring Doris Day, this is the closest Hitchcock came to making a musical.

Hitchcock had previously filmed 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' in 1934. In the interview book 'Hitchcock/Truffaut', Hitchcock said the 1934 version was the work of a "talented amateur", and the 1956 version was the work of a "professional".

The film is best known today as the film in which Doris Day first sung one of her signature tunes, 'Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)', which won the Oscar for Best Song. In this film, Doris Day proves she can act, and she's not just a pretty face who can sing. 

The film tells of Dr Ben McKenna (played by James Stewart) and his wife Jo (played by Doris Day) traveling around Morocco with their son. During the course of their travels, Ben sees a man murdered. Before he dies, he gives Ben some information. As Ben knows too much, his son is kidnapped.

Alfred Hitchcock's cameo

Alfred Hitchcock made a cameo appearance in almost all his film. In this film Hitchcock can be seen from behind watching acrobatics in the Moroccan market place just before the spy is killed. Refer to the yellow highlighted image.

Concluding remarks

Although not one of Hitchcock's best films, the film is worth watching to see Doris Day's true acting ability.