From The Pen Of Joshua Lawrence Breslin- Before Jimmy Stewart Knew Too Much- Alfred Hitchcock’s Original 1934-“The Man Who Knew Too Much”-A Film Review

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/The_man_who_knew_too_much_1934_poster.jpg

 Click on the headline to link to a Wikipedia entry for the original 1934 version of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much.

DVD Review

The Man Who Knew Too Much, starring Peter Lorre, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 1934

 Yes, there were men who knew too much before actor Jimmy Stewart came on the scene in the1950s version of the film under review, Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much. While there are many differences between the versions (color versus black and white, known actors, known by me, in the latter, stiff upper American lip rather than British) the main idea is still there, nefarious people are afoot in the world trying to unseat the democratic ideals (1930s fascism, 1950s red scare cold war) and ordinary citizens had better be prepared to act when necessary to thwart such evil designs against the peace. Especially when given cryptic, very cryptic last words by professional spies who, in fact, do know too much and are subject to an off-hand assassination for their efforts.    

And that thread is what this film hangs its hat on. Ordinary  people (well, not really ordinary but rather from good families) can be made ready to do battle for king and country even in appeasement 1930s after the blood-letting of  World War I left many things still unresolved in Europe (and the, uh, colonies) when provoked. And provocation is very easily stirred when the bad guys (led by 1930s arch-villain Peter Lorre and his lumpen henchmen working under cover of some dockside London sun-king cult) decide to insure that quiet for their deeds by kidnapping that quintessential proper English family’s daughter. Yes, thems fighting words.   

Of course after some arch posturing and so-called humorous aside moments the villains are unearthed and the proper authorities are called to provide a little off-hand firing power to subdue them. Daughter saved. From an archeological point the most interesting part of the film is when the bad guys decide to go boom-boom and the then gun-less on principle Bobbies have to round up guns and ammo from a gunsmith.  By the 1950s Jimmy Stewart is able to call on half the armed forces of the world to prevent murder and mayhem from thundering down on Europe. That is progress, right?