Listen to "Que Sera, Sera" (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
"Methodically, deliberately, and compellingly"
The "Master of Suspense", Alfred Hitchcock, hits
another bullseye with his 1956 production of "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Purists
have been known to complain that they prefer Hitchcock's original 1934
version of the story to the lavish, widescreen, color version starring
James Stewart and Doris Day, but if viewed side by side, both films stand
on their own as classic Hitchcock.
The 1956 version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much " unfolds
like a beautiful book, methodically, deliberately, and compellingly. Stewart
plays an American doctor and Day is his wife, a retired singer. They are
vacationing with their young son, Hank, in Morocco, when they become embroiled
in an International incident involving a planned assasination. Their son
is kidnapped and taken to London. Day and Stewart follow, where they attempt
to get some answers and to locate their son, on their own, without the
help offered by Scotland Yard. The film reaches it's exciting climax during
a concert at Albert Hall in which Day suddenly realizes what is about to
occur.
Without giving away some of the intricate plot twists and
turns, "The Man Who Knew Too Much" is like a breathtaking ride on a state
of the art rollercoaster. You cannot help but get caught up in the plight
of Stewart and Day.
James Stewart and Doris Day seem like a real married couple,
so easy and comfortable is their onscreen chemistry. They banter and interact
convincingly but there is also a strong indication that there may be some
tensions lurking beneath the outer veneer. Both actors play their roles
with expertise and Day, in particular, shows range and versatility in her
performance, being especially memorable in the justly celebrated Albert
Hall scene and in an earlier scene when Stewart informs her that their
son has been kidnapped. The growing realization as to what he is telling
her is reflected in Day's facial reactions.
Hitchcock has once again assembled a first-rate cast of supporting
players including his long time musical collaborator, Bernard Herrmann, who
appears onscreen for the first time, playing himself while conducting an
original piece of music during the Albert Hall sequence. The team of Livingston
and Evans composed a song for Day to sing to her son as part of the plot.
The tune, "Whatever Will Be, Will Be"(Que Sera, Sera), became a mega-hit,
selling millions of records, winning an Oscar as best song and becoming one
of Day's signature tunes. It plays an intricate role in the storyline, being
introduced naturally and being reprised as part of the picture's denouement.
Listen to "We'll Love Again"
The queues that formed at box-offices all over the world
when "The Man Who Knew Too Much" opened in the summer of 1956, were a tribute
to the talents of Hitchcock, Day, and Stewart, and to the public's continuing
fascination with quality entertainment. To this day, the film remains one
of Hitchcock's best films from his 1950s period. A movie that is well
worth viewing. Paul Brogan, October 2000
Hitchcock throws a surprise birthday party for Doris on
the set.
On Location with The Man Who Knew Too Much -
Derald Hendry
Doris Day traveled to two major locations during the filming
of this suspense film-London and Marrakech in North Africa. She loved
her visit to London and even commented later that if she didn't have
her pets she'd probably live in London.
The fans followed her everywhere, and at times
became an intrusion in her life. She was met and treated like the Queen
of England. She was at the peak of her career when this film was made and
being that popular brought out many fans.
The cast and crew on location in London.
From there she was transported
to Marrakech and it was an entirely different story: "From the moment
we arrived in Marrakech, my stomach rebelled at the sight of the local
cuisine. Almost everything was served out of community pots. Our first
night there we were invited to some palace where the diners filled their
plates from a community pot with their hands! Well, D. Day is a lady
of rather simple, hygienic eating habits and there was no way I was going
to dig into the couscous or anything else."
Doris Day, Her Own Story
She even pulled "rank" for the first time in her
film career when it came to the care and treatment of animals: "I
said that I would not appear in any scenes with animals unless they
were properly fed. As a result, the company set up a feeding station
where all the goats, lambs, horses, cows, dogs, cats, burros and
other animals were brought to be fed. I couldn't provide for the
feeding of the entire undernourished population of Marrakech, but
by the time our photography was finished I had succeeded in fattening
up the animals used in the picture." Doris
Day, Her Own Story
She also became concerned when she received no verbal
direction from Hitchcock. He instead expected his actors to "act" and
left them mostly alone. He was quiet, subdued and ultimately very
pleased with her performance. He said, "You have been doing
what I felt was right for the film and that's why I haven't told
you anything."
The London Symphony Orchestra and the Covent
Garden Chorus make a dramatic personal appearance in this film.
Conducted by Bernard Herrman, the 350-voice choir sings "Storm
Cloud Cantata," in
which a titanic crescendo of clashing cymbals and rolling drums
is used as a cover for a political assassination in London's Albert Hall. Derald Hendry
Alfred Hitchcock once told
François Truffaut that his 1934 version of this exciting thriller
was "the work of a talented amateur and the second was made
by a professional". There's
no doubt that this colour remake is technically more accomplished,
while the deft tinkering with the finale adds considerably to the
suspense. But not all of the additional 45 minutes are as well spent.
Que Sera, Sera might have won the Oscar
for best song, but its inclusion was solely to mollify Doris Day fans
and the storytelling is occasionally over-deliberate. Nevertheless, James
Stewart is superb, and Bernard Miles and Brenda de Banzie make admirable
adversaries."
