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6.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Man Who Knew Too Much remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you are wondering if a 90-year-old black-and-white thriller is actually worth your afternoon, the answer is yes. Anyone who likes snappy plotting and weird villains will have a blast, but if you can't stand hissy 1930s audio or posh British folks saying "golly," you might want to skip it. 🎿
The story is pretty simple. An ordinary couple is vacationing in Switzerland when their daughter gets snatched by spies to keep them quiet about an assassination plot.
Honestly, it gets going so fast. One second they are playing around in the snow, and the next, some guy gets shot on the dance floor while a knitted sweater is unraveling. 🧶
That sweater bit is so typical of Alfred Hitchcock. It is this tiny, silly detail that somehow makes the murder feel more *real* and messy.
Leslie Banks plays the dad, and he has this incredibly stiff British energy. But the real star here is definitely Peter Lorre in his first English-speaking role.
He is absolutely *magnetic* and creepy. He has this greasy, dyed-blonde hair and a weird grin that makes him look like a mischievous gargoyle. 😈
There is a scene in a dentist's office that is just wild. The dad gets trapped in the chair, and they start messing with the laughing gas.
It feels less like a prestigious thriller and more like a weird fever dream for a minute there. I love how the movie just shifts gears without warning.
Some parts definitely feel aged, though. The back-projection during the ski scenes looks incredibly fake, like they are standing in front of a giant bedsheet.
But it does not really matter because the pacing is so quick. Unlike some slow, dragging films from that era like Girls Demand Excitement, this one does not waste a single frame.
And then you get to the famous Royal Albert Hall scene. The build-up with the cymbals is fantastic, even if you know exactly what is going to happen.
It is way better than the 1956 remake Hitchcock did later with James Stewart. That one felt too bloated, while this original version is just a lean, mean 75 minutes. ⏱️
Sure, the ending shootout in the London streets goes on a bit too long. The cops look like they are playing hide-and-seek rather than fighting for their lives.
But it is still a super fun ride. If you want a quick dose of classic suspense that doesn't take itself too seriously, give it a spin.
IMDb 6.3
1933
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