The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

In The Man Who Knew Too Much, James Stewart’s Doctor Benjamin McKenna and his wife Josephine are traveling with their young son Hank and whilst in Morocco they witness a murder. To prevent them giving any information to the authorities, the culprits kidnap Hank and blackmail the couple to comply with their demands. The plot takes the McKenna’s back to London on the trail of their son, and as Hitchock thrillers go, I felt that it was slightly above average. James Stewart is terrific as ever, and certainly towards the end of the film, which culminates in a tension filled climax in the Royal Albert Hall, it begins to tick the boxes of Hitchock's trademark tension. It does seem like The Man Who Knew Too Much would have achieved a certain snappiness had it been a ninety minute thriller, with more focus on the way the film plays out in the second half rather than the first, but any lesser Hitchcock film is still going to be worth your time. 7.0/10