Automatische concepten

English summary

In Hitchcock’s thriller and adventure film The Man Who Knew Too Much, which Movie W is screening as part of the Hitchcock Touch season, an innocent family becomes embroiled in a deadly, international spy conspiracy. This time the suspense is interspersed with attractive shots of the Moroccan desert and a catchy soundtrack that’s become legendary.

The typical, somewhat naïve American couple Ben (James Stewart) and Jo McKenna (Doris Day) are taking a vacation in Marrakech (Morocco) with their 10-year-old son Hank. By chance, they witness the murder of a French spy. Just before he dies, the spy passes important information to Ben about the imminent murder of a minister in London. Shortly afterwards, their son is kidnapped. The kidnappers want to stop McKenna from releasing the information. Ben realises he can’t involve the police and instead he himself goes looking for his son in London. When Ben is overpowered in Ambrose Chapel, Jo panics and informs Scotland Yard. They don’t take her seriously; she hears that the inspector has gone to a concert in the Royal Albert Hall…..

The song ‘Que sera, sera’ by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans is the key to the eventual denouement. This song helped the film win the Oscar for best film music and gave Doris Day a worldwide hit.