Oldies Review - The Man Who Knew Too Much

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime/ Adventure
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 1956
Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie, Bernard Miles, Ralph Truman, Danel Gélin, Mogens Wieth, Alan Mowbray, Hillary Brooke, Christopher Olsen, Reggie Nalder, Richard Wattis, Noel Willman, Alix Talton, Yves Brainville

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 42: A MOVIE FROM THE YEAR YOUR MOTHER WAS BORN
 
Description: A tale of innocent American tourists (James Stewart, Doris Day) in Morocco whose son’s kidnapping sets off a twisting plot of international intrigue.

Review: American surgeon Benjamin McKenna is on vacation in Morocco with his wife Josephine and their young son Hank. On the bus, on their way to Marrakech, they meet Frenchman Louis Bernard. He tells the family about traditions of Morocco and inquires about what McKenna is up to. The next day they meet Bernard again, at the market, but he has a knife in his back. Just before he dies, Bernard whisper some words to McKenna. He is called to account by the police, but McKenna doesn’t trust it and keeps his mouth shut. When son Hank is kidnapped it is clear that there is much more going on and McKenna and his wife find themselves in a world of intrigue and conspiracy, which brings them to London.
Master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, made two versions of “The Man Who Knew Too Much” in his career. In 1934 a version starring Leslie Banks and again in 1956 with James Stewart. Both films tell the same story, but in Hitchcock’s own works they were the work of a talented amateur and, the second,  of a professional. Neither rank among Hitchcock’s best, but neither are they bad.
“The Man Who Knew Too Much” is a suspenseful thriller, the genre he does best. He works from the point of view of ordinary people, who find themselves in situations they didn’t want to be in at all, yet are determined to get to the bottom of things.
Hitchcock didn’t get along with every actor he worked with, but had no problem with James Stewart, who frequently appeared in his films. And Stewart again gives an excellent performance.
I did enjoy this thriller, again not one of Hitchcock’s best, but definitely worth watching.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 40: It's a Wonderful Life

Director: Frank Capra
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 1946
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Henry Travers, Thomas Mitchell, Gloria Grahame, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, H.B. Warner, Frank Albertson, Todd Karns, Samuel S. Hinds, Mary Treen, Viginia Patton

Description: An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman (James Stewart) by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

Review: Frank Capra’s classic is definitely a feel-good film, but it’s not as overly sweet as you might think. Sometimes the tone of the film is a bit serious and grim. And the sweet, romantic moments are acted out so honest and professional, that it’s impossible not to feel with them.
George Bailey doesn’t want to work in his father’s business, but wants to discover the world and really become someone. When his father passes away and the company is about to be taken over by the evil Mr. Potter, George has no choice but run the company himself. George marries Mary and starts a family.
George builds a life in Bedford Falls, but wants to offer more to Mary. He still wants to see the world and become an important man. George is about to go bankrupt and doesn’t see the point of anything anymore. An angel is send to him in the form of Clarence, who shows George what life would have been like if he was never born.
The story of “It’s a Wonderful Life” is timeless and this is probably James Stewart’s best role ever. It’s a classic and a film that should be seen by every movie fan.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 30: Anatomy of a Murder

Director: Otto Preminger
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 160 minutes
Year: 1959
Starring: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, George C. Scott, Orson Bean, Russ Brown, Murray Hamilton, Brooks West, Ken Lynch, John Qualen, Howard McNear, Alexander Campbell, Ned Wever, Jimmy Conlin, Royal Beal, Joseph Kearns, Don Ross, Lloyd Le Vasseur, James Waters, Joseph N. Welch, Duke Ellington, Irv Kupcinet

Description: In a murder trial, the defendant says he suffered temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. What is the truth, and will he win his case?

Review: I wanted to know why “Anatomy of a Murder” is such a high listed courtroom drama. It takes a while before the story takes us into the courtroom. First info is gathered and lawyers are preparing their case.
We meet Paul Biegler, a defense attorney. He is asked to defend Frederick Manion. Manion killed a man after he raped his wife Laura. Biegler has to proof that the defendant suffered from temporary insanity when he committed this act.
We know from the start that Manion did commit the crime, there is no question of wheter he did it or not. And we also see that Manion has a reputation. And people are also questioning whether the black I his wife has, came from him.
“Anatomy of a Murder” is a little different than other classic courtroom dramas. It’s all about how to use the information you got and how to get the answers you want, in order to form a good defense. How to give a good story to the jury.
James Stewart is fantastic. He manages to keep our attention, while in constant dialogue. In “Rear Window” he already showed that he could easily do that, while being in one room the entire film. In “Anatomy of a Murder” we spend most time in the courtroom and yet we are constantly with him.
I think you might say that “Anatomy of a Murder” is the ultimate courtroom film.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 169: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Director: Frank Capra
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 1939
Starring: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee, Thomas Mitchell, Eugene Pallette, Beulah Bondi, H.B. Warner, Harry Carey, Astrid Allwyn, Ruth Donnely, Grant Mitchell, Porter Hall, Pierre Watkin

Description: A naive man (James Stewart) is appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.

Review: Frank Capra has his own style and his stories are often about the everyday man against the system. This is also the case for “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. We follow Idealist Jefferson Smith who is going into politics, but collides with political corruption.
Who else than James Stewart to play this Mr. Washington. He is an idealist, always friendly and has a dose of humor. And he is so down to earth. He is also genuinely amazed by Washington and its history and architecture. The reason to put in the senate, is that he is a naïve man that is easily influenced. Or so they think. Smith wants to fight the corruption.
“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is a timeless classic about good and bad. The acting is strong and the script is rather daring, especially for that time. Definitely a must-see.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 14: The Shop Around the Corner

Director: Ernst Lubitsch

Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance

Runtime: 99 minutes

Year: 1940

Starring: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut, Sara Haden, Felix Bressart, William Tracy, Inez Courtney

Description: Two employees (Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart) at a gift shop can barely stand one another, without realizing that they're falling in love through the post as each other's anonymous pen pal.

Review: “The Shop Around the Corner” was the inspiration for the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie “You’ve Got Mail”, where Ryan’s character works in a store called The Shop Around the Corner. Here it’s modernized and the two lead characters correspond through e-mail. In “The Shop Around the Corner” they send each other good old snail mail.

Klara and Alfred work in a shop in Budapest. They bicker a lot, can’t really stand each other. But they don’t know that they are pen pals.

The movie has some sharp dialogues and great characters. Like the grumpy store owner and one of the employees that runs away every time the boss asks someone for his honest opinion. Almost the entire film is set in the store. James Stewart is charming as ever and it’s a pretty fun film classic.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Me & 3 Alfred Hitchcock Movies

Alfred Hitchcock was such an amazing director, probably the best of his generation. I hadn’t seen many of his films, only “Psycho” and “The Birds”, but I wanted more. So decided to pick three films and watch them for this item. Here are the three Hitchcock movies I watched.

Rear Window

Genre: Thriller

Year: 1954

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr

Description: Alfred Hitchcock is pushing the boundaries of his own thriller genre with “Rear Window”. He sets you on the wrong foot and in this unique setting he does this in an excellent way.

Opinion: The movie is set in one location, on a set. That’s exciting? Hell yeah! I loved it.

Favorite character: L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart)

Most memorable quote: “Intelligence. Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence.“ –Stella-

Best scene: The moment where the neighbour across the courtyard sees L.B. Jefferies.

North by Northwest

Genre: Thriller/ Action

Year: 1959

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo g. Carroll, Josephine Hutchinson, Philip Ober, Martin Landau, Adam Williams, Edward Platt, Robert Ellenstein, Les Tremayne, Philip Collidge, Patrick McVey, Ed Binns

Description: Hapless New York advertising Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive.

Opinion: It’s a spy thriller, which obviously inspired the James Bond movies, but it also has lots of humour in it.

Favorite character: Roger O. Thornhill

Most memorable quote: “I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.” –Roger o. Thornhill-

Best scene: Off course that chase scene with the airplane.

Vertigo

Genre: Mystery/ Thriller

Year: 1958

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bell Geddes, Tom Hellmore, Henry Jones

Description: Retired San Francisco detective John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson (James Stewart) is suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.

Opinion: A great thriller with a twist, James Stewart is fantastic in “Vertigo”.

Favorite character: Midge

Most memorable quote: “Only one is a wanderer; two together are always going somewhere” –Madeleine-

Best scene: That psychedelic dream sequence.

Favorite of the 3: “Rear Window

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 121: Vertigo

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 1958
Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore

Description: Retired San Francisco detective John “Scottie” Ferguson, suffering from acrophobia, investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.

Review: James Stewart returns in an Alfred Hitchcock movie after starring in “Rear Window” in 1954. He plays detective John Ferguson, Scottie for friends. He suffers from acrophobia, which keeps him from doing his job. His lady friend Midge is caring and intelligent, but can’t charm him. When an old friend asks Scottie to follow his wife Madeleine, because he thinks she’s in danger, he becomes obsessed with her. The viewers get sucked in in his fantasy, a psychological thriller that, at that point, is no longer a thriller. But that’s where Hitchcock’s inventiveness come in.
Even though “Vertigo” lacks horror elements as seen in “Psycho”, the movie works towards a climax. Layers are added to the film, that keep it interesting. Hitchcock’s view on the man-woman relationship reaches its highlight in “Vertigo”. ‘Truth is in the eye of the beholder’ is the only positive thing when it comes to romance. Friend Midge keeps her feelings for Scottie safely hidden, but is rejected when trying to interfere with his love life. Scottie himself tries to re-create the woman of his dreams. It’s all very stylishly made, even with some psychedelic special effects.
“Vertigo” isn’t the Hitchcock movie with the most tension and excitement. It’s most of all the settlement of a platinum blonde femme fatale and the men that will do anything for her.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 97: Rear Window

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 1954

Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr

Description: The wheelchair bound photographer L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart) spies on his neighbours from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

Review: Alfred Hitchcock is pushing the boundaries of his own thriller genre with “Rear Window”. He sets you on the wrong foot and in this unique setting he does this in an excellent way.

In the opening scene the blinds are opened in L.B. Jefferies’ apartment, while looking out on a New York courtyard. Because he is bound to a wheelchair, all Jefferies does is watching his neighbors and we see everything through his perspective. Jefferies is a gloomy man and even his beautiful girlfriend Lisa can’t get him out of that shell. The subtle sarcasm that Hitchcock uses to tackle the man-woman relationship in the fifties, hits every mark. And the character of nurse Stella, a cynical, bossy woman, works perfect as a counterweight. The black humor and the thriller elements are seamlessly interwoven.

You wouldn’t expect a movie set in only one location to be exciting, but the tension is added by the powerlessness of the handicapped Jefferies. This limits the field of view. Even to the day, when people are more focused on detail and hardly have any patience, this is a joy to watch. The actual confrontation may look a bit outdated, but doesn’t bother me personally.

“Rear Window” is a must-see for every mystery and thriller fan and is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s pearls.

Rating: 5/ 5