Product Details

• Actors: Bill Murray, Joanne Whalley, Peter Gallagher, Richard Wilson, Alfred Molina
• Directors: Jon Amiel
• Writers: Howard Franklin, Robert Farrar
• Producers: Arnon Milchan, Elisabeth Robinson, Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr., Madeline Warren, Mark Tarlov
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: March 25, 1998
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (129 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790734796
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,412 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Man Who Knew Too Little" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Only die-hard Bill Murray fans will likely consider this movie for their home-video library, but it's not without its rewards. You can see why someone as comically astute as Murray would agree to play a dimwitted American who can't tell the difference between improvised theater and a real-life espionage plot. There's certainly plenty of potential for belly laughs, and Murray milks the opportunities like the old pro that he is. Here he plays an American tourist in London who thinks he's been recruited into a street-theater act called "Theater of Life"; actually, he's stepped into a complicated spy scheme that plays like a cross between Hitchcock and the Marx Brothers. Joanne Whalley costars as the femme fatale who may or may not be a double agent, and along the way there's enough comical confusion to foil any number of idiotic villains. The movie stretches its one-joke premise to desperate extremes (Murray thinks he's in a play, so he's oblivious to genuine danger), and 95 minutes is more than enough time to exhaust the comedic possibilities. But, as always, Murray finds a way to mine gold from a few clever bits, and he cuts loose with some inspired lunacy during a climactic scene involving a hidden bomb and a troupe of dancing Cossacks. It's not Murray's finest hour, but give him credit for making the best out of a challenging situation. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

A naive American in London is mistaken for a spy by a group bent on reviving the good old days of Cold War skullduggery. Believing it's all a game he treats every dramatic situation and threat as a joke. Based on the novel "Watch That Man" by Robert Farrar.Running Time: 95 min.System Requirements:Feature-Length Audio Commentary by Director Jon Amiel Alternate Music Only Track (5.1) Interactive Menus Production Notes 4 Theatrical Trailers 3 TV Spots Scene Access Languages: English & French Subtitles: English French and Spanish Dolby Digital English & French: Dolby Surround 5.1 Standard version formatted from its original version to fit your screen. Widescreen version presented in a "matted" widescreen format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition. Enhanced for widescreen TVs. Video Format: Widescreen (no AR specified) Standard 1.33:1 (4.3) Enhanced for 16x9 TVs Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 085391562627

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very underated film. Hillarious!, August 30, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Manchester, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Knew Too Little (DVD)

People can piss and moan about plot and structure and character but when you've got a film like this one you should put those things aside and watch the movie for what it is, a very well done comedy about mistaken identity. The idea may be cliche but with Bill Murray's comic timing and prowess, it doesn't matter if the idea has been used a thousand times. This movie made me laugh from start to finish. Why? Because it is a comedy. If it makes you laugh, its doing its job. Murray delivered a hillarious performance as did Alfred Molina and the old British Bad guy(don't know his name). His brother played by Peter Gallagher was also surprisingly funny in his scenes. A comic gem that should be given more credit.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First of all...I loved it., February 13, 2000

By 

Rick Gagliano (Milwaukee Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Man Who Knew Too Little [VHS] (VHS Tape)

First of all....I loved it. Simply put, this film was great. Talk about a story that could have been based upon true life incidents is not what this film is about. This is comedy at its best. Bill Murray's character is a man who manages a Blockbuster-video store someplace in Iowa. Murray decides to take a vacation and visit his brother in London. His brother (Peter Gallagher) is entertaining some important clients that same evening and sends his brother (Murray) out to participate in this audience-interaction play involving spies called the `Theater of Life'. Well, as the play begins, Murray accidentally stumbles into a real-life spy drama and takes everything that happens next as if he is just acting in a play. The result is non-stop humor which leaves the audience busting up outloud. You don't have to love Bill Murray to love this film...he brings to the screen the best parts of his roles in "Scrooged", "Stripes", "Ground Hog Day" and "What About Bob"...you just have to be ready to experience Bill Murray at his best. Bottom line, what might even be funnier than the film, is being part of an uninhibited audience, because once some people begin laughing, they will be at it for the next two hours.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lori Wants Her Letters........, June 22, 2004

By 

Joseph J. Slevin (Carlsbad, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Man Who Knew Too Little (DVD)

This movie was a real surprise for me and my wife. We rent a lot of comedy movies and have passed this one up a couple of times thankfully having picked it out just recently and now intending to buy it.

Murray plays a very funny underachiever who just so happens to get involved with international intrigue, yet he thinks he is involved in a one night reality TV program. His straight side kick in the movie is Joanne Whalley playing Lori.

Murray is a crack up throughout the film thinking he is in a movie and thinking that all of the spies and diplomats are actors staying in character.....he is the funniest since Groundhog Day in this. I feel he is better than 'What About Bob.'

Peter Gallagher plays his brother and the funniest interaction he has is with an actual police officer where Gallagher, who funded Murray's intended movie romp, thinks he is talking with an actor and as he gets angrier he just gets funnier.

The movie has a lot of funny scenes that I laughed throughout. I thought the first part of the movie was little slow in developing but as soon as he got the call for what he thought was the reality show, things really took off.

I laughed and laughed as he got chased, shot at, tortured and then all through it he thinks he is in a show.

If there is a movie you want to share with friends for a nice fun evening this it.