The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

"The Girl Who Knew Too Much", a.k.a. "Evil Eye", is a typically stylish effort for the renowned Italian filmmaker Mario Bava. It's a Hitchcockian thriller with excellent use of locations, the kind of palpable atmosphere that the master was capable of creating, endearing characters, and fairly restrained use of violence. Some Giallo fans may feel that the comedy content is simply too much, and that the body count is too minimal, but the director does tell a decent story (he was also one of the credited screenwriters) that wraps up within a reasonable amount of time.Leticia Roman stars as Nora Davis, an attractive young American woman vacationing in Rome. During one eventful night, she is mugged, and in something of a daze afterwards, witnesses what looks to be a murder. She even sees a character that could only be the killer. But many people are very quick to disbelieve anything she says, simply because she's addicted to murder mystery novels, and they think that she's got an active imagination. John Saxon co- stars as Marcello Bassi, a dashing young doctor who takes a romantic interest in her.The mystery here is actually a little more straightforward than some viewers might expect. The reveal of the killers' identity doesn't come as any great surprise. But the journey to that destination is worth taking, with some ingenious cutting (by Mario Serandrei) and good pacing. Considered by many to be one of the earliest examples of that Italian genre known as the Giallo, it contains some wonderfully striking imagery and wonderful lighting by Bava himself. Lovely Roman and studly Saxon are charming leads, and they are well supported by Valentina Cortese as the gregarious Laura and Dante DiPaolo as the disgraced reporter Andrea Landini.A must for Bava fans and devotees of the Giallo.Seven out of 10.

"The Girl Who Knew Too Much" marks two moments in Bava's career in filmmaking: it is both his last film in black and white and first film that will further refine the giallo genre.It is easy story about American girl (Nora) visiting old family friend Edith who lives in Rome, Italy. Right after her arrival, Edith dies and she went through series of unfortunate events; first she's been victim of purse theft (thief left her unconscious on the ground) and right after (when she wakes up) she witnessed murder of a woman. That scene was created with the use of water glass effect, thus leaving us no authentic feeling if murder occurred as a product of Nora's hallucination/delusion. It is interesting that weapon used for murder is knife, which is also the title of the novel she was reading on the plane at the very beginning of the film.From the moment I started watching film, I was amazed with lighting and camera angles: those elements are stunning; it's obvious that whole film is masterfully crafted. Even though it is obvious that film follows/incorporates Hitchcockian elements/patterns, I still find it very invigorating and fresh. The reason behind that is refreshing aesthetics; Bava for sure succeeded to maximally utilize surrounding of filming locations in Rome, playing successfully with lighting, music and exemplifying grandeur of neoclassical architecture of Rome.What is really fascinating is Bava's lucidity and wit. The film exudes a very specific humor (voice narration in the first scene, and in many other, is pure comedy) suggesting, from time to time, that whole plot may be a dream and adding a frivolous touch to many "dramatic" events. It's quality I've never "recognized" in Hitchcock's movies.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)*** (out of 4)American Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) travels to Italy to see her aunt but right from the start things go bad. After waking up to a thunderstorm, Nora goes to check on her aunt and finds her dead. In search of some help, Nora runs outside where she is robbed but things take a worse turn when she witnesses a brutal murder. Soon people are trying to convince her that it was all in her mind but before long she thinks she might be the next victim.Mario Bava directed this thriller, which also goes by the name EVIL EYE. The traditional title is obviously a wink at the Alfred Hitchcock thriller and there's no question that Bava must have been a fan of the director because his trademark is all over this. What makes this film different is that Bava manages to bring his terrific vision to the screen as he takes the thriller element and mixes it perfectly with the mood of a film noir. THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is created as being the first giallo and it's a mighty impressive one.I think the best thing working for the film are the performances as well as Bava's style. The style can easily be seen in the terrific visuals but what's so impressive is Bava's use of shadows. A lot of the film takes place in the dark so the shadow use is very important and builds up a rather nice atmosphere and it also helps show the terror of Nora. Another major plus is the cinematography as we get some terrific shots throughout the picture. Roman makes for a terrific lead as she's flawless in her role.She certainly makes you believe the terror that the character is feeling but she also comes across as intelligent enough to uncover the secrets. John Saxon and Valentina Cortese are also extremely good in their roles. There are a few moments where the film drags but for the most part the story is good enough to keep you captivated throughout. Bava's style and the performances really make this film stand out, although the end result isn't as ground-breaking as the director's next giallo BLOOD AND BLACK LACE.

Bava pays explicit homage to Hitchcock in this fun, mostly light hearted black and white mystery. An American girl vacationing in Rome witnesses what might be a murder (or is it her overactive imagination, spurred on by her love of cheap mystery novels?). And before you know it, she's the possible target of a serial killer. The black and white photography is beautiful, but Bava tones his style down just a bit, and it works; the photography compliments the story, without swamping it,. There are weak spots, like an annoying voice over that insists on explaining what the images are making very clear by themselves, and performances that are uneven (especially in supporting roles). But, the bottom line is, if it wasn't in Italian, one could even believe this was a Hitchcock film, which is a pretty high compliment...