Michael_Elliott 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.

Lechuguilla There are at least two film versions of this story. One is the English translation known as "The Evil Eye" a watered-down version of the original Italian construction called "The Girl Who Knew Too Much." The two versions differ in score and plot points. This review pertains to my viewing of "The Girl Who Knew Too Much."I would describe the film as a suspenseful murder mystery, one of the first Italian Giallos. Probably the best element is that wonderful B&W lighting consisting of overhead and side lighting that puts faces and objects in deep shadows. Outdoor settings at night are especially creepy. Water-glass camera effects suggest hallucination and delusion. And there are some terrifically unsettling POV camera shots.In one sequence the lead character enters a building at night. She arrives by elevator on an upper floor. No one else is visible, but hallway lights hanging from the ceiling sway back and forth, and someone is talking to her. As she approaches the room to which she had previously been invited, the light in the room suddenly goes dark. We see her silhouette as she stands at the entrance of the darkened room.The script contains relatively few characters. The two leads are a young female American tourist named Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) and a youthful Italian doctor named Dr. Bassi (John Saxon). The plot is acceptable. But I successfully guessed the identity of the killer fairly early which, to me, suggests that the plot could have been a little more subtle and the murderer less obvious. On the other hand, part of the plot was repeated in a subsequent Giallo that I had previously seen; so maybe I zeroed in on the killer's identity here as a result of the later film.There's some humor in this film as well. At one point the resourceful Nora makes use of talcum powder in an attempt to trap the killer, with unplanned results. Various murder mystery clichés in combo with explicit humor suggests that the story is something of a spoof of the genre.Casting is acceptable. Overall acting is only fair, except for the wonderful performance of Valentina Cortese. Didn't notice any problems with editing or prod design; and costumes really hark back to the 1960s. Love that jazzy score.This film deserves at least one viewing for those who enjoy murder mysteries. It has some negatives, but they are definitely outweighed by an interesting story and especially by the terrific visuals.

Red-Barracuda With The Girl Who Knew Too Much, director Mario Bava planted the seed that would evolve into the sub-genre known as the giallo. In fairness, it doesn't much resemble the films that would typify this genre in the 70's. Bava's next film Blood and Black Lace would truly be the definitive template film that would inform the giallo. But there is no doubting that some of the recurring motives and ideas of this most Italian film genre began here.As the title suggests, The Girl Who Knew Too Much is indebted to Alfred Hitchcock more than anything else. The idea of an innocent thrust into the middle of a deadly situation is one Hitchcock used many times. While the romantic sub-plot and moments of light comedy also recall his work. These latter two elements are mainly what mark out TGWKTM as a cross-over film, as they are certainly not features of giallo cinema as it would develop. But the light, comic approach is one of the things that make this one of the most playful and upbeat films that Mario Bava ever made. Unlike his three other gialli, this film actually has sympathetic characters. While it doesn't have the melodramatic tendencies that those ensemble movies had either. The approach is much more restrained, with a fairly simple amateur sleuth narrative being the framework. Completely different too is the black and white aesthetic. Bava is of course rightfully famous for his masterful use of colour but in this film he shows that his use of light and contrast is just as impressive. This is a very handsome looking movie. Letícia Román adds to this aesthetic too of course, seeing as she is a very beautiful woman. Visually, this is a terrific film. Story-wise, it's certainly less interesting. The fairly mechanical plot is sufficient enough in taking us from A to B but it isn't particularly memorable. But it does introduce some of the motives that would go on to form an important part of giallo cinema such as the convoluted mystery, the bizarre reasoning for murder and the importance of optical subjectivity as well as the focus on style over substance.The Girl Who Knew Too Much is a film that should be seen by fans of Mario Bava as well as dedicated students of all things giallo. It's a film that is as breezy and light as the genre ever got. It's a lovely and beautiful looking flick from a master film-maker.

Claudio Carvalho The American fan of mystery novels Nora Davis (Letícia Román) travels from New York to Rome to spend vacation with her mother's friend Ethel Windell Batocci (Chana Coubert). In the airplane, she accepts a pack of cigarettes from the passenger on the next seat and in the airport she finds that the man is a drug dealer. When she arrives at Ethel's place, she meets Dr. Marcello Bassi (john Saxon) and finds that the old lady is in the deathbed. During the night, Ethel has a heart attack and dies; Nora runs to the hospital to call Marcello. However, she is attacked and robbed in a staircase by a thief and faints; while awaking, she witnesses a stabbed woman and a man after her. In the hospital, nobody gives credit to her words. In the funeral, the stranger Laura Craven- Torrani (Valentina Cortese) introduces herself as a friend of Ethel and invites Nora to stay in her apartment while she travels to Switzerland to meet her husband. Nora accepts the invitation and decides to investigate the murder; she believes that the serial-killer of the so called Alphabet Murders is chasing her and she will be the next victim."The Girl Who Knew too Much" is an overrated melodramatic thriller of Mario Bava visibly inspired in Alfred Hitchcock. The awesome cinematography in black and white using shadows gives a fantastic atmosphere to the streets of Rome. However, the hysterical Nora Davis is annoying in many moments and the attitudes of Dr. Marcello Bassi are silly and naive. The conclusion of Dora about the cigarette of marijuana is ridiculous. My vote is five.Title (Brazil): Not Available