CREDITS THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, 1956 dir: Alfred Hitchcock Doris Day James Stewart

“A man... a statesman... is to be killed... assassinated... in London, soon, very soon. Tell them in London... to try Ambrose Channel... ”

Unlike the 1934 original (which was mostly set-bound), Alfred Hitchcock’s big-budget, colour remake of his own modest spy thriller utilises lots of real locations. He famously declared the first film the work of a gifted amateur, the second, of a professional, and the smart thing is to disagree with him and rate the thirties version. But I really enjoy the later film, even at a weighty two hours. The director has loads of fun treating the extended climax as a silent film.

Middle class Americans Jo (Doris Day) and Ben McKenna (James Stewart) find themselves embroiled in the plot to assassinate an ambassador after their son is kidnapped in Morocco. The opening scenes were filmed in the souks and the Jemaâ el Fna, the amazing main square, of Marrakech, with its dizzying array of food stalls, storytellers and snake-charmers.

'The Man Who Knew Too Much: the murder of the mysterious Frenchman: Jemaa el Fna, Marrakech

The couple stays in the famous, and extremely pricey, Hotel La Mamounia, avenue Bab Jdid (tel: 212.44.38.86.00). Intimidatingly luxurious, the Mamounia, one of the world's classic luxury hotels, within the old city walls. It's been substantially revamped since the fifties. Its seven acres of exotic garden were used in Oliver Stone’s epic Alexander.

Back in London, Ben follows a red herring to ‘Ambrose Chapel’, which turns out to be a taxidermist’s. Hitchcock meant to film the scene on a set in Hollywood, but eventually plumped for the real premises of Gerrard Family Taxidermists, who specialised in supplying stuffed animals to Hollywood studios, were used for both the exterior and interior shots.

The company has gone, and the street has been redeveloped, but you can still see Plender Street and Royal College Street, NW1, where Ben arrives by taxi, in Camden Town.

In the background, on Royal College Street, you can see the boarding house where French poets Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud (played by David Thewlis and Leonardo DiCaprio in Agnieska Holland's film of Total Eclipse) briefly lodged (a plaque on the wall of the house commemorates their stay).

'The Man Who Knew Too Much: Ben follows the trail to ‘Ambrose Chapel’: Plender Street, Camden Town

The ‘real’ Ambrose Chapel, where Jo is imprisoned, was St Saviour’s Church Hall in Brixton, south London. St Saviour’s church is still there, but the church hall has gone.

The Embassy, too, has gone. It was Park Lane House, which was demolished to make way for the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane.

The extended, wordless climax, with Hitchcock regular collaborator Bernard Hermann conducting the orchestra, was filmed in the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington.

The hall was the brainchild of Queen Victoriaís consort Prince Albert, following on the success of his Great Exhibition of 1851. Sadly, the prince died before the hall was built. It opened in 1871.