History Film / TheManWhoKnewTooLittle

* ThePrecariousLedge: Played with and Lampshaded: "There's a hallway! We can walk"

* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: Wallace expects Dr Kropotkin, the "evil torturer lady", to look the part. She doesn't.

* TheBaroness: Dr Ludmilla Kropotkin averts the superficial aspects of the "evil torturer lady" stereotype. But Wallace's [[WrongGenreSavvy familiarity with that particular trope]] leads him to mistake the first septuagenerian dominatrix he meets for Dr Kropotkin.

* SociopathicHero: Viewing the events of the movie from the point of view of the actual spies can lead to a wildly different interpretation of Wallace. He comes off as an absurdly skilled (even by badass standards) rogue agent who is doing everything he does [[BunnyEarsLawyer just for laughs]], and that it's so easy for him, he can afford to goof around and just do whatever amuses him at the time. Among his many deeds include pretending like he's going to execute Lori, [[ForTheEvulz for no reason whatsoever,]] playing with a dead body and applauding it for being so remarkably dead, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and running over traffic cones]] while fleeing assassins, simply because he's always wanted to do it and now seemed like a good time. Basically, to those not in on the joke (everyone but Wallace), he might as well be the super-spy version of SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker.

* ShaggyDogStory: Often cited as a flaw in the film is that Wallace ''never'' realises the whole thing is real, leaving the movie feeling like a long joke with some amusing bits along the way but no actual punchline.
* SociopathicHero: Viewing the events of the movie from the point of view of the actual spies can lead to a wildly different interpretation of Wallace. He comes off as an absurdly skilled (even by badass standards) rogue agent who is doing everything he does just for laughs, and that it's so easy for him, he can afford to goof around and just do whatever amuses him at the time. Among his many deeds include pretending like he's going to execute Lori, [[ForTheEvulz for no reason whatsoever,]] playing with a dead body and applauding it for being so remarkably dead, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and running over traffic cones]] while fleeing assassins, simply because he's always wanted to do it and now seemed like a good time. Basically, to those not in on the joke (everyone but Wallace), he might as well be the super-spy version of SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker.

%%* ThatRussianSquatDance

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tmwktl_7648.gif]]A 1997 film written by Robert Farrar (adapted from his novel ''Watch That Man'') and starring Creator/BillMurray, which combines AndYouThoughtItWasAGame with Main/MistakenForBadass.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tmwktl_7648.gif]]A 1997 film written by Robert Farrar (adapted from his novel ''Watch That Man'') and starring Creator/BillMurray, which combines AndYouThoughtItWasAGame with Main/MistakenForBadass.

Wallace Ritchie is an American [[DeadlyRoadTrip vacationing in London,]] hoping to spend his birthday with his brother Jimmy (PeterGallagher). Unfortunately, James has an important business dinner; in order to get rid of Wallace for the evening, he signs him up for an evening with the Theatre of Life, an [[{{LARP}} experimental hyper-realistic audience-participation theater.]]

* ShoutOut: The man disguised as a waiter who approaches Wallace in the end of the film is addressed as [[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} "Venkman."]]

* AndYouThoughtItWasAGame

* BornLucky: Wallace.

* CringeComedy
* DeadlyRoadTrip

* TheFool: Wallace.

* InspectorOblivious
* InstantSedation
* LingerieScene / StockingFiller: Lori's introduction.
* MistakenForBadass, of course.
* MistakenForSpies
* NotSoFakePropWeapon
* TheNounWhoVerbed: The title.

* SpySpeak: "Remember to flush."

* ThatRussianSquatDance

It should be noted that, beyond the [[strike:similar titles]] title which is obviously a [[ShoutOut reference]] (and [[MistakenForSpies superficial plot similarities]]), this film has nothing to do with Hitchcock's thriller ''TheManWhoKnewTooMuch''.

* SociopathicHero: Viewing the events of the movie from the point of view of the actual spies can lead to a wildly different interpretation of Wallace. He comes off as an absurdly skilled (even by badass standards) rogue agent who is doing everything he does just for laughs, and that it's so easy for him, he can afford to goof around and just do whatever amuses him at the time. Among his many deeds include pretending like he's going to execute Lori, [[ForTheEvulz for no reason whatsoever,]] playing with a dead body and applauding it for being so remarkably dead, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and running over traffic cones]] while fleeing assassins, simply because he's always wanted to do it and now seemed like a good time. Basically, to those not in on the joke (Everyone but Wallace), he might as well be the super-spy version of SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker.

** At the end where Wallace is being recruited to be an assassin, he believes they are hiring him to be an actor and offers to do the work for free for children and old people.

->'''Wallace:''' Was that a tear? ...How do you people do it? Did you... poke yourself in the eye? Or are you thinking right now: "My dog is dead."\\

Wallace proceeds to [[LargeHam ham his way]] through the underworld of secret agents and espionage. He almost immediately decides to break from "the script" and help the person he was ordered to kill: Lori (JoanneWhalley), a [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold call-girl with a heart of gold]] who's trying to blackmail the Defense Minister she's been sleeping with. Along the way, Wally accidentally convinces his "superiors" that he's a loose cannon who knows of their devious scheme to restart the Cold War by blowing up the dignitaries at a historic peace accord. And all the while, Wallace thinks the bullets, TruthSerums, car chases and dead bodies are AllPartOfTheShow.

* AnticlimaxCut: In one scene, Wallace tells Lori that he's not completely a good guy, that if she wants his help, she'll have to do something for him. The dialogue is set up to make the viewer think Wallace is talking about sex... then the scene cuts to Wallace driving Lori's Cooper Mini.
* ArtisticLicenseGeography: Possibly an intentional use: During James' business presentation, the map of Germany is shown. The major cities are labeled... with the name of other German cities.
* AxeBeforeEntering: Used as a blatant ShoutOut to ''Film/TheShining''.
** For extra points, he uses a croquet mallet, which is what Jack Torrance used in [[Literature/TheShining the original novel]].

* TheBaroness: Dr. Ludmilla Kropotkin averts the superficial aspects of the "evil torturer lady" stereotype. But Wallace's [[WrongGenreSavvy familiarity with that particular trope]] leads him to mistake the first septuagenerian dominatrix he meets for Dr. Kropotkin.
* BlackComedy: Referenced and played with. Wallace Ritchie is just having fun gawking at the elaborate "sets" and the performances of his fellow "actors", but Lori interprets his lighthearted demeanor around so much death and danger as a sign that he is an [[LackOfEmpathy emotionally-stunted]] hitman with a [[LaughablyEvil seriously depraved sense of humour]].

* BornLucky: Wallace
* TheButcher: Boris Blavasky. In this case, it has a dual meaning- "Butcher" because his work as a spy/hitman is so brutal and messy, but also because "butcher" is ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin actually his day job]]''.

* CleanupCrew: Averted. Boris wants to use his favorite "messy" interrogation technique, but his assistants dissuade him, because "It is fun for you, but ''we'' have to ''clean up'' afterward!"

* DefeatMeansFriendship: After his assassination attempts of Wallace fails for the umpteenth time, Boris gains so much respect for him that he embraces Wallace, gives him a [[ICallItVera gun of sentimental value]], and announces his intention to retire and become a butcher full time.

* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Lori, though she insists she's not a call-girl. Even though she accepted money for sex with the Minister of Defense.

* ShaggyDogStory: Often cited as a flaw in the film is that Wallace ''never'' realizes the whole thing is real, leaving the movie feeling like a long joke with some amusing bits along the way but no actual punchline.

** When Boris leaves his minions alone with Wallace he instructs them "...and watch that man." - referencing the source material of the film.

* StandardSnippet: Korobeiniki, a traditional Russian folk song, features in this film. Of course, most of you know it as "The Tetris Theme."

* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: Wallace expects Dr. Kropotkin, the "evil torturer lady", to look the part. She doesn't.

* UnusualEuphemism: In addition to the aforementioned "Remember to flush," there's "Spencer knows how to deal with floaters! Tell him to use a plunger or we're sunk!"

* AntiClimax: Often cited as a flaw in the film is that Wallace ''never'' realizes the whole thing is real, leaving the movie feeling like a long joke with some amusing bits along the way but no actual punchline.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tmwktl_7648.gif]]A 1997 film written by Robert Farrar (adapted from his novel ''Watch That Man'') and starring BillMurray, which combines AndYouThoughtItWasAGame with Main/MistakenForBadass.

* UnusualEuphamism: In addition to the aforementioned "Remember to flush," there's "Spencer knows how to deal with floaters! Tell him to use a plunger or we're sunk!"

* WhyWereBummedCommunismFell: Sir Roger and Sergai's motivation.

Wallace Ritchie is an American vacationing in London, hoping to spend his birthday with his brother Jimmy (PeterGallagher). Unfortunately, James has an important business dinner; in order to get rid of Wallace for the evening, he signs him up for an evening with the Theatre of Life, an [[{{LARP}} experimental hyper-realistic audience-participation theater.]]