5. Alfred Hitchcock - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) / The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Perhaps the most famous entry on this list, Alfred Hitchcock looked to remake his 1934 British film in order to amend what he considered only "the work of a talented amateur" - such concerns were often felt by the director in relation to his early British pictures. After confiding that above quote to Francois Truffaut, Hitchcock pitched the remake to Paramount, stating that it could fill one of his contractual obligations to the studio. Paramount agreed, and with similar themes - but also some distinct differences - Hitchcock made the '56 version, bolstered by a cast which included his Rear Window favourite, James Stewart, and Doris Day. Undoubtedly a better film, the remake sees a Hitchcock at the height of his powers - fresh off the back of a run of classics that included Dial M For Murder, Rear Window, and To Catch a Thief - and directing with verve. A much longer film that the taut 75 minute original, the remake was always going to be a more accomplished film, and while the original is entertaining in its own right, it's the Stewart-led retread which truly stands out. Shot in glorious technicolour, Hitchock gave the converse quote to the one at the start of this piece by proclaiming it as "made by a professional" (which is actually the second part of his famous quote to Truffaut).
