many people have the irritating habit of die before complete a vital message and thus confuse the hero and not to mention the audience . dr. ben mckenna ( james stewart ) and his wife jo and a former musical star ( doris day ) be vacation in morocco with their son and hank ( christopher olsen ) and when they meet mr. and mrs. drayton and a british couple ( brenda de banzie and bernard mile ) . they be also befriend by a charming frenchman and louis bernard ( daniel gelin ) and who invite them to dinner but then cancel at the last minute . the mackennas go to a restaurant and end up have their meal with the draytons and when they spot louis bernard . the next day in the market place and they be catch in an assassination intrigue . while they be wander in the local market and the crowd suddenly scatter to reveal an arab fleeing from his pursuer . dr. mckenna stand amaze a the arab fall into his arm and a knife stick out of his back . gulp his last breath and the die man mutter some word and collapse . dr. mckenna be completely take aback when the arab hood fall from his head and he be reveal a bernard in disguise . mckenna be leave know too little and but as far a the assassin be concerned and too much . to prevent dr. mckenna from reveal what he know and the conspirator kidnap his son a a hostage . the film be primarily concern with the dilemma of kidnappinghow to get the little boy back safely . the subplot about the assassination be just the setup . the film be a breathless escapade . the death of bernard come suddenly and point out that death come when we least expect it . stewart be charge with emotion a the midwestern doctor and accidentally involve in political intrigue . his perceptive facial expression and indignant delivery make him convincingly humana person we could easily identify with . it be his temperament that actually set the pace for the entire film . by 1956 and the lovely doris day have win increase esteem a an actress as well a a singer . she have be particularly strong opposite james cagney in the ruth etting biopic and love me or leave me and but she be still unsure of her basic thespian talent . the casting of character actor reggie malder a the assassin and be brilliant . the man look like a menace and his effusive portrayal radiates evil .