36 Hours (1965)

Germans kidnap an American major and try to convince him that World War II is over, so that they can get details about the Allied invasion of Europe out of him.

Director:

George Seaton

Writers:

George Seaton (screenplay), Roald Dahl (story),

Stars:

James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Taylor

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Garner	...	Maj. Jefferson Pike
Eva Marie Saint	...	Anna Hedler
Rod Taylor	...	Maj. Walter Gerber
Werner Peters	...	Otto Schack
John Banner	...	Ernst
Russell Thorson	...	Gen. Allison
Alan Napier	...	Col. Peter MacLean
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	Lt. Col. Ostermann (as Oscar Beregi)
Ed Gilbert	...	Capt. Abbott
Sig Ruman	...	German Guard
Celia Lovsky	...	Elsa
Karl Held	...	Cpl. Kenter
Martin Kosleck	...	Kraatz
Marjorie Bennett	...	Charwoman
Henry Rowland	...	German Soldier

Storyline

In this psychological war-drama an Army Major is captured by the Germans during World War II. They attempt to brainwash him into believing the war is over and that he is safe in an Allied hospital, so that he will divulge Allied invasion plans.

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Plot Keywords:

disorientation | interrogation | lethal injection | cyanide | hair dye | 

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Genres:

War | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Portuguese French

Release Date:

19 February 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

36 horas

Filming Locations:

Portugal

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Cherokee Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color Black and White (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The phony newspapers given to Major Pike, dated 1950, refer to "President Wallace". Henry A. Wallace was Vice President of the United States in 1944, when the film actually takes place. He was not slated on the Democratic ticket later that year and was succeeded as Vice President by Harry S Truman.

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Goofs

When the car drops Pike off at his London headquarters at the beginning of the film, a streetlight across the street is lit. No streetlights were lighted in London during World War II in order to prevent bombers from using their light as guides to their target.

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Quotes

Maj. Walter Gerber: Don't feel badly. Even Dillinger couldn't break out of here!

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Connections

Remade as Breaking Point (1989)

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Soundtracks

"March: News of the Day"
(uncredited)
Music by John Rochetti

User Reviews

Give Me 36 Hours and I'll Give You a Traitor!

This is one of my favorite WW II movies. It's tag line was GIVE ME THIRTY SIX HOURS and I'll give you a traitor. D-Day is upon the Germans defending The Atlantic Wall. The US is about to launch a colossal invasion force on the European continent, but where will the blow strike? To be sure German agents kidnap American Major Pike (James Garner) from neutral Spain and send him deep into Germany where they've set up a Ptomekin village, a US post in an occupied Germany sometime five years hence. The psychologist an American born German serving in the Wehrmacht is to persuade captured Pike that Pike has been suffering from amnesia for five years and has now recovered his long term memory at the cost of losing his recent memory. The setting is idyllic and the gilted cage is cozy, replete with a faux-wife.

Will Pike see through the German plot? A must see unusually well done spy story.