36 Hours (1965)

Director:

George Seaton

Writers:

George Seaton (screenplay)
Roald Dahl (story)

Release Date:

19 February 1965 (USA)

Genre:

War | Thriller

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Torture | Espionage | Psychology | Concentration Camp Survivor | Normandy

Cast

James Garner	...	Major Jefferson Pike
Eva Marie Saint	...	Anna Hedler
Rod Taylor	...	Major Walter Gerber
Werner Peters	...	Otto Schack
John Banner	...	Ernst
Russell Thorson	...	General Allison
Alan Napier	...	Colonel Peter MacLean
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	Lt. Colonel Ostermann (as Oscar Beregi)
Ed Gilbert	...	Captain Abbott
Sig Ruman	...	German Guard
Celia Lovsky	...	Elsa
Karl Held	...	Corporal Kenter
Martin Kosleck	...	Kraatz
Marjorie Bennett	...	Charwoman
Henry Rowland	...	German Soldier

Also Known As:

Thirty Six Hours (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Portuguese | French

Color:

Color | Black and White (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (Certificate #20743) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Portugal

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Factual errors: The postcard from Lisbon reads "Sudações de Lisboa". It should be "Saudações" instead.

Quotes:

Maj. Jefferson F. Pike: [Maj. Pike, Col. MacLean and Gen. Allison are debating the likelihood of the Nazis expecting the Allied invasion] "Time" magazine predicts it's going to be the first week of June. You know something, I have a hunch that, uh, German intelligence is almost as smart.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Remington Steele: Forged Steele (#4.5)" (1985)

Soundtrack:

Mairzy Doats

The Opening MUSIC Is the Tip off to this film's QUALITY

If you really listen to the very first moments of the opening music, and if you know something of music, then you'll immediately recognize that the Composer (Dmitri Tiomkin ) was not messing around with THIS score. Tiomkin wrote a beautifully impending theme, internally driven, colored with adventure, suspended by taught phrases, and completely in line, and easily telling, of the quality of everything about this movie. ( My thought was that if Tiomkin wasn't messing around, no one else would be messing around either. This movie HAS IT ALL. )

When I heard those first opening passages, especially the quiet and complex timpani part, then I knew I was in for a really OUTSTANDING FILM. So, right then, I put off an important meeting, because I felt the movie would be as good as the music score. If you encounter this movie, put off anything else, except medical emergencies, and WATCH THIS MOVIE. ! !

Life's too short to miss this one, so watch it - NOW ! Yes, NOW !