"36 hours" (1965): 1 hour and 15 minutes of entertainment

I liked this cover!

...minus 5 minutes at the beginning were some soldiers talk about the plans showing maps (zzz).

Well, the evening hadn't started very well because I had chosen to see Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot and it seems that I'm not mature enough to see that kind of plot-less comedy (neither my dad or my brother). So we were almost falling asleep and decided to change the film and I picked 36 hours (1965; George Seaton), a movie I hadn't seen before.

And it was very, very entertaining. Unexpectedly entertaining. James Garner plays Major Jefferson Pike, a guy who knows all the details about the D-day, due to occur in 6 days. But, oh, the Germans capture him and develop a great plan by German Major/Doctor Rod Taylor: when James wakes up, they will make him believe that years have passed and USA and Germany are great friends and he's suffering from amnesia. They have 36 HOURS to make him talk about that old plan of "yesteryear".

Eva Marie Saint plays a woman that is playing a nurse that's supposed to be James Garner's wife in this fake picture. Get it? Eva's character has her own scars and that's always interesting: "will she finally help our hero and maybe have an opportunity to be happy? With James Garner? Will she? Uh? UH? But James, why are you slapping her? Aww, now they're looking into each other eyes...". Etc, that sort of things. (Boys, I know you like romance in thriller movies, too, so don't roll eyes at me. Ask Hitchcock.)

Then you learn that every character in the movie has their own reasons to do what they're doing: some are trying to leave the past behind, others don't have another choice, others want fame and glory, etc. And while you're realizing that, James Garner is realizing that's he's been fooled and there's tension and you root for him and want him to escape (with Eva Marie Saint) and BOOM, you're having a blast watching a movie (maybe boom is not the best onomatopoeia).

There are great secondary characters: Werner Peters plays an SS officer that doesn't like wasting time playing pretend tea parties and wants to torture Garner, plain and simple. He's so stupid and brutal and at the same time has more power than Rod Taylor. That's a bad combination. Also good and solid was John Barner as a funny German soldier that helps our protagonists, contributing with a few comic relief parts.

I liked the ending, it wasn't completely cheesy but it had a cheesy component (if you have seen this or saw it after you read my super review: the tear! It was necessary, but a bit forced). So we could say it was che. If you want, watch this trailer: they repeat "36 hours" like 36 times and tell the whole film, but makes you want to see it:

Have a great week! See ya @ The Loving Lucy Blogathon :)

PS - THANKS TO EVERYONE who participated in the last When I say, you say game, you rock, I'll make a photo result post soon!