Search - 36 Hours on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1964 DVD Release: 06/05/2007 Format: DVD - Black and White,Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 55 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Members Wishing: 11 Genres: War, War Drama

In 1950, Maj. Jefferson Pike (James Garner), an Army intelligence agent who served with distinction in World War II, awakens in a hospital with severe amnesia. He isn't sure where he is, how he got there, or even who the woman at his side is, even though the doctor tells him that her name is Anna (Eva Marie Saint) and that she is his wife. The doctor instructs Pike to recall, in as much detail as possible, what he was doing before the accident that caused his traumatic memory loss. But the doctor isn't a doctor, Anna isn't Pike's wife, it isn't 1950, and he isn't in an American hospital. World War II is still very much in progress, and Pike is being duped in an elaborate scheme prepared by Maj. Walter Gerber (Rod Taylor), a German intelligence agent. Gerber is trying to trick a drugged and suggestible Pike into telling him everything he knows, as the injured soldier lies in a Bavarian military hospital after being taken prisoner. Will Pike be able to see through the cracks in Gerber's facade before he spills the beans that could mean death and defeat for American soldiers? 36 Hours was later remade for TV under the title Breaking Point. TV fans will want to keep an eye peeled for bit parts by James Doohan from Star Trek and John Banner from Hogan's Heroes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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

George Seaton's 36 Hours (1964) never should have been shot in Panavision -- that's the first thing one realizes on watching this DVD release. The black-and-white movie has been transferred letterboxed (2.35-to-1) with a sharp, richly contrasted image, but the widescreen format doesn't work for the director or the actors, or the story. Still, that's how it was photographed and there's no way around it, so the letterboxing is essential even in the process behind it was unneeded and unwanted. The movie has been issued by Warner Home Video with minimal bonus features, its own trailer plus a pair of trailers for thematically-related James Garner titles. The 12 chapters are just adequate to the structure of the movie, but no more than adequate, and the volume is set rather low, although it does boost up nicely through speakers and is sharp enough to bring out all of the dialogue nuances and the details of Dimitri Tiomkin's music. The disc opens automatically to a simple two-layer menu. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide