36 HOURS TO DIE

US/Canada, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Treat Williams, Kim Cattrall, Carroll O' Connor, Saul Rubinek, Barbara Eve Harris.
Directed by Yves Simoneau.

36 Hours to Die is an interesting film about Mafia, gangsters and hard-working citizens. The film focuses on factory owner Noah Stone, played by Treat Williams. He has a heart attack. During his recuperation, it emerges that his company is in debt to a union boss with Mafia connections. He is being pressurised to hand over his company to the Mafia or else he and his family will be destroyed.

While this may not be exactly new, the film focuses on the pressure from the criminals as well as the strategies used to defeat them. Saul Rubinek, a well-known face as a supporting actor from so many films, is clearly enjoying himself in one of the most evil roles of his career. Treat Williams is the good solid hero with Kim Cattrall as his wife. Carroll O' Connor, just before he died, plays the uncle, a former policeman. The screenplay was written by Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) and director Yves Simoneau made a number of thrillers including Mother's Boys.

A good combination of character study with thriller.

1. The impact of the film? Its credibility? The company and its debts? The unions and Mafia connections? Police investigations?

2. The city settings, the use of the factory, the homes, the streets, the bowling club? An authentic and credible atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The focus of the film as a study of a man with heart disease trying to cope with crises? The focus on Mafia pressure and tactics? The focus on police investigation, family protection, strategies to overcome the money fraud?

4. The title, the focus on Noah, his heart condition, the stress, Morano and his threats, the thirty-six hours to hand over the money and the company to him? The film's use of time settings throughout?

5. The character of Noah Stone, family man, love for wife, children, domestic scenes? At work, his workers in the factory liking him? His accountant, the finding of the discrepancies, the phone call, his not turning up? Noah and his heart attack, the filming of the attack itself, his losing consciousness, the reactions of people around him? His recuperation, visits to the doctor, warnings about stress? His being fidgety? Going to the factory, discussions with his brother, discovery of the truth? The encounter with Morano, the information about the strikes in the past, the payoffs, the indebtedness, his brother's mismanagement? His brother and his guilt feelings?

6. Noah and his wife going to the police (under cover of going to hospital)? The discussions about strategy, family protection, the police guarding the house - the assassins and their shooting the police, terrorising the family, Noah phoning, Uncle Jack and Noah warding them off? The continued pursuit, the killers, in the factory, the big truck and getting information about Noah's whereabouts? The confrontations in the factory, outside the bowling club, the wounding of one of the killers? The principal killer and the confrontation in the factory, Kim and her killing him with the wrench?

7. The police, ineffectual? The fact that they had hours of taped interviews? That this particular part was a jigsaw piece of a huge puzzle? Their wanting to arrest the criminals and to catch Morano in the act of murder?

8. Uncle Jack, his presence in the family, police admiration for him, the men and the bowling club, the fraternity? Noah calling on them to get information about Morano and his accounts? The information about Morano wanting to kill the Mafia chief, Noah going to him in prison, his not being believed?

9. The plans for the transfer of money, Kim and her abilities, working the computers? The taking of the Mafia's money and putting it into Morano's account? The Mafia chief being released, the dinner, the information about Morano robbing him? The confrontation and Morano's death?

10. Noah, his being taken by Morano, bashed, being held while Morano went to the banquet? Morano and his intention to kill the Mafia chief, his irritation about his saying about the three meals, his practising the killing? Talking with Noah, returning without killing? His about to kill Noah - and his being killed himself?

11. The resolution of the problem? Noah and his health, his almost dying after the attack in the factory, Kim and her support? His returning to the factory, satisfactory resolution? A film of human drama as well as thriller suspense?