36 HOURS
US, 1965, 115 minutes, Black and white.
James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Taylor, Werner Peters.
Directed by George Seaton.
36 Hours is based on a story by Roald Dahl, better known for his children’s stories, especially Willy Wonka, Matilda and the Witches. It was directed by George Seaton who had a strong career with a range of films which he also wrote including The Miracle on 34th Street, the film about the Berlin siege, The Big Lift, Grace Kelly’s Oscar-winning film The Country Girl, The Proud and the Profane. In 1962 he made another film about World War Two and betrayal, The Counterfeit Traitor. One of his final films was Airport.
The film is interesting in its basic premise. The Nazis capture an American officer, try to brainwash him into thinking that World War Two is over so that he will reveal the information about the allied invasion of Europe. James Garner is the officer and Eva Marie Saint plays the nurse who is coerced into being part of the elaborate confidence trick. The film also starred Rod Taylor.
The film has suspense intention – and is one of those very interesting stories based on hypotheses about what might have happened (the kind of thing that Jack Higgins does in his novels, especially The Eagle Has Landed).
1. Was this a good thriller? Why? What were the main features that engaged audience involvement?
2. Emotional response during this film? Especially to the basic methods of brainwashing and deception, and to the central hero? Why? On what responses and feelings did the film play? On what human fears?
3. Was the story plausible? Did such things happen during World War II? Was the idea a good one for war purposes?
4. With whom did you identify? How much with Geoff Pike? Why? How much with Anna? Did you identify at all with Walter?
5. The theme of torture? Reaction to the basic idea of torturing a man by eliminating his past? By deceiving him about his future? The torture of Anna in the concentration camps? Enforcing her to this job? The physical torture of Pike and Anna? The SS torture of Walter as regards his work and morale? Did you identify at all with Walter?
6. Pike a convincing hero? What kind of man was he? His aloofness when he discovered the truth? The need for escape and his response to these situations? Did he do the right thing at all times?
7. Anna: Did you like her when she was working against Pike? Were you relieved when you found that she had been forced into the work? Why? Why did she feel that she had to prove something to herself? How important was self respect to her? Why could she not weep? Was the end convincing as she vent off and wept?
8. Walter and his plan: Sympathy for him as a man? As a psychologist? In his relationship with Pike? response to the opposition from Shact? Why was it important for him to succeed? His self respect? What Nazi beliefs did he really have? Was his helping Pike to escape convincing? The fact that he would be killed? Why was it important to know when Pike had discovered the truth?
9. The role of Shact? Audience response to him as an SS man, as a Nazi? What aspects of Nazism did he embody? Why was he repellent? What was your reaction to his being killed?
10. The morality of the plan? Was this possible for use for good purposes? What effect would it have on a man's psychology and his personality when he discovered the truth? Could its use thus be justified?
11. Why was the film suspenseful?
12. The picture of collaborators during the war? Their heroism, their helping of others, what else could they do?
13. Was the escape well filmed? Why?
