MovieChat Forums > 36 Hours (1965) Discussion > Best B&W movie, ever...

Best B&W movie, ever...


Who else here thinks that this is the best story ever??

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I dont know about the best story ever but I thought 36 Hours was definately a very good movie with some great acting. James Garner did a wonderful job and the story was well written.

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the interesting paradox about waking in a pleasant nightmare is whether the prisoner will figure out the scam and play along


HA Andrews

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Garner is excellent is a role that demands understatement. If you see the film take note of these two moments: first, when he awakens and looks in the mirror and sees himself "six years older"; second, when he knocks over the salt shaker and rediscovers the paper cut he got "six years earlier".

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one of the best wwII thrillers,looking for it on dvdsearched everywhere!!

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[deleted]

this is one of the best certainly ,,, in the old days war films were generally made in B& W ... I believe one of the earliest made in color was NONE BUT THE BRAVE

Long Live the Pax Amerikana, Lets all live in a WWII movie

a cheery cherio!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA Andrews

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Great idea for a film and well made.



"sick or no *beep* sick, you knew people were going to get clipped"

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there was a re-make of this in the 80s that was positively aweful. the superiority of this version starring james garner and none but the brave was the portrayal of the enemy as human. who is the enemy? it is ourself!

a cheery cherio

HA Andrews

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Do you know where I might buy a copy of the original version? This is the favorite movie of a good friend of mine and he has been looking forever. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Johnny

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i made a quick search at b&n. they have just about evey garner title except 36 hours. you might try to see if your local library has the title on VCR. it's as they say out of print.

HA Andrews

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Since it's showing today on TCM, and will again in June, perhaps it will soon appear on DVD.

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love most of it. but it is 2/3 of a terrific movie, tension-filled. the last 1/3 unravels, and just meanders into an ordinary escape thriller. Garner is good as always, but the best performance is by Rod Taylor as the bogus doctor.

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excellent cast and great acting, compelling all the way through. how did you like John Bannermann better known as Sergeant (Feldwebel) Schultz as the corrupt Volkstrum borderguard?

HA Andrews

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Did you catch James "Beam me up Scotty" Doohan as a british soldier toward the beginning? His voice and accent were unmistakable.

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It has been many years since I saw 36 hours. It is a fine film with many great performances including in cameo performance of John Bannermann in character as lovable, corruptible Sergeant Schultz but I do not remember James Drohan as a British soldier. Interestingly James had been at D-Day in the Canadian Army and was severely wounded. And while that voice has been trademarked on American TV as the voice of Scotland, he was of Irish extraction from a family that fled Ulster during the Anglo - Irish War. Why he fought for Britain is a mystery.

A Cheery Cherio
HA Andrews

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I'm not sure its that much of a mystery.

After some deliberation in the Canadian Parliament, Canada declared war on Germany in early September 1939. I don't know enough about Doohan's background (did he ever write a biography?) but whether he volunteered for military service or was drafted, I see him as fighting for Canada rather than the British.

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due respect to canadian independence, in 1939 there was no difference. canada along with the other semi-inependent dominions declared war in britain's favor. why anyone affected by the anglo irish war would take up arms for the king rather than respectfully cut and run is a mystery

HA Andrews

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Perhaps because he saw himself as more Canadian than Irish? By comparison, Americans of Japanese ancestry who lost their property and were interned in camps put all that behind them and fought in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. They saw themselves not as Japanese but as Americans.

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Near the end, Bannerman (Sgt. Schultz on "Hogan") shows the dead body of Schack to the other home guard soldier, who is played by Sig Ruman (the original Sgt. Schultz from STALAG 17). That's almost as good a pairing as the final shot of CAPRICORN ONE with Elliott Gould and James Brolin (both of whom were/are Mr. Barbra Streisand).

"I think it would be fun to run a newspaper"

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Awesome observation!



I just saw this again on TNT as well, and I didn't even realize the pairing until you, jedediah41, posted it.

Great moment in the film and great of you pointing it out.



Live deep and long.

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36 hours is a fantastic movie not only for its interesting hypothesis but also for its skillful use of stereotypes and type cast actors ... and i think its james garner's finest movie ... still, i can't figure james droohan fighting for england

HA Andrews

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This was a good film, but my list of Best B&W movies ever would be (in no particular order):

- The Third Man
- Casablanca
- Citizen Kane
- Sunset Boulevard
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Some Like it Hot

The six films above are ALL tie as my favorite B&W films (each for a different reason)...plus about 15 other B&W films which I would rank ahead of this one...but that's just my opinion.

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Showing again right now on TCM.

I have GOT to burn this to DVD and add it to the library at the school at which I work. I think some History teachers would like it.


Live deep and long.

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I suppose this may sound sarcastic and I don't wish any ill will, but I think there are probably at least a few hundred B&W movies better than this one.

"The more you drive, the less intelligent you are"
-- Repo Man

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no



When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

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