History Film / ThirtySixHours1965

* AllGermansAreNazis: Refreshingly {{averted}}. Gerber expresses distaste for the SS, was forced to help trick foreign agents into giving information with the amnesia ploy, then helps Pike and Hedler escape near the end. He tries to stop Schack when he's after them, but fails. Then there is the German smuggling ring who help people escape into Switzerland, one of whom roundly mocks Hitler. Hedler, naturally, is also no Nazi, having been sent to a concentration camp. The SS officer Schack is especially suspicious when Gerber's story of how the Allies won involves the Army overthrowing Hitler in a coup, killing him, and the SS (along with its leader Himmler) being purged, wondering acidly if it's "wish fulfillment".

* AllGermansAreNazis: Refreshingly {{averted}}. Gerber expresses distaste for the SS, was forced to help trick foreign agents into giving information with the amnesia ploy, then helps Pike and Hedler escape near the end. He tries to stop Schack when he's after them, but fails. Then there is the German smuggling ring who help people escape into Switzerland, one of whom roundly mocks Hitler. Hedler, naturally, is also no Nazi, having been sent to a concentration camp. The SS officer Schack is especially suspicious when Gerber's story of how the Allies won involves the Army overthrowing Hitler in a coup, killing him, and the SS (along with its leader Himmler) being purged, wonders if it's "wish fulfillment".

* AllGermansAreNazis: Refreshingly {{averted}}. Gerber expresses distaste for the SS, was forced to help trick foreign agents into giving information with the amnesia ploy, then helps Pike and Hedler escape near the end. He tries to stop Schack when he's after them, but fails. Then there is the German smuggling ring who help people escape into Switzerland, one of whom roundly mocks Hitler. Hedler, naturally, is also no Nazi, having been sent to a concentration camp.

* AmnesiaDanger: Inverted. Pike doesn't have amnesia. He just is being made to think he does.

* DamnYouMuscleMemory: Upon beginning to suspect the ruse, Pike barks an order at a supposed hospital staff member, who promptly clicks his heels in classic German fashion.

* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Dr Gerber]]

* IGaveMyWord: Pike and Hedler go back for the case notes [[spoiler: that Gerber had made about real amnesia patients before his scientific idealism was corrupted, in order to fulfil their promise to him]].

* LockedOutOfTheLoop / MassiveMultiplayerScam: an entire cast of English-speaking German agents work together to deceive Pike.

* TrappedInVillainy: [[spoiler: Anna Hedler]]

''36 Hours'' is a 1965 WorldWarII film directed by George Seaton, starring James Garner, Rod Taylor, and Eva Marie Saint. It was adapted from a short story by Creator/RoaldDahl.

''36 Hours'' is a 1965 WorldWarII film directed by George Seaton, starring James Garner, Rod Taylor, and Eva Marie Saint.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/poster219251.jpg]]

"36 Hours" is a WorldWarII film set just before D-Day. The Germans drug and capture Major Jefferson Pike, an American intelligence officer on a mission to Lisbon. They know he was briefed on the planned time and place of the invasion. How to make him talk freely?

When he wakes, he is told that he has lost all memory of the last six years. That's right, Major, it's 1950. Yes, of course the Allies won the war back in 1944. You are in a U.S. military hospital in Occupied Germany while we treat your most recent bout of amnesia. Now, as part of your therapy, tell us the last thing you remember . . .

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: an entire cast of English-speaking German agents work together to deceive Pike.
* MaintainTheLie
* MassiveMultiplayerScam

When he wakes, he is told that he has lost all memory of the last six years. That's right, Major, it's 1950. Yes, of course the Allies won the war back in 1944. You are in a U.S. military hospital in Occupied Germany while we treat your most recent bout of amnesia. Now, as part of your therapy, tell us the last thing you remember...

* {{Chessmaster}}: Gerber

When he wakes, he is told that he has lost all memory of the last six years. That's right, Major, it's 1950. Yes, of course the Allies won the war back in 1944. You are in a U.S. military hospital in Occupied Germany while we treat your most recent bout of amnesia. Now, as part of your therapy, what is the last thing you remember?

* {{Chessmaster}}: Gerber'

* {{Chessmaster}}: Gerber

* AmnesiaDanger: inverted. Pike doesn't have amnesia. He just is being made to think he does.
* AmnesiacLover: inverted. Pike is led to believe that he fell in love with and married Anna Hedler during the period he cannot remember.
* BittersweetEnding: if you were expecting wedding bells, think again. The winds of war take the lead characters in different directions. But there is a hint that Anna Hedler has regained the ability to feel.

* JustOneLittleMistake: Pike notices that [[spoiler: the paper cut he got in England still has not healed.]]

* OnlyInItForTheMoney: the amiably corrupt Sergeant Ernst who helps them escape [[spoiler: and shoots the evil SS officer, Schack, rather than have Schack spoil his profitable people-smuggling business]].

When he wakes, he is told that he has lost all memory of the last six years. That's right, Major, it's 1950. Yes, of course the Allies won the war back in 1944. You are in a military hospital in Occupied Germany while we treat your most recent bout of amnesia. Now, as part of your therapy, what is the last thing you remember?

* IGaveMyWord: Pike and Hedler go back for the case notes, [[spoiler: to fulfil their promise to Dr Gerber]].

* FakedRipVanWinkle

* LockedOutOfTheLoop

* ForegoneConclusion: We all know that the D-Day landings will achieve surprise.

"36 Hours" is a WorldWarII film set just before D-Day. The Germans drug and capture an American intelligence officer on a mission to Lisbon. They know he was briefed on the planned time and place of the invasion. How to make him talk freely?

AmnesiaDanger: inverted. Pike doesn't have amnesia. He just is being made to think he does.

{{Chessmaster}}: Gerber

ForegoneConclusion: We all know that the D-Day landings will achieve surprise.

HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Dr Gerber]]

IGaveMyWord: Pike and Hedler go back for the case notes, [[spoiler: to fulfil their promise to Dr Gerber]].

LockedOutOfTheLoop

MaintainTheLie

{{Chessmaster}}

When he wakes, he is told that he has lost all memory of the last six years. That's right, Major, it's 1950. Yes, of course the Allies won the war back in 1944. You are in a military hospital in Occupied Germany. Now, as part of your therapy, what is the last thing you remember?