36 Hours

An introductory newsreel sets the stage for the historical context of WWII. It highlights the imminent D-Day invasion, emphasizing the secrecy surrounding the date and the designated beaches involved.

On May 31, 1944, American army major Jefferson Pike arrives at Allied Forces HQ in London to discuss invasion preparations. The high-ranking officials express their skepticism about whether their deception efforts have successfully misled the Germans.

After discussions, Pike is tasked with a risky mission to Lisbon to meet a German double agent. He expresses his concerns about the potential dangers of capture, but his superiors insist that the intelligence is worth the risk.

As Pike boards a flight out of London disguised in civilian clothes, a German spy spots him and alerts her superiors. Meanwhile, another German spy enters Pike's hotel room to collect personal belongings that could be used against him.

Upon arrival in Lisbon, Pike meets his contact at a nightclub but soon realizes he's been drugged. Soon after passing out, he finds himself captured by the Germans, put into a coffin, and flown back to Germany.

In Germany, Pike awakens to discover an elaborate deception orchestrated by Major Walter Gerber, a military psychiatrist. Gerber's mission is to extract vital invasion secrets from Pike, who believes he is in an American military hospital post-war.

Pike is manipulated into believing that it is now May 1950 and that he is recovering from severe amnesia due to an incident in Lisbon. Gerber, along with nurse Anna Hedler, reinforces this falsified history to confuse Pike further.

During therapy sessions, Pike, still struggling with his memory, inadvertently discloses information about the Normandy invasion sites. Gerber seizes this opportunity to extract more critical details while maintaining the ruse.

Pike recalls the paper cut he received two days earlier in London, leading him to question the authenticity of his surroundings. This revelation triggers a confrontation with Anna, who admits her involvement in the plot.

Realizing the deception, Pike devises a plan to escape the facility while feigning ignorance about the plot. He instructs Anna to shout for help, creating a distraction that allows him to slip away unnoticed.

After his escape, Pike meets Gerber one last time, where they discuss the implications of the Normandy information he revealed. Despite the deception, Gerber shows signs of moral conflict over his role in the scheme.

With the SS alerted to Pike's escape, Major Gerber formulates a daring plan to ensure his research on psychological trauma survives. He helps Pike and Anna escape, hoping to protect them from the SS.

As Pike and Anna make their way to freedom, they are pursued by a zealous SS officer determined to recapture them. The stakes are high as this chase could cost them their lives if they fail to cross the border.

As they approach the Swiss border, Pike and Anna hold onto hope for a new life free from the horrors they have experienced. The tensions mount as they navigate obstacles in their path, knowing their freedom depends on speed and stealth.