The Day and the Hour (1963): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1963, The Day and the Hour is an action, drama and war film directed by René Clément, running about 110 minutes. “In the twilight of her youth... she fought to hold her American!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. It's the spring of 1944 and Therese is in a hurry to get back to Paris. The trains aren't running from the village where she has gone to visit her father's grave and to fill two suitcases with food. Some British and American planes have been shot down and the Germans want to know where the pilots are hiding. An acquaintance has clearance to drive to Paris with a truckload of goats. After she is in the truck Therese discovers that two British pilots and an American pilot are back there with the goats. She must get the men on a train to Paris and to a safe house there, where there is no room for the American. Can she leave him at the Metro station trying to figure out the map?

Who’s in it. The Day and the Hour stars Simone Signoret as Thérèse Dutheil, Stuart Whitman as le capitaine Allan Morley, Geneviève Page as Agathe and Michel Piccoli as Antoine, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Day and the Hour has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Day and the Hour page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Day and the Hour tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.