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This is an efficient B movie thriller with location shooting in Lebanon. Former Tarzan, Lex Barker is an airline pilot whose passenger plane bound for Athens is diverted to Beirut because of a mechanical problem and they have 24 hours to kill as the mechanics repair the plane.

Mickey Rooney a member of the flight crew starts to act suspicious for a reason as he is being pursued for past misdeed and it is up to the rest of the flight crew to protect him or come to his rescue.

Diminutive actors Michael Medwin and Mickey Rooney steal the show, the former clearly enjoys the action scenes while Rooney plays a deceitful and conniving rogue which is the reason why he is pursued by the criminal underworld of Beirut.

Aside from the location shooting there is little in the production that is above average.

A passenger plane is forced to make an emergency landing in Beirut. The plane needs 24 hours to make repair. Norman Jones (Mickey Rooney) gets entangled with a murderous smuggling ring.

The movie is a bit of a mess. The directing is weak. The opening landing should be a lot more exciting. I guess the lady screaming into the cockpit is suppose to be that. I don't like Norman and I don't really care about his predicament. The only truly compelling aspect is seeing this city, this culture, and this country before it gets destroyed by the civil war. Maybe it serves as a reminder of the time and place.

When a passenger plane makes an emergency landing in Beirut, the pilot, Jamie Faulkner (Lex Barker) and his crew become caught up in criminal activity. Faulkner quickly discovers that his co-pilot (Mickey Rooney) is involved, and that his fellow crooks have reason to be extremely angry with him.

24 HOURS TO KILL is a rather slow-paced "thriller". There are several points where it seems as though something intriguing or exciting is about to happen, only to result in the opposite.

Barker does his best with the tepid material, while Rooney spends his time looking pensive and suspicious by turns. Modern action film-lovers will find few enthralling moments here. It's not terrible, just don't expect a James Bond movie...

The reason to watch this film is for the exotic location as it was back then in the 1960s - hip, jet-set Beirut that benefited from an influx of wealth at the time. There is no sympathy for the major character who is it trouble. Hardly spoiling anything to say that you know from the outset that things aren't as he says - there's little suspense and also little sympathy. Actually Rooney is excellent at playing an annoying little creep - it was apparently his true character.

Great shots, interesting for the cars, the geography, but terrible acting largely and plastic characters.

Don't get me wrong - I'd still watch it, but don't expect much more.

"24 Hours to Kill" is a rather illogical thriller. It could have been a lot better but the script lets you down instead of providing thrills.

A plane has engine trouble and is rerouted to the nearest airport which is in Beirut. However, one member of the crew, Norman Jones (Mickey Rooney) is NOT happy about the plane going to Lebanon. Why? Well, he tells his fellow crew members that some guys in town are out to get him because they are mad at a friend of his...though this is clearly a lie. It turns out Norman was a gold smuggler...though the last time he did it for these 'friends', he absconded with the gold! Now they want him...and even after finding out the story, the plane's captain (Lex Barker) STILL wants to risk his life and the lives of other crew members to protect the guy!

Aside from being able to see the lovely city before it was destroyed in the civil war of the early 1980s, I can't think of much reason to see this movie. It's not just that it's illogical but it's also very slow and talky when it should have had a lot more action and suspense.