The Longest Day (1962)

The events of D-Day, told on a grand scale from both the Allied and German points of view.

Directors:

Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton

Writers:

Cornelius Ryan (screenplay), Cornelius Ryan (book)

Stars:

John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton

Won 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Albert	...	Col. Thompson
Paul Anka	...	U.S. Army Ranger
Arletty	...	Madame Barrault
Jean-Louis Barrault	...	Father Louis Roulland
Richard Beymer	...	Pvt. Dutch Schultz
Hans Christian Blech	...	Maj. Werner Pluskat
Bourvil	...	Mayor of Colleville
Richard Burton	...	Flying Officer David Campbell
Wolfgang Büttner	...	Maj. Gen. Dr. Hans Speidel
Red Buttons	...	Pvt. John Steele
Pauline Carton	...	Maid
Sean Connery	...	Pvt. Flanagan
Ray Danton	...	Capt. Frank
Irina Demick	...	Janine Boitard (as Irina Demich)
Fred Dur	...	U.S. Army Ranger Major

Storyline

In 1944, the U.S. Army and Allied forces plan a huge invasion landing in Normandy, France. Despite bad weather, General Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the okay and the Allies land at Normandy. General Norma Cota travels with his men onto Omaha Beach. With much effort, and lost life, they get off the beach, traveling deep into French territory. The German military, due to arrogance, ignorance and a sleeping Adolf Hitler, delay their response to the Allied landing, with crippling results.

---

Plot Keywords:

world war two | invasion | d day | normandy | allies | 

---

Taglines:

This is the day that changed the world... When history held its breath.

---

Genres:

Action | Drama | History | War

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

4 October 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Longest Day

Filming Locations:

Bénouville, Calvados, France

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$39,100,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$50,100,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Darryl F. Zanuck Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

178 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Robinson (Admiral Ramsay) took part in the D-Day landings.

---

Goofs

During the go/no go sequence, a jet can be heard flying overhead as the naval representative is speaking.

---

Quotes

Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin: And remember this... When you get to Normandy, you'll only have one friend - God
[picks up a rifle]
Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin: and this.

---

Crazy Credits

Although the end credits begin with the phrase "in alphabetical order", John Wayne is listed last even though he is not last alphabetically (although he was "nearly" last).

---

Alternate Versions

Some video copies omit Jeffrey Hunter's "dear John discussion" with a fellow soldier abourd a troop transport. Jean Servais' part as a French admiral giving a speech about firing upon one's homeland was cut out too.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Middle: Thanksgiving IV (2012)

---

Soundtracks

Lambeth Walk
(uncredited)
Music by Noel Gay
Lyrics by Douglas Furber
Sung by the British soldiers on the glider

User Reviews

A Flawed Film But A Great Tribute To Courage

Despite being a classic war movie THE LONGEST DAY is very flawed as a production . Did someone say there's just too many stars in this movie ? If so I agree . Look at the way they're introduced , Mister big name movie star has back to camera , he turns round and wow we're looking at a big name movie star . All this is somewhat distracting .

It should also be pointed out that many of the cast are let down by Corneilus Ryan's script . Ryan wrote the definitive account of the last year of the war via his trilogy THE LONGEST DAY , A BRIDGE TOO FAR and THE LAST BATTLE , he was a truly great historian but it's obvious he couldn't master the technicalities of screen writing , his characters are more like caricatures with the Americans all being butch and macho while the Europeans are somewhat eccentric save for a few Englishmen who have stiff upper lips . Like HG Wells with THINGS TO COME Ryan writes dialogue that sounds suspiciously like thought processes , an example being where the rangers fight their way into a bunker only to find it's a decoy and someone says " You mean we came all the way up here for nothing ? " . You can almost imagine the passage in the book saying " it was obvious to the men who had survived the battle , so obvious that no one dare say it but they'd fought their way to the bunker for nothing "

Despite that I will congratulate Ryan and everyone else involved in the production for pointing out that the 6th of June was a multi national effort to free Western Europe from the Nazi jackboot , Brits , Yanks and the Free French are represented ( Not sure about the Canadians but ? ) unlike the rather overrated SAVING PRIVATE RYAN that seems to indicate that D Day was an American solo effort THE LONGEST DAY is far more accurate and subjective as to what happened on the day . The script also has the temerity to suggest that the allies didn't win the battle but the Nazis lost due to the military incompetence of Hitler . It should be remembered that despite the overwhelming fire power of the allies they could have easily have been massacred on the beaches and that the Normandy landings was probably the most complicated military endeavor in all of military history

A word of warning - If you ever watch this movie only see the widescreen version because the technical aspects are awesome . The outstanding scene is where a few Americans sit on a bunk playing cards and one of them stands up pleading " Hey guys , anyone got five bucks , ten bucks , anyone got twenty bucks " . At this point the camera quickly pans out and the sound crashes in making the audience realize that the scene is set in a billets with hundreds of soldiers . Needless to say this scene is totally ruined when it's watched on a scanned copy

THE LONGEST DAY is a flawed film but a great tribute to the men who fought in that campaign . As the veterans who fought there gather tomorrow for the 60th anniversary along with politicians who didn't have the guts to join the military but are very happy to use it for political gain I'd just like to say a big thank you to all the men who fought there . Thank you to one and all . If it weren't for you I wouldn't be here now