Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

The Longest Day

  • 1962
  • G
  • 2h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
61K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,553
783
Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Sean Connery, Sal Mineo, Eddie Albert, Richard Beymer, Red Buttons, Jeffrey Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Paul Anka, Arletty, Mel Ferrer, Steve Forrest, Gert Fröbe, Fabian, Jean-Louis Barrault, Bourvil, Ray Danton, Irina Demick, Leo Genn, Henry Grace, John Gregson, Paul Hartmann, Werner Hinz, Curd Jürgens, Alexander Knox, Peter Lawford, Christian Marquand, Kenneth More, Edmond O'Brien, Ron Randell, Madeleine Renaud, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, Richard Todd, Tom Tryon, Peter van Eyck, and Stuart Whitman in The Longest Day (1962)
Theatrical Trailer from 20th Century Fox
Play trailer3:08
1 Video
99+ Photos
EpicHistorical EpicPeriod DramaWar EpicActionDramaHistoryWar

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

  • Directors
    • Ken Annakin
    • Andrew Marton
    • Gerd Oswald
  • Writers
    • Cornelius Ryan
    • Romain Gary
    • James Jones
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Robert Ryan
    • Richard Burton
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    61K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,553
    783
    • Directors
      • Ken Annakin
      • Andrew Marton
      • Gerd Oswald
    • Writers
      • Cornelius Ryan
      • Romain Gary
      • James Jones
    • Stars
      • John Wayne
      • Robert Ryan
      • Richard Burton
    • 288User reviews
    • 54Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 8 wins & 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Longest Day
    Trailer 3:08
    The Longest Day

    Photos203

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 196
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    John Wayne
    John Wayne
    • Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort
    Robert Ryan
    Robert Ryan
    • Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
    Richard Burton
    Richard Burton
    • Flight Officer David Campbell
    Henry Fonda
    Henry Fonda
    • Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
    Eddie Albert
    Eddie Albert
    • Col. Thompson
    Paul Anka
    Paul Anka
    • U.S. Army Ranger
    Arletty
    Arletty
    • Madame Barrault
    Jean-Louis Barrault
    Jean-Louis Barrault
    • Father Louis Roulland
    Richard Beymer
    Richard Beymer
    • Pvt. Dutch Schultz
    Hans Christian Blech
    Hans Christian Blech
    • Maj. Werner Pluskat
    Bourvil
    Bourvil
    • Mayor of Colleville
    Wolfgang Büttner
    Wolfgang Büttner
    • Maj. Gen. Dr. Hans Speidel
    Red Buttons
    Red Buttons
    • Pvt. John Steele
    Pauline Carton
    Pauline Carton
    • Maid
    Sean Connery
    Sean Connery
    • Pvt. Flanagan
    Ray Danton
    Ray Danton
    • Capt. Frank
    Irina Demick
    Irina Demick
    • Janine Boitard
    • (as Irina Demich)
    Fred Dur
    • U.S. Army Ranger Major
    • Directors
      • Ken Annakin
      • Andrew Marton
      • Gerd Oswald
    • Writers
      • Cornelius Ryan
      • Romain Gary
      • James Jones
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews288

    7.761.1K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    mrcaw12

    Classic WWII Film!!

    The Longest Day (1962) - CO-Directors: Ken Annakin & Andrew Morton Everyone knows this was producer Darryl F. Zanuck's baby and it earns its place in cinema history as one of those epic style movies that treats its subject matter with the most serious of attitudes. Obviously a war is no laughing matter but, for better or worse, movies tend to simplify logistics while highlighting emotional chords, such as bravery and homemade apple pie. Zanuck, however, wanted the audience to understand the scope and grandeur of an enterprise like D-Day.

    Utilizing a cast of thousands, half of which seemed to be cameo appearances by major stars of the day, Zanuck presents on wide screen all the action and turmoil that surrounded this turning point of WW II. The ever-fighting Republican John Wayne is there, along with Democrat Henry Fonda, tough guy Bob Mitchum, brooding Richard Burton, sexy Sean Connery and pit bullish Rod Steiger. Still for my money, one of the best landing on the beach scenes ever filmed. Sorry Mr.Spielberg. (B&W)
    cariart

    An Unforgettable Overview of an Epic Battle!

    'The Longest Day' is perhaps the greatest dramatic record of one of the defining moments in world history. After the intimacy of 'Saving Private Ryan', many critics have accused it of being a 'sanitized' version of the Normandy Invasion, but it is a different kind of film, entirely! While Steven Speilberg's aim was to personalize the horror facing the first wave of troops to hit the beach, Producer Darryl F. Zanuck, a D-Day vet, himself, wanted to create a mosaic of the myriad of personalities, events, and experiences that shaped the day. It is a film that looks objectively at all the forces who fought this epic battle, wisely casting major stars of each country to portray actual and fictitious characters. This was a bold move at the time, as subtitles are used extensively, giving the film has a uniquely international flavor. This is not your usual war film with 'American actors doing funny accents'!

    There are many standout performances; a few that deserve particular recognition are Richard Burton's war-weary RAF pilot, the last survivor of his original squadron; Dietmar Schönherr as one of the few remaining Luftwaffe pilots, faced with the impossible order of stopping the invasion with two airplanes; Jeffrey Hunter, a young sergeant who is 'Dear John'ed and faces the horrendous Omaha landing; a pre-James Bond Sean Connery as a cocky Irish infantryman; Red Buttons, as a paratrooper whose chute snags on a church tower, and is forced to view the carnage as Germans annihilate jumpers dropping into a French town square; and John Wayne (himself a war film icon), as Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort, the Airborne commander, who impatiently waits for the 'Go' order, then breaks his ankle jumping into Normandy.

    Filled with drama, humor, and pathos, 'The Longest Day' works on many levels, and is never dull! Over forty years after its initial release, it's semi-documentary style still seems as fresh and engrossing as ever, and works equally well viewed by itself, or paired with 'Saving Private Ryan'.

    It should be an essential part of your film library!
    8phantomsteve_

    Still a classic after 42 years!

    Invariably compared with "Saving Private Ryan" (SPR), this scores over the more modern work because of the focus on all the major sides of the action (British, American, French and German).

    All languages are used (with subtitles as appropriate - eg the Germans speak in German, etc).

    While true that the battle scenes are not gory as SPR's, and that the sounds of battle are muted during the dialog (unlike SPR's), it should be borne in mind that in '62, the audience rating of the time *was* a General Release ("G" in the US, "A" in the UK (I'm guessing for the UK, but it is now PG)) - which more detail would not have allowed.

    I think part of the purpose of this film is to allow *everyone* to see what happened 18 years before!
    Buck_Thruster

    The last good WW2 film made by people "who were there"

    This is perhaps one of the most ambitious, epic WW2 films to have been made; certainly it is the last of the classic B&W films made about the subject. Featuring an all-star cast (John Wayne, Richard Burton, Kurt Jurgens... even a cameo by Sean Connery!), it comprehensively details the build-up and execution of the Normandy landings in 1944, taking care to show how the event was perceived by Allied and Axis soldiers and commanders, as well as the Free French resistance. This is a film that takes great care in documenting the events of the day, without lapsing into sickly sentimentalism or getting distracted with fictional characters' personal lives (a failing of many WW2 movies since about 1970), or over-emphasising any one nation's importance in the operation (although, admittedly, Canadians may feel a little short-changed).

    Classic moments abound, notably the landing at St.Mere-Eglise and the soldier who gets caught in the church steeple, the frustrations of the front-line German commanders and fighters, and the numerous cameos for film nerds to keep track of.

    If you want a wartime romance, or an appearance by Matt Damon or Ben Affleck, or long, loving shots of the Stars & Stripes in slo-mo, or a gritty blood'n'guts fest, you'll be disappointed. This film has broader concerns, and was made with much more thoroughness. There is no agenda at work here, pro-war or anti-. It is solely concerned with documenting Operation "Overlord" for the film-going public, and succeeds brilliantly; a shame then, that it has not made the top 50 war films list.

    A must-see for any fan of war films.
    windsong05

    Not a fair comparison

    THE LONGEST DAY is one of the if not the greatest World War II movie epics. However, it is unfair to compare it to Steven Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. To do so would really be comparing apples and oranges. Spielberg's movie was meant to convey the gore and horror of war and succeeded quite admirably. In THE LONGEST DAY, which was shot in semi-documentary style, Zanuck's intent was to show the monumental effort involved, on the part of the allies, in mounting a successful cross channel invasion. In that regard this film also succeeded quite admirably. It should be regarded more as a history lesson rather than as simply dramatic entertainment. The historical value of the film far outweighs any minor dramatic licenses taken by Zanuck.

    More like this

    A Bridge Too Far
    7.4
    A Bridge Too Far
    Tora! Tora! Tora!
    7.5
    Tora! Tora! Tora!
    The Guns of Navarone
    7.5
    The Guns of Navarone
    Where Eagles Dare
    7.6
    Where Eagles Dare
    Battle of Britain
    6.9
    Battle of Britain
    Battle of the Bulge
    6.8
    Battle of the Bulge
    The Dirty Dozen
    7.7
    The Dirty Dozen
    Patton
    7.9
    Patton
    Kelly's Heroes
    7.6
    Kelly's Heroes
    The Eagle Has Landed
    6.9
    The Eagle Has Landed
    In Harm's Way
    7.3
    In Harm's Way
    The Green Berets
    5.6
    The Green Berets

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      While clearing a section of the Normandy beach near Pointe du Hoc, the crew unearthed a tank that had been buried in the sand since the original invasion. Mechanics cleaned it off, fixed it up and it was used in the movie as part of the British tank regiment.
    • Goofs
      When the two men are on the rocking boat in the beginning, the straps on their helmets remain at a 90-degree angle to the car they're sitting in despite the boat's drastic rocking back on forth, showing that it was the camera, not the boat, wobbling.
    • Quotes

      Flight Officer David Campbell: The thing that's always worried me about being one of the few is the way we keep on getting fewer.

    • Crazy credits
      There is a 20-second overture on a black screen, no 20th Century Fox logo (in spite of this being one of their most expensive productions), and a six-minute cold open before the title is displayed. Apart from the title, there are no credits at the beginning of the film. All cast and crew credits are at the end of the film.
    • Alternate versions
      Some video copies omits Jean Servais scenes as a Free French admiral making a short speech to his crew before the shore bombardments starts.
    • Connections
      Edited into All This and World War II (1976)
    • Soundtracks
      The Longest Day
      Written by Paul Anka

      Performed by Mitch Miller with His Orchestra and Chorus

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ97

    • How long is The Longest Day?Powered by Alexa
    • Fox---Looked to "Longest Day" for Salvation?
    • U.S. Army---How Much Did they Charge Zanuck for Use of Troops?
    • "Rushes"---Was Fox' Future in Hands of "Longest Day" & "Cleopatra"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 4, 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • 20th Century Studios (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • French
    • Also known as
      • El día más largo del siglo
    • Filming locations
      • Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Manche, France(parachutists landing in the village)
    • Production company
      • Darryl F. Zanuck Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White(original version)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Sean Connery, Sal Mineo, Eddie Albert, Richard Beymer, Red Buttons, Jeffrey Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Paul Anka, Arletty, Mel Ferrer, Steve Forrest, Gert Fröbe, Fabian, Jean-Louis Barrault, Bourvil, Ray Danton, Irina Demick, Leo Genn, Henry Grace, John Gregson, Paul Hartmann, Werner Hinz, Curd Jürgens, Alexander Knox, Peter Lawford, Christian Marquand, Kenneth More, Edmond O'Brien, Ron Randell, Madeleine Renaud, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, Richard Todd, Tom Tryon, Peter van Eyck, and Stuart Whitman in The Longest Day (1962)
    Top Gap
    What was the official certification given to The Longest Day (1962) in Mexico?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.