Day of Days 

Easy Company paratroopers jump behind enemy lines in Normandy on D-Day and struggle to reunite in hostile territory.

Director:

Richard Loncraine

Writers:

Stephen Ambrose (based on the book by) (as Stephen E. Ambrose), John Orloff

Stars:

Nicholas Aaron, Kirk Acevedo, Philip Barantini

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Nicholas Aaron	...	Robert E. (Popeye) Wynn
Kirk Acevedo	...	Joseph D. Toye
Philip Barantini	...	Wayne A. (Skinny) Sisk
David Blair	...	Co-Pilot
Jonie Broom	...	Hans Schmidt
Steve Chaplin	...	Pilot
Alexis Conran	...	George Lavenson
Matthew Duquenoy	...	Co-Pilot - Plane 66
Simon Fenton	...	Gerald J. Lorraine
Ezra Godden	...	Robert van Klinken
Stephen Graham	...	Myron Mike Ranney
Scott Grimes	...	Donald G. Malarkey
Craig Heaney	...	Roy W. Cobb
Nolan Hemmings	...	Charles E. (Chuck) Grant
Andrew Howard	...	Clarence Hester

Storyline

In the very early hours of the D-Day invasion, Easy Company along with thousands of other Allied paratroopers land behind enemy lines in Normandy. In the chaos of the jump however, they are spread far and wide with many landing far from their expected drop zone. Lt. Winters assembles the few men they can find and slowly make their way to their rendezvous point. As the men straggle in, they also must adjust such as when Malarkey meets a German soldier who grew up in Oregon. Easy's Company commander is still missing so Winters is left in charge and is ordered to take out a German artillery bunker that is wreaking havoc with the troops landing on the beach. They do so with great efficiency and are rewarded with several Bronze and Silver Stars and the Distinguished Service Cross for Winters.

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Plot Keywords:

day in episode title | behind enemy lines | normandy | d day | paratrooper | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where Don Malarkey runs out into heavy fire to retrieve what he thought was a Luger pistol did actually happen according to Ambrose's book. The object Malarkey picks up is not any type of pistol but was a sighting device for one of the 105 guns taken out in the mission.

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Goofs

After the scene where Compton, Toye and Winters storm the second gun, Toye confronts a German solider who attempts to surrender. Numerous angles in this scene show that Toye has lost the stock to his Thompson (likely to have fallen off prior to this scene).

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Quotes

1st Lt. Lynn 'Buck' Compton: Any word on Lieutenant Meehan yet, sir?
Maj. Richard D. Winters: No, not yet.
Bill Guarnere: Don't that make you our commanding officer, sir?
Maj. Richard D. Winters: Yeah, it does.
SSgt. Joseph Toye: Sir?
[offers Winters a bottle of whiskey]
Bill Guarnere: Joe, the Lieutenant don't drink.
Maj. Richard D. Winters: [Takes the bottle] It's been a day of firsts.
[drinks, then hands bottle to Guarnere]
Maj. Richard D. Winters: Don't you think, Guarnere?
[...]

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Soundtracks

Swamp
(uncredited)
Composed by Michael Kamen
Performed by The London Metropolitan Orchestra

User Reviews

"Day of Days" provides action without sacrificing character

In the second episode of the Hanks and Spielberg series Band of Brothers, D-Day has arrived, and all Hell is breaking loose. Explosions knock down Allied planes, gunfire blankets the night sky, and men are being killed off one by one in every direction - both in the air and on the ground. The opening to "Day of Days" is an unforgettable sequence that will stick with you; men are cremated as their planes catch fire and plummet to the earth, while the brave soldiers of Easy Company parachute to the ground, hoping to avoid certain death. The panicked faces of the men of Easy Company with Richard "Dick" Winters' calm and calculated demeanor, complement each other in a very interesting manner. Winters is someone who, under pressure, manages - or at least tries - to stay sane and in control, despite being terrified.

The episode does not focus entirely on the Normandy landings. Soldiers are scattered across the region, and we see familiar faces try to make it to their designated rendezvous points; then, there is a very well-executed scene which takes place during the day, involving some of the men taking part in an attack on a German stronghold.

"Day of Days" truly has it all. The only minor complaint that I have, is that this episode could have built upon several of its smaller character moments immediately following the dropping of Easy Company, whether for additional development or for pacing purposes, as the script does jump between men ineffectively. Things never get truly fleshed out properly among the characters, leaving room only for disorientation and a sense of misplacement. One could argue that this structure adds a necessary layer to the unfolding events, but the narrative is quite clear from the chaotic nature of the episode's opening moments. The characters we do see are subject to brief encounters with their companions that contribute very little to not just the story, but to the overarching themes of the entire series. There are much better examples of character interactions within this show, particularly in the next episode, "Carentan," between the traumatized Albert Blithe and a screaming Winters. "Day of Days" could have been stronger on this front towards the beginning, but this is the smallest of complaints.

Overall, "Day of Days" is a very impressive episode that has withstood the test of time, particularly in terms of its special effects. The visuals are slowly being outdone, both in film and television, but there's never a point in time where something looks unbelievable. Instead, we get a story told with heart alongside bold, well-orchestrated action sequences.

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 September 2001 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Former British Aerospace factory, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO), DreamWorks, Playtone

Technical Specs

Runtime:

49 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1