The Longest Day is a 1962 war film on DVD based on the 1959 history book
The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about D-Day, the Normandy landings on 6 June
1944, during World War II.
On June 6th 1944, the Allied Invasion of France marked the beginning of the end
of Nazi domination over Europe. The attack involved 3,000,000 men,
11,000 planes and 4,000 ships, comprising the largest armada the world has
ever seen. Starring: John Wayne, Henry Fonda
Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery, Eddie Albert, Curd Jürgens, Richard Burton, Peter
Lawford, Rod Steiger, Irina Demick, Gert Fröbe, Edmond O'Brien and
Kenneth More.
Presented in its original black and white version, The Longest Day is a vivid, hour-by-hour re-creation of this historic event. Featuring a stellar international cast, and told from the perspectives of both sides, it is a fascinating look at the massive preparations, mistakes and random events that determined the outcome of one of the biggest battles in history.
The Longest Day Film Review
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. Terry Rodgers