The Longest Day (trailer)

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The Longest Day is a 1962 war film based on the 1959 history book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, during World War II.

Producer Darryl F. Zanuck paid the author of the book, Cornelius Ryan, $175,000 for the screen rights to produce the film. The film was adapted by Romain Gary, James Jones, David Pursall, Cornelius Ryan, and Jack Seddon from the Ryan book. It was directed by Ken Annakin (British and French exteriors), Andrew Marton (American exteriors), Gerd Oswald (parachute drop scene), Bernhard Wicki (German scenes) and Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited).

Many of the military consultants and advisors who helped with the film's production were actual participants in the action on D-Day, and are portrayed in the film. The producers drew them from both sides; Allied and Axis. Among them are Günther Blumentritt (a former German general), James M. Gavin (an American general), Frederick Morgan (Deputy Chief of Staff at SHAEF), John Howard (who led the airborne assault on the Pegasus Bridge), Lord Lovat (who commanded the 1st Special Service Brigade), Philippe Kieffer (who led his men in the assault on Ouistreham), Pierre Koenig (who commanded the Free French Forces in the invasion), Max Pemsel (a German general), Werner Pluskat (the major who was the first German officer to see the invasion fleet), Josef "Pips" Priller (the hot-headed pilot) and Lucie Rommel (widow of Erwin Rommel).

One thing that sets the film apart from most films set in the Second World War is that all characters speak in their own languages, with subtitles in English wherever the characters speak either French or German. A separate version exists, shot simultaneously, in which all the actors speak their lines in English, which is why the trailer has the Germans delivering their lines in English. This version saw limited use during the initial release, but saw extensive use during a late 1960s re-release of the film. The English-only version was featured on the "flip side" of an older single disc DVD release. The usual Nazi stereotypes are avoided, and most German characters are portrayed as human beings. The words "Sieg Heil", for instance, are not uttered even once in The Longest Day, although they are seen written on a bunker wall in Ouistreham.

The film, one of the very few 1960s epics made in black and white, features a large ensemble cast including actors such as Kenneth More, Richard Todd (who took part in the actual invasion), Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Red Buttons, Leo Genn, Peter Lawford, Gert Fröbe, John Wayne, Irina Demick, Curt Jürgens and Robert Wagner. Several of these actors played roles that were virtually cameo appearances.

John Wayne - (Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort)
Robert Mitchum - (Brig. Gen. Norman Cota)
Henry Fonda - (Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt)
Robert Ryan - (Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin)
Rod Steiger - (Destroyer Commander)
Richard Todd - (Maj. John Howard)
Richard Burton - (Downed R.A.F. Pilot)
Robert Wagner - (U.S. Ranger)
Mel Ferrer - (Maj. Gen. Robert Haines)
Jeffrey Hunter - (Sgt. Fuller)
Paul Anka - (U.S. Ranger)
Sal Mineo - (Pvt. Martini)
Roddy McDowall - (Private Morris)
Stuart Whitman - (Lieutenant Sheen)
Eddie Albert - (Col. Tom Newton)
Edmond O'Brien - (Gen. Raymond O. Barton)
Fabian - (U.S. Ranger)
Red Buttons - (Pvt. John Steele)
Tom Tryon - (Lieutenant Wilson)
Henry W. Grace - (Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower)
Mark Damon - (Pvt. Harris)
Dewey Martin - (Private Wilder)
John Crawford - (Col. Coffey)
Ron Randell - (Joe Williams)
Nick Stuart - (Lieutenant General Omar Bradley)
John Meillon - (Rear Adm. Alan G. Kirk)
Kenneth More - (Capt. Colin Maud)
Peter Lawford - (Lord Lovat)
Leo Genn - (Gen. Parker)
John Gregson - (Padre)
Sean Connery - (Pvt. Flanagan)
Jack Hedley - (Briefing Man)
Irina Demick - (Janine Boitard)
Bourvil - (Mayor of Colleville)
Jean-Louis Barrault - (Father Roulland)
Christian Marquand - (Comdr. Philippe Kieffer)
Arletty - (Mme. Barrault)
Madeleine Renaud - (Mother Superior)
Georges Riviere - (Sgt. Montlaur)
Jean Servais - (Adm. Jaujard)
Georges Wilson - (Alexandre Renaud)
Curt Jürgens - (Maj. Gen. Blumentlitt)
Hans-Christian Blech - (Maj. Pluskat)
Peter Van Eyck - (Lieutenant Colonel Ocker)

Production Credits:
Cornelius Ryan (Book Author)
Maurice Jarre (Composer (Music Score))
Lucie Lichtig (Continuity)
Ken Annakin (Director)
Bernhard Wicki (Director)
Andrew Marton (Director)
Samuel E. Beetley (Editor)

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• longest
• day
• trailer
• war
• film
• movie
• d-day
• normandy
• landing
• invasion
• world
• II
• john
• wayne
• robert
• mitchum
• sean
• connery
• henry
• fonda
• ryan
• rod
• steiger
• richard
• burton
• gert
• frobe
• curt
• jurgens
• wagner
• paul
• anka
• cornelius
• france
• calais
• axis
• allies
• british
• eisenhower
• band
• of
• brothers
• english
• channel
• nazis
• pegasus
• bridge
• howard
• airborne
• assault
• lord
• lovat
• brigade
• philippe
• kieffer
• pierre
• koenig
• free
• french
• forces
• pluskat
• lucie
• erwin
• rommel

[funman96]

Excuse me but what are those things they use for cover on the beach?

[Humanoidity]

It's called a "Czech hedgehog."

[Timbul53525253]

I've always found the scenes with Richard Todd particularly interesting in this film - Todd was there for real at Pegasus Bridge and plays his own CO in the film. Now *there's* authenticity for you!

[neilladriaansen]

true, but still, when the enemy is at your gates and diplomacy fails, you have no choice, then you'll have to fight. especially when the enemy is a beast that terrorises the people. and sometimes attack is only defense.

[nicck]

@RichardElden I didn't say it was realistic. Use your eyes next time.

[nicck]

Still hands down the best d-day film. Not because of realism, but because it captured the spirit....this is what people wanted to see during the war.

[bengusandlex]

John Gregson played the Padre of the British 6th Airborne Division.

[ShovelFighterSw33n3y]

dude my Grandfather is in this movie!! minor character though really minor

[dickmjavil]

@funman96 they are anti-tank obstacles

[dickmjavil]

@funman96 they are anti-tank obstacles

[Mortskcab]

@FrankClanton he had a medical defect he couldnt go

[panamaniak]

pips...

[Bullettube]

He was too old, (B-1909) many Hollywood actors were listed as being younger then they really were. His lungs were bad, and he was also a heavy drinker. When he failed his draft physical, it made him realize just how bad his health really was. He died in 1959 at the age of just 50!

[Bullettube]

John Wayne was not a draft dodger, first of all, he was to old to be drafted, and second, he had burst ear drums. Many actors who appeared in Western films had severe hearing loss because they used real guns firing blanks. George Kennedy (who lost his hearing in both ears) led the fight to stop Hollywood from using blank ammo.