The Longest Day (1962)

Directors:

Ken Annakin
Andrew Marton

Writers:

Cornelius Ryan (screenplay)
Cornelius Ryan (book)

Release Date:

4 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

42 STARS IN THE LONGEST DAY

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Beethoven | Crosswinds | Shouting | Shot To Death | Fighting

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Sept. 11

2:00 AM

AMC

Cast

Eddie Albert	...	Col. Thompson
Paul Anka	...	U.S. Army Ranger
Arletty	...	Madame Barrault
Jean-Louis Barrault	...	Father Louis Roulland
Richard Beymer	...	Schultz
Hans Christian Blech	...	Maj. Werner Pluskat
Bourvil	...	Mayor of Colleville
Richard Burton	...	Flight 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

Runtime:

178 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Australia:PG | New Zealand:PG | South Korea:All | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1962) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:G | West Germany:12 (bw)

Filming Locations:

Calvados, France

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

During the filming of the landings at Omaha Beach, the American soldiers appearing as extras didn't want to jump off the landing craft into the water because they thought it would be too cold. Robert Mitchum, who played General Norm Cota, finally got disgusted with them and jumped in first, at which point the soldiers had no choice but to follow his example.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The British pathfinders land on the HQ of General Von Salmuth, commander of the 15th army. However, the pathfinders had actually landed on General Reichert's HQ (Reicher was commander of the 711 division in Normandy) and also, Von Salmuth and the 15th army were actually at the Pas De Calais.

Quotes:

Col. Josef 'Pips' Priller: [speaking in German] Thank you, my dear Hans! You have just killed both of us!
[slams down phone]
Luftwaffe major: It is getting very difficult to get any sleep around here.
Col. Josef 'Pips' Priller: Your prospects for a long sleep have just improved. The invasion has begun at Normandy. We are to fly there and attack with our two planes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005)

Soundtrack:

The Longest Day

Pours defecation all over Spielberg's bespectacled face

Of all war films this is perhaps one if not the best of its kind. The scale of the project, the actors, and the general depiction of the different countries and people involved make this a 'sure fire' winner. The film in comparison to say Saving Private Ryan is not a single layered narrative, unnecessarily emotional or utterly ignorant that other countries other than America actually participated, it even notes that Britain were in the war before America!!!! Perhaps this film does not have the special effects that Private Ryan does have (to its credit)but this aside it certainly makes up for it in every other area. The sheer fact that this was the most expensive black and white movie until Schindler's list is testament to that. The advisers on this film were actually there and helped draw the plans themselves, yes it is a drama, but when considering history please don't disregard fact for the want of a better plot (Spielberg) If you like war movies then this is the king of the genre, if you have never seen a war movies or dislike them, this may just about change your mind. All I will say is that "this is Rupert, and he is a diversion". God Save the King etc. Knocking on the door of 10 out of 10.