The 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
Runtime: 178 min
The Longest Day is one of the greatest war films ever made. It is a true depiction of the events occurring on the beach on D-day. It appears more as a documentary to some, but should be considered as a history movie of what actually occurred. Accuracy of the movie to details is great since it was made as a reminder to the millions of people and a dedication to the triumph of of the Allies in the most realistic portrayal. Yep, a few scenes, maybe are played down to show the allies in a more positive light, but then, not often is a war movie made with such stunning accuracy to what actually happened.
The number of people employed by this movie was massive.. It’s amazing that it was even made. Simply because there was no animation at that time. This is Zanuck’s greatest work. The perspective from the different combatants and what they feel of Allied attack and the location of attack regardless of their rank is great. Like somebody else said it did not portray the Germans as cartoonish evil doers. It gave a good honest portrayal that I wish more war movies would have. Considering the effort into the making of the movie, let me know if you find any other made on a similar scale. The only drawback being that it is a black and white movie. But that has only helped add to the authenticity of the movie. One of the scenes of the movie is where the paratroopers are shot as they rain down the buildings by the Germans. Except for one guy who survives and is stuck to the wall clock of the building. He goes deaf due to the bell continuously ringing.. Very realistically made. Zanuck used this to show the futility and waste of war. Other than that is a classic with very few flaws. I just wish it were color.
In 1962 when the movie was made, t’was about the entire scope of the battle. It was not meant to be up close and personal like SPR. Many of us appreciate movies from different perspectives. It leaves your heart crying for the heros - both the allies and the axis....
Trivia: The piper who played the bagpipes as Lord Lovat’s commandos stormed ashore is played by the actual man who did this stirring deed on D-Day. His name is Bill Millin. He recently donated that very set of pipes to the national war memorial in Edinburgh Castle.
Richard Todd (Major Howard of the British 6th Airborne) was himself in Normandy on D-Day, and participated as Capt. Todd of the 7th Battalion, 5th Brigade, British 6th Airborne in the glider assault on the Orne River Bridge. His battalion actually went into action as reinforcements, via a parachute jump after the gliders landed and completed the initial coup de main assault. He was moved from the plane he was originally scheduled to jump from, to another. The original plane was shot down, killing everyone on board.
As a 22-year-old private, Joseph Lowe landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day with the Second Ranger Battalion and scaled the cliffs at Point-Du-Hoc. He scaled those hundred-foot cliffs all over again, for the cameras, some 17 years later.
While clearing a section of the Normandy beach near Ponte du Hoc, the film’s 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 film as part of the British tank regiment.
An estimated 23, 000 troops were supplied by the U.S., England and France for the filming. (Germans only appeared as officers in speaking roles.) The French contributed 1, 000 commandos despite their involvement in the Algerian War at the time.
The fleet scenes were filmed using 22 ships of the U.S. Sixth Fleet during maneuvers off Corsica between June 21-30, 1961. The cameras had to avoid shooting the area where the fleet’s aircraft carrier was positioned, as there were no carriers in the invasion. With a $10, 000, 000 budget, this was the most expensive black & white film ever made until Schindler’s List (1993). But coming to terms of currency appreciation, I bet it still is..
Cast Trivia source - https://imdb.com