The Longest Day

There is no doubt that one of the most important days in World War II history was June 6, 1944. This was the day allied troops stormed into France via a combination of paratroopers and landings off the northern coastline at Normandy and Omaha Beach. Victory here would mean a major defeat for the Germans in a bloody war that had gone on for many years, leaving millions killed in the aftermath. This attack on French soil would come at a high cost, but it would be vital for the victory over the Nazis. 

So famous was this assault that it has become the source for many films, books, documentaries, and even video games. It opens the 1998 Best Picture nominated film Saving Private Ryan, where it is portrayed in such visceral brutality and realism that it will probably never be bested on screen. However, over 35 years earlier, without all the gore and on-screen violence, another film managed to portray just how desperate this attack was and do so in such a way that you felt like you were actually there. This film was, of course, The Longest Day.

Spielberg may have given us the pure raw hell of war in his depiction of Normandy, but Darryl F. Zanuck, utilizing a trio of directors to cover all major sides of the war, gave us the definitive depiction of this day at a time when the actors participating would have been alive for that battle, some having even fought in the war. It seems impossible that this film would ever be surpassed in its sheer scope and ambition to bring to life such an important event in the history of the world.

What makes The Longest Day unique among the films about D-Day is that it gives equal coverage to all sides of that day, spending plenty of time exploring not only the Nazi’s perspective, but the French civilians, the resistance, and the various other countries who were involved in the planning and execution of the invasion. This is all shot documentary style, complete with title cards to introduce all the major players, and each country’s representatives speak in their own language, subtitled, rather than just having it all in English. This adds some authenticity that wouldn’t be there were everyone speaking in English. 

The downside to covering so much ground is that there is a lot to keep track of. There are major characters who only get a scene or two but play pivotal roles in the historical events. This will be an absolute feast for World War II scholars, but the layman may struggle to keep everything straight. A shortcut that helps this out a little is the heavy use of well-known A-List stars in a lot of these roles. We may not know the names of all the characters, but we remember it when we see Sean Connery or Henry Fonda for a brief moment. Likewise, we have a virtual throwaway scene with Red Buttons, yet later he will show up again, and we’ll remember what he went through earlier simply by actor recognition. These kinds of moments would not happen without the star recognition. 

This movie is packed with just such moments, too. But, unlike Around the World in 80 Days (1956), where the celebrity appearances were distracting and served no purpose, here it does, and not just to keep us acclimated to the various characters. When we see Sean Connery, it heralds the arrival of the Scottish troops. John Wayne is Lt. Commander Benjamin H. Vandervoort in command of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, many of whom overshoot their landing site and are massacred as they drift down from the night sky. We may not remember the name Vandervoort, but every time we see Wayne on screen, we know that we are seeing the advance inward towards key locations, reclaiming cities and holding them for the oncoming Allied troops. This keeps us acclimated to the locations by the simple use of highly recognizable faces. Robert Mitchum and Jeffrey Hunter serve a similar purpose on the beaches during the invasion.

This film does not require a detailed knowledge of the historical events to appreciate what is on screen. It works on both levels, rewarding those who do have that knowledge and those who are just there to experience the excitement of the events on screen. The more you understand about D-Day, the more you will get out of this film. However, this film is so impressively staged that just sitting back and watching some of the long shots of troops overtaking a booby-trapped bridge or troops parachuting in and around Sainte-Mère-Église will keep you engaged. This is a monumental production all around on a scale we will probably never see again.

The Longest Day is a long film, and at times it can feel daunting trying to keep everything straight. But it is a rewarding movie for anyone willing to make the effort to watch it undistracted. While it cannot top the sheer raw brutality of the D-Day segment of Saving Private Ryan, it surpasses it in tone, selling the desperation of the situation through the staging of the invasion and the acting of those who are storming those beaches. This was a time when men were heroes, putting their lives on the line to rid the world of fascism and the Third Reich. Many died, and many more were injured. In 1962, when this film was released in theaters, many of the survivors of D-Day were still around and could have experienced the day all over again. I imagine most would choose not to relive it again. But this would have been a way for their families to see what their loved ones did on that fateful day. It’s a true memorial to our greatest generation and the sacrifices they made for the freedom of the world.

Academy Award Nominations:

Best Picture: Darryl F. Zanuck

Best Art Direction - Black-and-White: Ted Haworth, Léon Barsacq, Vincent Korda, and Gabriel Béchir

Best Cinematography - Black-and-White: Jean Bourgoin and Walter Wottitz (won)

Best Film Editing: Samuel E. Beetley

Best Special Effects: Robert MacDonald and Jacques Maumont (won)

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Release Date: October 4, 1962

Runtime: 178 Minutes

Not Rated

Starring: John Wayne, Kenneth More, Richard Todd, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Steve Forrest, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Red Buttons, Peter Lawford, Eddie Albert, Jeffrey Hunter, Stuart Whitman, Tom Tyron, Rod Steiger, Leo Genn, Gert Fröbe, Irina Demick, Bourvil, Curd Jürgens, George Segal, Robert Wagner, Paul Anka, and Arletty

Directed by: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, and Bernhard Wicki