The Longest Day (1962)
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A massive ensemble cast depicts the intense, multi-perspective struggle of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
The story
Shot in a docudrama style, the film opens in the days leading up to D-Day, depicting events on both sides of the English Channel. While the German High Command remains uncertain about the impending threat due to stormy weather, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower decides to proceed with the invasion of France through Normandy on June 6, 1944. The narrative follows airborne troops taking key locations, the French Resistance reacting to the invasion, and the initial landings on the beaches of Normandy. As day breaks, Allied forces attempt to push inland, facing resistance from the Wehrmacht while navigating the chaos of the initial assault.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. It begins with the tension on both sides of the English Channel as the German High Command debates the response to the Allied threat. On June 5, Dwight D. Eisenhower orders the invasion to proceed. The narrative then follows various units: airborne troops seize key locations, the French Resistance engages in sabotage, and British troops secure Pegasus Bridge. On the morning of June 6, Allied forces land on Normandy beaches, including the difficult push at Omaha Beach. The film depicts the U.S. Provisional Ranger Group's assault on the guns at Pointe du Hoc and the Free French Forces' destruction of a German stronghold in Ouistreham. After breaking through a concrete barrier at Omaha Beach, American troops join the broader push to retake France and eventually conquer Germany.
- First release year
- 1962
- Runtime (minutes)
- 178
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ken Annakin; Andrew Marton; Bernhard Wicki
- Writers
- Cornelius Ryan · screenplay; Romain Gary · screenplay; James Jones · screenplay; David Pursall · screenplay; Jack Seddon · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Richard Todd · Parachute Regt; Eddie Albert · US Navy; Hans Christian Blech · Wehrmacht, Eastern Front; Henry Fonda · US Navy; Leo Genn · Royal Artillery; John Gregson · Royal Navy; Donald Houston · RAF rear gunner; Kenneth More · Royal Navy
- Genres
- war; epic
- Themes
- war; cooperation; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- epic; documentary-style
- Premise and plot tags
- war; historical; ensemble cast
- Source material / true-story basis
- Cornelius Ryan's 1959 nonfiction book
- Reception
- The film was acclaimed by critics as a 'solid and stunning war epic' and a 'monument' of organization, though some critics found the large cast of actors with limited lines distracting. It was a significant commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing black--and-white movie at the time.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 84% · scale: percentage · review count: 25
- Awards and nominations
- Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) · Academy Award · win; Best Special Effects · Academy Award · win; Best Picture · Academy Award · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the highest-grossing black-and-white movie at the time of its release.; Several cast members, such as Richard Todd and Henry Fonda, had served in the military during World War II.; The film was so expensive that it was the most expensive black-and-white film made until 1993.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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