The Longest Day (film)

The Longest Day is a 180-minute 1962 war film, based on the 1959 book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944.

Related Topics:
1962 - War film - The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan - D-Day - Invasion of Normandy - 6 June - 1944

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The movie 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 exteriors), Andrew Marton (American exteriors), Gerd Oswald (parachute drop scene), Bernhard Wicki (German scenes) and Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited).

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Romain Gary - James Jones - David Pursall - Cornelius Ryan - Jack Seddon - Ken Annakin - Andrew Marton - Gerd Oswald - Bernhard Wicki - Darryl F. Zanuck

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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. Among them are Günther Blumentritt (a former German general), James M. Gavin (an American general), Philippe Kieffer (who led his men in the assault on Ouistreham), Max Pemsel (a German general), Werner Pluskat (the major who was the first German officer to see the invasion fleet), and Josef "Pips" Priller (the hot-headed pilot).

Related Topics:
Philippe Kieffer - Ouistreham

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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. 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.

Related Topics:
Second World War - English - French - German - Sieg, heil!

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