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The Longest Day: Difference between revisions
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''The Longest Day'' was the title of a book by Cornelius Ryan describing the events of D-Day through the eyes of as many of the participants - Allied, German and local inhabitants - as he could find and interview.
In 1962, the book was made into a film with an [[All
Because the film was made just 20 years after the events it depicts, many of the older actors had fought in [[World War Two]], and some had even taken part in the landings - Richard Todd even played his own commanding officer from 1944<ref>Todd had participated in the Pegasus Bridge operation as a young soldier, and is even shown in the film interacting with "himself", although this is never mentioned in the film</ref>.
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* [[The Ace]]: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Priller Josef Priller], a fighter wing commander and one of the two German airmen later seen strafing the beaches on the day as mentioned below in [[Worthy Opponent]] (the other being his wingman Heinz Wodarczyk). His ace status is referred to during the phone conversation early on in the film in which he basically asks "where the hell are my planes?"
* [[All
* [[America Saves the Day]] - Averted. The British and French divisions of the Normandy landings do their part in reaching their objectives. Almost subverted with Omaha Beach, where the Americans were stuck until a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] opens up the German defenses.
* [[Anyone Can Die]] - This is a war movie about the Normandy landings where thousands of soldiers got killed. Half the cast is bound to die doing [[Heroic Sacrifice|something heroic]], something foolish, ''or both'', before the credits roll.
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* [[General Failure]] - the Germans have to ask Hitler for permission to use the 21st Panzer Division in a counterattack, and no-one dares wake him up.
* [[Heroic BSOD]] - That horrified look on paratrooper John Steele's face as he dangles from the St. Mere Eglise church belltower...
* [[Hey
** Also cartoonist and comedian [[Loriot]] in an uncredited bit part as a German staff officer.
** Two German actors were future [[James Bond (Film)|James Bond]] villains:
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* [[The Oner]] - a long overhead tracking shot of the Free French forces taking Ouistreham. It follows the troops running from cover to cover, crossing pedestrian bridges, taking fire, heading upriver toward a target that the camera eventually reveals is a casino building fortified into a massive German bunker. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzd1gCc5CO8 View it here].
* [[Only Sane Man]] - Blumentritt. He's the one German officer who can see this is the critical battle and tries to get his superiors to deploy the tank reserves that could stop the Allies. No one listens to him.
* [[Parachute in A Tree]]: There's a scene ([[Based
* [[Real Life Writes the Plot]] - Roddy McDowall asked for a small role to spare his boredom after ''[[Cleopatra (Film)|Cleopatra]]'' was delayed ... AGAIN.
** [[Sean Connery]], on the other hand, also has a small role because he was eager to get off to Jamaica and begin filming ''[[Dr. No (Film)|Dr. No]]''.
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* [[Road Sign Reversal]] - A Reversed Road Sign to Ste.-Mère-Eglise briefly confuses invading Allied forces, until an American officer sees through the trick and orders the sign cut down.
* [[Rousing Speech]] - several, including the one given by Brigadier General Norman Cota to his men pinned on Omaha Beach: "I don't have to tell you the story. You all know it. Only two kinds of people are gonna stay on this beach: those that are already dead and those that are gonna die. Now get off your butts! You guys are the Fighting 29th!"
* [[Shell
* [[Those Wacky Nazis]] - Averted. The German officers who have speaking roles in the movie are professional military men who are focused on carrying out their missions.
** Well, let's say most of them. All of those who didn't run off to play war-games or attending birthday parties.
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