The Longest Day is a 1962 American epic war film based on Cornelius Ryan's 1959 nonfiction book about the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century-Fox and was directed by Ken Annakin (British and French exteriors), Andrew Marton (American exteriors), and Bernhard Wicki (German scenes). The screenplay was written by Ryan, with additional material written by Romain Gary, James Jones, David Pursall, and Jack Seddon.
The film features a large international ensemble cast, many of whom play roles that were essentially cameo appearances. Several cast members had seen action as servicemen during the war. They include Richard Todd (Parachute Regt), who participated in the assault on Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of D-Day. Among others who saw active service were 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), Edmond O'Brien (USAAF), Heinz Reincke (Wehrmacht officer), Robert Ryan (US Marines), and Rod Steiger (US Navy).
The filmmakers employed several actual Allied and Axis D-Day participants as consultants, many of whom had their roles re-enacted in the film. These included Günther Blumentritt (a former German general), James M. Gavin (an American general), Frederick Morgan (deputy chief of staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, SHAEF), John Howard (who led the airborne assault on the Pegasus Bridge), Lord Lovat (who commanded the 1st Special Service Brigade), Philippe Kieffer (who led his men in the assault on Ouistreham), Marie-Pierre Kœnig (who commanded the Free French Forces in the invasion), Max Pemsel (a German general), Werner Pluskat (the major who was the first German officer to see the invasion fleet), Josef "Pips" Priller (the hot-headed pilot who was one of the few Luftwaffe pilots to strafe the beaches), and Lucie Rommel (widow of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel).
The Longest Day premiered in France on September 25, 1962, and in the United States on October 4. It received acclaim from critics and was a significant commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing black-and-white movie at the time. At the 35th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, and won awards for Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) and Best Special Effects.
Plot Shot in a docudrama style (with captions identifying the different participants), the film opens in the days leading up to D-Day, depicting events on both sides of the English Channel. Disagreement existed within the German High Command as to where the Allies would land and how the Wehrmacht should respond, but the threat is not perceived to be imminent, given the stormy weather. On June 5, 1944, not wanting to keep his forces waiting any longer, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of SHAEF, makes the decision to go ahead with plans to invade France through Normandy the following day, after receiving a somewhat hopeful weather report.
In the early hours of June 6, Allied airborne troops are sent in to take key locations, and the French Resistance reacts to the news that the invasion has started. British troops arrive in gliders to secure Pegasus Bridge, American paratroopers land scattered around Sainte-Mère-Église to defend a road that will be a vital artery for the invasion, and French Resistance and SOE agents conduct infiltration and sabotage work. Uncertainty among German commanders exists about whether these events are a feint to distract from Allied crossings at the Strait of Dover (see Operation Fortitude), where the senior German staff had always assumed the invasion would begin.
As day breaks, Allied forces land on several beaches in Normandy and attempt to push inland, having particular trouble at Omaha Beach. Two lone Luftwaffe pilots strafe the beaches before flying away. The U.S. Provisional Ranger Group conducts an assault on the artillery at Pointe du Hoc, only to discover the guns have been moved. Free French Forces destroy a German stronghold in Ouistreham. After blowing through a concrete barrier, the American troops on Omaha Beach are able to begin their advance and join the rest of the Allied troops on the march to retake France and, eventually, conquer Germany.
Cast
American ActorRoleNotesHenry GraceGen. Dwight D. EisenhowerSupreme Commander, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF)Alexander KnoxLt. Gen. Walter Bedell SmithChief of Staff, SHAEFArthur HillLt. Gen. Omar N. BradleyCommander, 1st ArmyJohn MeillonRear Admiral Alan G. KirkCommander, Western Naval Task Force, U.S. 8th FleetMel FerrerMajor Gen. Robert HainesAssistant Commander, SHAEFEdmond O'BrienMajor Gen. Raymond O. BartonCommander, 4th Infantry DivisionHenry FondaBrigadier Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.Assistant Commander, 4th Infantry DivisionRobert MitchumBrigadier Gen. Norman CotaAssistant Commander, 29th Infantry DivisionRobert RyanBrigadier Gen. James M. GavinAssistant Commander, 82nd Airborne DivisionJohn CrawfordCol. Eugene M. CaffeyCommander, 1st Engineer Special BrigadeEddie AlbertCol. Lloyd ThompsonAide-de-camp to Cota, 29th Infantry DivisionJohn WayneLieutenant Col. Benjamin H. VandervoortCO, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry RegimentBill NagyMaj. LanceXO, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry RegimentFred DurMaj. StoltzXO, 2nd Ranger BattalionRod SteigerLieutenant Cmdr. Joseph Witherow Jr.Commander, USS SatterleeSteve ForrestCapt. HardingXO, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry RegimentRay DantonCapt. FrankXO, 29th Infantry DivisionStuart WhitmanLt. SheenParatrooper, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry RegimentTom TryonLt. WilsonParatrooper, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry RegimentGary CollinsEnsign SheeranBridge officer, USS Satterlee Jeffrey HunterSgt. John H. Fuller (later field promoted to Lieutenant)Combat engineer, 299th Engineer Combat BattalionTony Mordente WymanCook, 82nd Airborne DivisionBob SteeleCorporal AlexanderParatrooper, 82nd Airborne DivisionRichard BeymerPvt. Arthur 'Dutch' SchultzParatrooper, 82nd Airborne DivisionRed ButtonsPvt. John SteeleParatrooper, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry RegimentSal MineoPvt. MartiniParatrooper, 82nd Airborne DivisionRoddy McDowallPvt. MorrisInfantryman, 4th Infantry DivisionGeorge SegalPvt. WohlInfantryman, 2nd Ranger BattalionRobert WagnerPvt. KellerInfantryman, 2nd Ranger BattalionPaul AnkaPvt. LowellInfantryman, 2nd Ranger BattalionMark DamonPvt. HarrisInfantryman, 29th Infantry DivisionPeter HelmYoung Pvt. who loses his rifle Infantryman, 29th Infantry DivisionFabianPvt. ForteInfantryman, 2nd Ranger BattalionTommy SandsPvt. HuntInfantryman, 2nd Ranger BattalionJoseph LoweRanger Pvt.Sgt. Joseph T. Lowe of the 505th Infantry Battle Group was a 22-year-old PFC with the Fifth Ranger Battalion on the dayMickey KnoxAirman LouisDowned airman with damaged eyeRon RandellJoe WilliamsWar correspondent
British ActorRoleNotesTrevor ReidGen. Sir Bernard MontgomeryCommander-in-Chief, Allied Ground ForcesJohn RobinsonAdm. Sir Bertram RamsayCommander-in-Chief, Allied Naval ForcesSimon LackAir Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-MalloryCommander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF)Louis MounierAir Chief Marshal Sir Arthur TedderDeputy Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary ForcesWalter HorsbrughRear-Adm. George CreasyChief of Staff to Admiral Ramsay Leo GennMajor-Gen. HollanderXO, SHAEFPeter LawfordBrig. Simon Fraser, Lord LovatCommander, 1st Special Service BrigadePatrick BarrGroup Capt. J. M. StaggMeteorologist Kenneth MoreActing Capt. Colin MaudBeachmaster, Juno Beach, Royal NavyRichard ToddMaj. John HowardOC, "D" Company, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryHoward Marion-CrawfordMaj. John Jacob-VaughanMedical Officer, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryRichard WattisMaj. Whaley6th Airborne DivisionJack HedleyCaptain, Parachute Regiment6th Airborne Division briefing officerLeslie PhillipsFlight Lt. OwensRAF officer with French ResistanceLyndon BrookLt. Ian Walsh"D" Company, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryPatrick JordanLt. Richard Todd7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion Richard BurtonFlying Officer David CampbellFighter pilot, Royal Air ForceDonald HoustonFlying Officer NeilFighter pilot, Royal Air ForceJohn GregsonChaplain WattisPadre, 6th Airborne DivisionSiân PhillipsChief Wren JenningsWren assistant to StaggRichard DawsonCpl. PurdomHarry FowlerCpl. LehmanParatrooper, 6th Airborne DivisionBernard FoxLance-Cpl. HutchinsonRoyal Armoured CorpsNorman RossingtonLance-Cpl. Clough3rd Infantry DivisionSean ConneryPte. FlanaganInfantryman, 3rd Infantry DivisionFrank FinlayPte. Coke"D" Company, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryHarold GoodwinPte. Coke's friend Michael MedwinPte. WatneyUniversal Carrier driver, 3rd Infantry DivisionLeslie de LaspeePte. Bill MillinPiper, 1st Special Service BrigadeVictor MaddernCookBryan ColemanRonald CallenWar correspondent
French ActorRoleNotesJean ServaisContre-amiral Robert JaujardCommander, 4th Cruiser Division, Free French Naval ForcesChristian MarquandCapitaine de Corvette Philippe KiefferGroup leader, 1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins CommandosGeorges RivièreSecond-Maître Guy de MontlaurSection leader, 1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins CommandosBernard FressonDubocqCommando, 1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins CommandosIrina DemickJeanine BoitardPartisan, CaenYves BarsacqMarcelPartisan, CaenMaurice PoliJeanPartisan, CaenJean ChampionÉdouardPartisan, CaenAndré BourvilAlphonse LenauxMayor of Colleville-sur-OrneGeorges WilsonAlexandre RenaudMayor of Sainte-Mère-ÉgliseJean-Louis BarraultFather Louis RoullandParish priest of Sainte-Mère-ÉgliseMadeleine RenaudJustineMother Superior, OuistrehamArlettyMadame BarraultResident of Sainte-Mère-ÉgliseFernand LedouxLouisElderly farmerPauline CartonJoannaLouis's housekeeperAlice TissotGemmaLenaux's housekeeperClément HarariArrested Man Civilian
German ActorRoleNotesPaul HartmannGeneralfeldmarschall Gerd von RundstedtCO, OB WestWerner HinzGeneralfeldmarschall Erwin RommelCO, Army Group BWolfgang LukschyGeneraloberst Alfred JodlChief of Operations, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Ernst SchröderGeneraloberst Hans von SalmuthCO, 15th ArmyCurd JürgensGeneral der Infanterie Günther BlumentrittChief of Staff, OB WestRichard MünchGeneral der Artillerie Erich MarcksCO, LXXXIV Army CorpsWolfgang BüttnerGeneralleutnant Dr. Hans SpeidelChief of Staff, Army Group BWolfgang PreissGeneralleutnant Max PemselChief of Staff, 7th ArmyKarl JohnGeneralleutnant Wolfgang HägerCO, Luftwaffen Kommando WestPaul Edwin RothOberst Ludwig SchillerHeinz ReinckeOberstleutnant Josef Priller Kommodore, Jagdgeschwader 26Heinz SpitznerOberstleutnant Helmuth MeyerChief of Intelligence, 15th Army Peter van EyckOberstleutnant Karl-Williams OckerCO, 352nd Artillery Regiment, 352nd Infantry DivisionWalter GotellSS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm MohnkeCO, 12th SS Panzer Division HitlerjugendHans Christian BlechMajor Werner PluskatCO, 352nd Artillery Regiment, 352nd Infantry DivisionEugene DeckersMajor BeckerOfficer in churchKurt MeiselHauptmann Ernst DüringCO, 352nd Infantry DivisionTil KiweHauptmann Helmuth LangAide-de-camp to RommelHans SöhnkerHauptmann WittPemsel's staff officerRobert FreitagLeutnant WeberMeyer's aideRainer PenkertLeutnant Fritz Theen352nd Artillery Regiment, 352nd Infantry DivisionDietmar SchönherrLeutnant VogelHäger's aideHartmut ReckOberfeldwebel Bernhard BergsdorfPilot, Jagdgeschwader 26Vicco von BülowOberfeldwebel LeuchterPemsel's adjutantGert FröbeUnteroffizier "Kaffeekanne" ("coffee pot")Soldier, WehrmachtRuth HausmeisterLucie RommelRommel's wife Michael HinzManfred RommelRommel's son
Production
Development