The Longest Day (1962)

Director: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki
Starring: John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton

Synopsis:
The events of D-Day, told from various perspectives on both sides.

Impressions:
This is definitely one of the greatest epic war movies ever made. It's a mind-boggling huge production, featuring a star-studded international cast. If you think it's corny to have a WWII movie where all the Germans just speak accented English, this is a nice aversion and it didn't have much precedent at the time. There's an almost documentary feel to it at times, which is by no means a bad thing. It's worth noting that our German POV characters are all straight-up Wehrmacht men exasperated with Hitler rather than SS true believers or anything. (The fact that a number of these characters were consultants for the film probably had something to do with that.) You'll see plenty of familiar faces from the era, which can be a lot of fun for fans. If you're a WWII buff, this film belongs in your collection and even if that's not the case, it's still worth seeing.

Rating:
Own It