Movies - The Longest Day

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	Movies - The Longest Day

The Longest Day is a 178-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.

Background

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).

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).

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.

Cast and roles include

Awards

It won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White and Best Effects, Special Effects, and was nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White, Best Film Editing and Best Picture.

Theme lyrics

Lyric of the theme from the film, the Longest Day written by Paul Anka:

:Many men came here as soldiers :Many men will pass the way :Many men will count the hours :As they live the longest day

:Many men are tired and weary :Many men are here to stay :Many men won't see the sunset :When it ends the longest day

:The longest day the longest day :This will be the longest day

:Filled with hopes and filled with fears :Filled with blood and sweat and tears :Many men the mighty thousands :Many men to victory :Marching on right into battle :In the longest day in history

The music is also the authorized march of Le Régiment de la Chaudière, the Canadian Parachute Centre, and the former Canadian Airborne Regiment of the Canadian Forces.

Quotes from the film

"He's dead. I'm crippled. You're lost. I suppose it's always like that. I mean war."

::Flying Officer David Campbell to the young, lost American soldier Schultz.

"Cor, stone the crows!"

::A British soldier to his chaplain who insists on finding his Communion set, despite being chest-deep in a river and under fire.

"I don't like it, but there it is."

::General Dwight D. Eisenhower commenting on the necessity of launching the Invasion in such bad weather.

"You can't give the enemy a break. Send him to hell."

::Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort to his men just before they embark.

"Au cœur des ténèbres, au plus profond de la nuit, il ne faut jamais désespérer. Gardons notre foi intacte, inébranlable! Pour chacun de nous, la délivrance approche." ("In the heart of the darkness, in the deepest of the night, we must never lose hope. Let us keep our faith intact, unshakable! For each of us, deliverance is coming.")

::Father Louis Roulland to his congregation in Sainte-Mère-Église, which includes a stonefaced Nazi officer.

"Glauben Sie mir, meine Herren, die ersten vierundzwanzig Stunden dieser Invasion werden entscheidend sein! Das wird für die Alliierten, aber auch für die Deutschen, der längste Tag werden — der längste Tag." ("Believe me, gentlemen, the first twenty-four hours of this invasion will be decisive! It will become for the Allies, as well as for the Germans, the longest day — the longest day.")

::Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, speaking the title line to his generals.

Die Invasion! Sie kommen! ("The invasion! They're coming!")

::Major Werner Pluskat, looking utterly terrified, to his men in his command bunker upon seeing, through his binoculars, the fleet coming straight at him. [ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for The Longest Day (film) ]

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