Andrew Marton | Kevin Barrett's Blog

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He’s Dead. I’m Crippled. You’re Lost…

Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Academy Award Nominations, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki, Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) Oscar, Best Special Effects Oscar, Brig. Gen. Norman Cota, Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., Capt. Colin Maud, Col. Thompson, Cornelius Ryan, Curd Jürgens, D-Day, Eddie Albert, Flying Officer David Campbell, France, French Resistance, Gen. Blumentritt, General Comments, Gert Fröbe, Henry Fonda, Hollywood, John Wayne, Ken Annakin, Kenneth More, Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort, Movie Reviews, Normandy, Omaha Beach, Peter Lawford, Pvt. Flanagan, Reviews, Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Saving Private Ryan, Sean Connery, Sgt. Kaffekanne, Strong Movie Recommendation, The Longest Day (1962) — movie review, World War II on January 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“The Longest Day” (1962) — movie review
Today’s review is for the sprawling, multinational World War II epic “The Longest Day” (1962), directed by Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, and Bernhard Wicki, and featuring one of the most extraordinary ensemble casts ever assembled. The film stars John Wayne as Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort (the stoic paratroop commander holding his unit together despite injury); Robert Mitchum as Brig. Gen. Norman Cota (the gravel-voiced leader who rallies men under fire); Henry Fonda as Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (the aging officer insisting on landing with his troops); Richard Burton as Flying Officer David Campbell (a weary RAF pilot); Sean Connery as Pvt. Flanagan (a cheeky infantryman on the British side); Eddie Albert as Col. Thompson; Rod Steiger, credited as a “Destroyer Commander”; Peter Lawford as Lord Lovat’s aide; Kenneth More as Capt. Colin Maud; Curd Jürgens as Gen. Blumentritt; and Gert Fröbe as Sgt. Kaffekanne. The cast list goes on and on — a veritable roll call of mid-century Hollywood and European cinema — each actor embodying a fragment of the vast mosaic that was D-Day.

Background: This film is on my “Best Picture List” as the highest grossing film of 1962 and it was a passing recommendation from one of my high school friends who said he liked “realistic” war depictions like “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Longest Day“. Released in 1962, “The Longest Day” was adapted from Cornelius Ryan’s bestselling 1959 book of the same name. The production was enormous: shot in black-and-white for documentary realism, filmed on location in France, and involving thousands of extras, military consultants, and multiple directors to handle the American, British, and German segments. The film was a major commercial success and received five Academy Award nominations, winning two Oscars — Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) and Best Special Effects. Its historic significance lies in its attempt to portray D-Day with unprecedented scale and authenticity, long before CGI or modern war-film conventions.

Plot: The film chronicles the events of June 6, 1944, from the perspectives of Allied and German forces. It begins with the uncertainty of weather, the debates among commanders, and the German high command’s disbelief that an invasion is imminent. As the narrative unfolds, we follow American paratroopers scattered across Normandy, British commandos landing with bagpipes, French Resistance fighters sabotaging rail lines, and German officers struggling to interpret fragmentary intelligence. The film moves from the airborne drops to the amphibious landings, culminating in the brutal fighting on Omaha Beach and the eventual Allied foothold. Rather than focusing on a single protagonist, the film presents D-Day as a collective human endeavor, emphasizing the chaos, courage, confusion, and cost of the largest amphibious invasion in history.

So, is this movie any good? How’s the acting? The filming / FX? Any problems? And, did I enjoy the film? Short answers: Yes; solid to excellent; sweeping and ambitious; a few; absolutely.

Any good? Yes. “The Longest Day” remains a landmark war film — ambitious, respectful, and surprisingly restrained. Its documentary-style approach gives it a sense of authenticity, and its commitment to multilingual dialogue (German actors speaking German, French actors speaking French) was ahead of its time. The film’s scale still impresses more than sixty years later.

Acting: With a cast this large, performances vary, but the overall effect is strong. John Wayne brings his trademark gravitas, even if he was older than the real Vandervoort. Robert Mitchum is terrific as Cota, delivering one of the film’s most memorable moments as he rallies troops under fire. Henry Fonda’s Roosevelt Jr. is understated and dignified. Richard Burton’s brief appearance adds emotional weight, while Sean Connery provides a touch of levity before his Bond fame. The German cast — particularly Curd Jürgens and Gert Fröbe — adds credibility and nuance, avoiding caricature. The ensemble approach works: no single performance dominates, but together they weave a tapestry of perspectives.

Filming / FX: The cinematography is crisp and striking, using black-and-white to evoke wartime newsreel footage. The battle scenes are massive, with thousands of extras, practical explosions, and real equipment. The Omaha Beach sequence, though predating “Saving Private Ryan” by decades, remains impressive for its scale and choreography. The special effects — which won an Oscar — hold up remarkably well, relying on practical pyrotechnics and large‑scale staging rather than trick photography. The film’s editing and cross-cutting between fronts maintain momentum despite the sprawling narrative.

Problems: A few. The film’s sheer size means some scenes feel episodic, and the constant shifts between characters can dilute emotional depth. John Wayne’s casting, while iconic, strains believability given his age at the time. (The same is true for many of the actors in this film. LoL.) Some dialogue leans toward patriotic sentimentality, reflecting early-1960s sensibilities. And while the film strives for accuracy, it inevitably simplifies or compresses events. Still, these issues do not significantly detract from its impact.

Did I enjoy the film? Yes. “The Longest Day” is both informative and engaging — a sweeping, respectful tribute to the men who fought on D-Day. Its scale, ambition, and commitment to authenticity make it a compelling watch even today. The film balances spectacle with historical detail, and its ensemble approach underscores the collective nature of the invasion. Watching it feels like stepping into a living historical document.

Final Recommendation: Strong recommendation. “The Longest Day” is a historically significant war epic that combines massive scale with documentary-style realism. With two Academy Awards, a legendary ensemble cast, and its enduring place in the war-film canon, it remains essential viewing for anyone interested in World War II, military history, or classic Hollywood film-making. If you appreciate large-scale historical dramas or films that attempt to capture the complexity of real events, this one definitely rates a viewing. While this film was already on my Oscar list for viewing (roughly 650+ films), securing a friend’s recommendation bumped it up a few hundred notches. LoL

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Click here (19 January) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.