The Longest Day

Drama, Adventure, War, Action

Eddie Albert	Colonel Thompson
Jean-Louis Barrault	Father Louis Roulland
Richard Beymer	Private Dutch Schultz
Hans Christian Blech	Major Werner Pluskat
Richard Burton	Flying Officer David Campbell
Wolfgang Büttner	Major General Doctor Hans Speidel
Red Buttons	Private John Steele
Sean Connery	Pvt. Flanagan
Ray Danton	Capt. Frank
Irina Demick	Janine Boitard
Paul Anka	U.S. Army Ranger
Arletty	Madame Barrault
Bourvil	Mayor of Colleville

Director	Andrew Marton; Darryl F. Zanuck; Ken Annakin
Producer	Darryl F. Zanuck; Elmo Williams
Writer	Cornelius Ryan; Romain Gary

The longest day is D Day. We see the Normandy Invasion in interwoven stories of the combatants. Among the numerous characters are prescient Field Marshall Erwin Rommel (Werner Hinz), tough Lt. Col. Vandervoort (John Wayne), Pvt. Flanagan (Sean Connery), Brig. Gen. Cota (Robert Mitchum), Theodore Roosevelt Jr.(Henry Fonda), and unpleasant Flight Officer Campbell (Richard Burton). The film shows the landing on the beaches, and the fighting farther inland where the paratroopers have landed. The plight of the French is well portrayed as their country becomes the battleground. The films shows the fighting from the points of view of both sides, and shows the Allies as taking advantage of the poor preparation of the Germans.