The Longest Day (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Amazon does not listen to their customers. Again, how about just posting Blu-Ray Reviews for Blu-Ray Products? Is that asking too much?

1962 was a banner year for John Wayne. Four movies were released that year that he was in, Hatari!, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (which didn't do that well at the box office), How the West Was Won (which he was barely in) & The Longest Day. How the West Was Won was #3 at the box office while The Longest Day was #5.

As to who was the star of this movie is debatable, I would say the special effects crew & the cinematographers. The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards; winning two, Best Cinematography (Black & White) & Best Special Effects. The cast was an international who's who that allowed the fan to play 'name that star'. At a time when Hollywood began to import foreign actors for roles they weren't particularly suited for, producers actually used the right actors in this film; Americans played their parts, British played their parts, French played their parts & the Germans were cast as Germans. One of the other great things about the film is that the Germans, nor anyone else for that matter, were personified as idiots. Though there is very little room for character development I never felt that I was seeing caricatures.

The movie is mostly from the viewpoints of the Americans & Germans though the British & French get some attention. The first third of the film deals with the 24 hours previous to the invasion. The remainder of the film deals with the actual invasion. We get many vignettes within the film & some humorous moments. The film does have flaws but none that can't be overlooked. The worst thing is the number of characters that are presented, one almost needs to have a scorecard in order to keep up with everyone.

This particular edition of The Longest Day includes a bonus disc. It includes "A Day to Remember" an all-new featurette, "Longest Day: A Salute to Courage" featurette, AMC Backstory: The Longest Day, "D-Day Revisited" documentary, "Richard Zanuck on The Longest Day" featurette, a Still Photo Gallery & the Original Theatrical Trailer. The bonus features are interesting & informative. Overall, this edition gives the buyer excellent value & high quality remastering.

"The Longest Day" is a sprawling depiction of one of the most critical battles of World War II, D-Day, the invasion of France through Normandy's beaches. Darryl Zanuck, as head of 20th Century Fox, fastened upon Cornelius Ryan's bestselling book and decided to acquire the rights and make the movie.

First, the all-star cast is worthy of note. Included in the cast: John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Sean Connery, Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Rod Steiger, Red Buttons, Eddie Arnold, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowell, Kenneth More, Fabian, Tom Tryon, Sal Mineo, and so on. And Gert Frobe, from "Goldfinger" fame!

Second, the movie was shot in black and white. Oddly enough, this works for me. It provides a grittier look and fits with the semi-documentary style adopted by the movie.

Third, it is one of a series of such epics that appeared over a period of time, including "Tora, Tora, Tora" and "Midway." All incorporated, to some extent. actual footage of war film.

Fourth, the story takes us from the preparation for the invasion and the precarious weather reports, to the launching of the forces to precede the invasion (e.g., glider troops and paratroops). Snafus are portrayed as well as successes.

Fifth, some scenes that I found interesting. . . . Pluskat's finally seeing the American fleet bearing down on his bunker on the beaches of Normandy. Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. finagling his way into the invasion. "Rupert's" diversionary tactics. Red Buttons' terrifying parachute drop into a key town. The swirling bagpipes of Lord Lovat's troops (Lovat played by Peter Lawford). The nuns. . . . Scene after scene. It's a very watchable movie.

So, how to evaluate? War is portrayed in a pretty antiseptic manner. After having watched "Saving Private Ryan," D-Day will never look the same, so the portrayal of the landing does not have the same punch (but it was an earlier era, and this is probably unfair to raise as an issue). In the end, though, this is one of the best versions of the events of June 6th, 1944.

The Longest Day DVD

John Wayne and Robert Mitchum head the all-star cast in this star studded recounting of the Normandy invasion during World War II. This is one of the greatest war movies ever made. It tells the story of the Allies leading up to the Invasion and some of the events that happened that day.

Highly recommended for fans of World War II movies, and fans of John Wayne and Robert Mitchum.

Gunner, April, 2008

Strong cast -- classic WWII flick of the era. Was not as good as I remembered as a kid seeing it.