Henry Fonda played Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the son of Teddy R. He was the guy who "didnt" have arthritis. At 56 he was the oldest man to land at DDay. He landed, unharmed, but died of a heart attack about a month later.
The blond RAF pilot explaining about code words in a cellar is Leslie Phillips, a fantastic actor, and also the voice of the Sorting Hat from the Harry Potter series.
This film was loaded with huge stars like John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, and Robert Mitchum. Also many who would later become stars like Sean Connery, Robert Wagner, and Roddy McDowall. It even had popular musical stars of the day, like Fabian and Paul Anka. One of my all time favorite war movies!
The Germans where played by top of the line German actors of that time too. Some might recognise Gert Fröbe, who later played the Bond villain Goldfinger and Curd Jürgens, who later also played a Bond villain in The Spy Who Loved Me.
@@mrtveye6682 on the German side you can add Vicco von Bülow later known as one of the best comedians Germany ever had, Hans Christian Blech, Peter van Eyck, Hans Söhnker, Michael Hinz, Heinz Reincke and those are just the really famous actors.
@@althelas Yes, it was a top of the line cast all around. I just thought Fröbe and Jürgens would probably be the ones that might be recognized the most by non German viewers, cause they did the most international film work. I was not born yet when the movie was shot, but yes, I know more or less all of them from later appearances in TV and film when I grew up. Have to admit though I didn't remembered that Loriot was in this one too.
The Longest Day is one of my favorite movies. Many of the actors in the film served during WWII. One factor about the film, the actor Richard Todd, who played Major John Howard, the commander of the attack on the Orne River Bridge, was an officer in the unit that took the bridge in the real battle. So he played his own commanding officer in the movie and another actor, while not having a speaking role, who stood next to him in a scene was playing Richard Todd.
He also wore the same beret he did on D-day but swapped badging with the commander of the operation... who was the man that handed the note to him at the bridge! So Todd played him, and he played Todd
@@garycollins7750 Eddie Albert was the coxswain of a Coast Guard Higgins Boat (landing craft) delivering Marines and supplies ashore in an amphibious landing to take the Island from a well entrenched Japanese force.
The History Guy did a pretty good episode about that. Albert was running the Salvage boat, which is tasked with pulling stranded craft off the rocks and pulled a lot of guys out of the water@@regould221
One of the rare examples of a film that looks at a battle from multiple perspectives. It's also interesting in that several of the actors were veterans of the D-Day landings.
@@88wildcat I watched Tora! Tora! Tora! many times as a kid, perhaps one of the most factually accurate WW2 movies. Midway (1976) tried to do it, but less successfully - both in terms of accuracy & just not being as good a movie.
@@WhiskyCanuck Midway would have been both extremely good and extemely accurate if that Charleton Hesston and his kid family subplot had not been Hollywooded into the film. Everything else is extremely accurate.
You, Me, and the Movies did an awesome reaction to this movie. Thus, this channel and them are the only ones that I know of that reacted to this movie, though there may be a few others.
@jamesbednar8625 There's just so many movies that get ignored because they're older than the reactors or their Patreon fans. So much so that people are missing out in favor of movies every single other reactors have done. A lot of these channels are redundant. I subscribe to you, me, and movies they do some good ones.
As a german it was no problem to understand everything (ok, my french is very bad!). Certainly I recognized the famous german actors Curd Jürgens and Gert Fröbe. It says a lot about their mindset to play in these roles. Also, all german roles were "real" german actors, which says a lot about this movie in general in 1962. A heavy topic with a fine (sometimes dark) sense of humor. Years later, Sean Connery and Gert Fröbe meet again in "Goldfinger"! It`s in my top 5 of best war movies ever!
This movie was shot by several different directors all based on their language. The German scenes not only starred Germans, but was directed by a German. And the producer wanted the dialog to be as accurate as possible.
Eddie Albert, who played Col. Lloyd Thompson and you probably recognize from re-runs of Green Acres, won the Bronze star for Valor in combat at Tarawa in the Pacific. He disobeyed orders to rescue 70 trapped Marines with his landing craft while under enemy fire.
Before the war and his acting career, Eddie Albert toured Mexico as a clown and high-wire artist with the Escalante Brothers Circus, secretly working for U.S. Army intelligence, photographing German U-boats in Mexican harbors.
There’s only one interview in his entire career where he mentions his World War II experiences. He says he wasn’t a hero. He was just doing his job. The heroes were the men who didn’t come back. A lot of soldiers in that generation felt guilty they made it through these horrific experiences while so many others didn’t.
@@Caseytify it sure was. It was the first time the United States faced serious Japanese opposition to an amphibious landing in the war. The US had over 3000 casualties in less than four days.
Another great suggestion from the fans. (edit) 10:24 - the planes are towing gliders, which have no motors themselves, thereby making them very quiet and hard to detect in the night sky. It was a method used to drop people without parachute training and heavier gear behind the enemy lines and as close to the target as possible.
The pilot of the glider that landed a little more than 40 yards from what was later renamed Pegasus Bridge was a man named James Wallwork. Landing so close to the objective allowed the glider troops to quickly attack and seize the bridge. The close landing was later noted by a senior Allied commander as "the greatest feat of flying of the second world war".
Landing in a tree was how my grandfather ended up in a POW camp. Apparently a child found him and alerted everyone. My grandmother had her loved one MIA-POW bracelet her whole life; it's become a family heirloom. He did come home, but died at an early age due to injuries (metal scrap embedded in his head and scalp).
My Dad fought in the Pacific. During the landing on the island of Tawawa, the landing craft miscalculated, and the the groups of in deep water. To survive, he had to dump his entire pack, 60+ lbs. When he made it to shore, he resupplied himself from the Marines who were already dead.
That was rough - your dad survived, right? Hope so. Misjudging the tides made it impossible for the landing craft to ride over the reef to the beach. Eddie Albert, who is in "The Longest Day" (and the TV show "Green Acres") was awarded the bronze star for his actions off Tarawa involving the stranded Marines offshore. He took his boat many times back and forth taking wounded and trapped Marines back to the ships and bringing supplies forward to those still fighting, and providing fire support. He and your dad might have seen each during the day, you never know. My own dad was in the pacific, but commanding Marine artillery, so not in the initial landings.
@@williamivey5296 Yes, he and mom were married July 4th 1956. I came along in October 1957. He never told any other stories but that one. He had a samurai sword that he got from a Japanese officer. It has a bullet lodged in the handle, and blood stains on the blade. He never told us a thing about it. He passed in 2004 at the age of 80. This month was his 100th birthday. Mom passed last February at 93. At 66 losing my mom still shredded me.
@@peterciarcia2023 My parents married in 1938, mom died in 1987 and dad in 2000. Not easy becoming an orphan at any age. My dad and I, when I was maybe five or six, watched Victory at Sea when it reran on Saturday afternoons. Didn't occur to me until I was an adult what a surreal experience that must have been for him.
@@williamivey5296 My Dad refused to watch war movies. He hated anything that would even hint at what he went through. Vets who saw it said that the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan were much more like the real thing than any other movie they saw.
The guy with the bagpipes was a real person. Bill Millin was a Canadian and the personal piper to the commander of the British 1 Special Service Brigade at D-Day. The Real McKenzies recorded a song about him called "My Head Is Filled with Music"
The piper in the film, whose name escapes me just now, was the personal piper to HM the Queen Mother (QEII's mother), who assented to his participation.
@@ilejovcevski79okay well I VERY rarely hear anyone, especially film buffs, talk about this film like they do Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, etc. so my comment still stands 🤷
This movie is probably the most accurate depection of D-Day ever filmed. It was written by people who were actually there, using the military records from all sides. Many of the actors (both the stars and the extras) were D-Day Veterans. The director chose to film in B&W instead of Color because he wated it to have a documentary feel to it. It has a special place in my heart because of my family connections to it. My uncle was in the Airborne and it was only providence that he survived. Coming over the English Channel, through the storms, my uncle's plane hit turbulence and the men were tossed out of their seats. He landed on the floor with several other guys on top of him. He suffered a broken nose and a dislocated shoulder. Another man in the group broke an ankle. Needless to say they wouldn't let them jump. His plane was the one that missed the drop zone and the men landed in the town. The character played by Red Buttons (the one who got hung up on the bell tower) was the man in front on my uncle in the jump order. He's the only other one from that plane who survived. My uncle refused the Purple Heart for his D-Day injury.
I'm a Boomer.. All the adults in my life growing up were in WWII. One of them had been a glider pilot. But there were some who escaped the Nazis, one woman was in a concentration camp. Another survived the London Blitz.
So many big names in this movie....amazing! My dad was a Navy medic in WWII, and was at Normandy on 'the day'. He not only helped transport troops in, but transported wounded out. He was also attached to a Marine unit and was on the ground with them. He never really talked about it, and watched about 10 minutes of 'Saving Private Ryan' before saying yes, it was very realistic, and turning it off. He said it took him years to close his eyes and not see the hurt and dying on that beach.
This movie is kinda the other side of Saving Private Ryan. The book was a series of personal interviews with people, high level or low, who were ACTUALLY there on D-Day. The movie necessarily combines some individuals, and fictionalizes some elements.
@@ghostviggen yes. I have read the book. It has an Appendix, a chapter long addition at the end, that lists all the people he interviewed: Americans, Brits, Canadians, Germans, and French, civilians, Resistance and the Free French who participated in the landings.
Richard Todd who plays the British parachute major at Pegasus Bridge actually fought there during that action and was promoted to captain 5 days after D Day. The producers asked him if he wanted to play himself but he opted to play the major as he said it was his only chance of a promotion.
Erm! Nope! He wasn't fighting at pegasus bridge, that was gliderbourne troops from the ox and bucks light infantry 6th airborne, Todd was in 6th airborne as a paratrooper, he did drop on d-day and landed east of pegasus Bridge and horsa Bridge and fought in that area, which was his and the other paras orders, hold the ground east of the two bridges. He delivered a message to major Howard but that's it. If you think I'm wrong then search it on UA-cam and you'll come across Todd himself telling you what he done on D-day. He did wear his own beret in the film but the rest is bull.
@@shawnmiller4781 in that case, you must also think the 82nd and 101st also fought at pegasus bridge 🤣🤦. Talk about a weak defensive argument. The only factual comment in this thread before I commented was he wore his own beret in the film.
You really need to watch Band of Brothers. It's universally accepted as the most realistic depiction of war ever made (especially WW2). It's also an incredibly accurate telling of the story of the 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company with several of the surviving members acting as consultants and being interviewed after each episode Its produced by Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks, and is one of those special things that can change your life, if you let it
A classic. Another great WWII movie to watch: Bridge on the River Kwai. Maybe for next year's Veteran's Day movie. My deep gratitude to all the Veterans out there. Thank you.
I have travelled to France and have visited the beaches of Normandy both the American and Canadian landing sites. Also we went to Sainte Mère Église and we saw that they have a replica of the paratrooper still hanging from the steeple of the church.
Great reaction Ashleigh! I'm surprised you didn't recognize Henry Fonda! I also saw Sean Connery, Richard Burton and several others. This movie had a great cast! Now that you watched this, you should also react to TORA! TORA! TORA! (1970). It's also another war film detailing the events leading up to and including the battle at Pearl Harbor. It is told from both the American and Japanese sides.
She would remember Henry Fonda if she watched the original 50s version of TWELVE ANGRY MEN instead of the 90s TV movie version! Ugh I'm still mad at that and whoever told her to watch that one instead!
Film critic Roger Ebert, dismissed "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970) as a dull documentary. Hence, we get soap opera-level movies like "Pearl Harbor" (2001) when movie directors "do World War II."
@Otokichi786 Yes I heard of Roger Ebert's negative review of this film. Well, I have a UA-camr friend who admires Roger Ebert and has watched Tora! Tora! Tora! too and liked it so not all movie critics have the same opinion. I'll ask him to also check out The Longest Day too.
Do you remember the Brigadier General (1 star) who lied about his arthritis? That was Henry Fonda. He played the lead role in a film called, "Mr Roberts" that was adapted from a Broadway play he had also stared in. It a magnificent representation of the human side of war. No visible combat action in the entire movie, however it shows the conflict from a different perspective. Cast members include, Jack Lemmon and James Cagney. Jack Lemmon won his first academy award, for best supporting actor, in this film.
Ashley thank you for supporting US veterans. Thank you for watching this movie I love watching this movie I've seen at least a dozen times and I love watching it with people who've never seen it who don't understand what war is really like. It's amazing what you have to do and how your survival Instinct just kicks in when you're in situations like this. This is why we train to get our bodies to just automatically do things without us even thinking. And once again thank you to all the veterans who watch Ashley and thank you for your support and your service to our great country.
Nice. One of the best ‘old school’ war movies ever made. As has likely been mentioned many of the actors were WW2 veterans themselves leading to a major mind blown moment. Richard Todd played Major Howard, who held the bridge. And when he’s relieved by the incoming reinforcements, he shakes hands with an actor who is portraying him, Richard Todd,for he is the officer that relieved Howard on D-Day.
The eleventh of November is celebrated as Remembrance Day in the rest of the world, with parades and ceremonies leading up to a two minute silence at 11:00 am to pay tribute to all the Fallen of World War One (and all the conflicts that followed). A sombre day world-wide.
That’s because it was originally Armistice Day, the end of WWI, which people thought at the time would be the “end” of major wars because countries had learned negotiation, and you couldn’t get a bigger war than that one…Or could we?
The reason the US does not celebrate Remembrance Day is because they already had one that they celebrated on May 30, Memorial Day, which remembered the Civil War dead and was declared a national holiday in 1868. When WW1 ended and the British Empire declared Remembrance Day, the US chose to not move their already established day but still participate by celebrating all who served, not just those who died. This is why we have 2 days and remember Armistice Day a little different.
In case it hasn't been mentioned yet...David McCallum, who passed away recently, was in The Great Escape (1963) which is definitely a War film you should see
So for this film people who were on both sides were part of the behind the scenes to make it as accurate as possible. Henry Fonda is the one playing Theodore Roosevelt the 3rd at 16:53. Who was the oldest to land on Normandy and the only General to do so. He died a month after the invasion. While Theodore Roosevelt the 4th was fighting in the Pacific. Red Buttons who played the soldier who ended up stuck on the clock face that happened to the real life soldier he was playing. Sean Connery was the soldier Flanagan.
John Wayne tried to enlist. They said he was too old, had a bum hip, and classified 3-A. Then he tried to get into John Ford's military unit, but Republic Pictures threatened him with a lawsuit if he broke his contract with them. Then he tried to get into the OSS (precursor to the CIA) to no avail. So he made repeated USO Tours to both the ETO and the PTO. He did what he could. SO, jamesmoyner7499, do some research before you call someone a coward. Oh, and what was YOUR service?
That is a very unfair characterization of John Wayne. Wayne was classified 3-A and exempted from service due to his age (he was already 34 when the US entered the war) and his family status. Because he was exempted, he remained bound by his studio contract. He repeatedly expressed to the studio his desire to enlist, but the studio had lost so many other A-list actors to the military that they refused to let Wayne out of his contract. He applied to join the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA, but was unsuccessful. He wrote several times to director John Ford, who was head of the photographic unit of the OSS, then engaged in secret photographic missions documenting the activities of resistance fighters in enemy-occupied territories, and asked if Ford could get him into his unit. When he was later reclassified as 1-A and became eligible to be drafted, he did not seek a deferment. However, Republic studios, who held his contract, requested his deferment so they would not lose him and they threatened to sue Wayne if he walked away from his contract. In the end, he did not serve in the military. Could he have found a way to get out of his studio contract and join the military without risking his family's financial ruin? Maybe. But unless you know for sure that he could have and made a conscious choice not to, calling him a coward is completely unjustified.
@@jonm1114 Well thank you for more information. I'll give you that, but what I won't is the fact he was an awful man. Just look at his playboy interview and you'll see his true colors. Plus he was never a good actor always playing the same grizzled grumpy old man even as a young man.
This is my favorite war movie, along with "Glory" and "Hacksaw Ridge". There is a lot of trivia associated with this movie. Here's a little- The guy who played Eisenhower was in the crew, but he got the part because of his uncanny resemblance to Ike. Roddy McDowell, and Richard Burton were filming "Cleopatra" at the same time. There were so many delays, they asked director Darryl Zanuck if they could have roles in "The Longest Day". Zanuck and Wayne had a feud going on. Wayne refused to be in the movie until he was paid $250,000, 10x's what all the other actors were paid. The French commando assault on the casino was done in one shot lasting 1 1/2 min.
The actor who played the commander of the glider troops taking the bridge, the very first Allied assault, was a guy named Richard Todd. In real life, he had been one of the troops involved in that same assault, so he was essentially playing his own commander 18 yrs later.
Thanks for recognizing the Vets. My husband is a 23 year Vet. He got stop lost 2 months before his retirement and was sent to Iraq. He doesn't talk about it much, but thankfully came home. It was so different in WWII. Most of my uncles served and a few of my aunts served too! I believe it an honorable thing to do.
@@jnagarya519 at least one side is usually justified. The people fighting to defend their homes against american invaders where fighting the very textbook example of a justified war.
@@titanuranus3095 The US was attacked at Pearl Harbor, then Germany declared war on the US. Yes, that war was justified. Korea had some justification, though its governments for decades thereafter were dictatorships supported by the US against . . . dictatorship. From Vietnam on it was not about defense or democracy; it was about natural resources.
@@jnagarya519 The Vietnamese had every right to defend themselves against the Unitad States, the Vietnam war was much more justified than the U.S' participation in ww2; as they where defending their homes whereas the U.S. was only defending its colonies.
Coast Guard vet here. Thank you for the call out / recognition. Enjoy your channel, keep on truckin'. Also, you should consider Command Decision from 1949. An excellent movie that takes place in one room / building, much like 12 Angry Men. Incredible storytelling.
Audrey Hepburn was a member of the Resistance when she was a girl. She would bike all over Holland delivering messages and spying. Who would suspect a gawky 12 year old??? I like that this movie started out showing resistance.
I am so glad you noticed the scope of the battle footage. There is one incredible shot that starts with a French soldier peeking around a corner - then it pulls back in a helicopter shot to show him leading 50 or so men around the corner in a charge down the street. As the camera keeps pulling back, there is a canal next to the street and on the other side of the canal is another street, with another group of 100 or so men charging down it. Bullet impacts are hitting everywhere, explosions are going off (in the canal water and on land), bridges spanning the canal are getting blown up, and men are getting shot down. The helicopter angle ends up behind the objective of the French charge, which is a multi-storey, German occupied casino building at the end of the road, with an artillery gun on the roof that is shooting back at the attackers. Now that's a BIG shot, with a lot going on! There are others like it, too. Shots filmed from an airplane flying for at least half a mile over a beach, with hundreds of men charging out of dozens of landing craft, again with explosions and such going off everywhere. Those are big, big, complicated scenes!
I inherited this movie from my best friend after his dad passed away now a number of years back. He was a veteran. Super nice guy, could talk your ear off for hours. Every year on mine and my best friend’s dad’s birthday (yes, our birthdays are on the same day, June 13th) I make sure to make a toast to him. As far as the movie goes, it was ambitious, but in the end such a good movie, and is one of the most important war movies ever made.
John Wayne’s character was actually 27. Back then there really was no steering a parachute. You just landed where you landed. They landed over a large area. The scene where they passed the German column actually happened. President Teddy Roosevelt was a cousin of Franklin D.Roosevelt. (The President at the time of WWII)
Ashleigh, thanks so much for this Veterans Day salute movie. When the mood hits you, I'm sure you'd enjoy the WW 2/mystery film, 'Stalag 17', which was based on a Broadway play, written by a pair of U.S. prisoners of war. Enjoy!
John Steele, the character played by Red Buttons, I’ve been intrigued by his story. The church in St. Mere Eglise hangs a replica of his parachute, complete with mannequin, from their roof year round. If you ever visit France, that needs to be one of your stops.
Ashley, long time viewer from the UK here, even ;onger film buff. We just had Remembrance day here in the UK and of course I watched The Longest Day. I have three war films from the 60's I absolutely love... The Longest Day...Tora Tora Tora, and The Battle Of Britain. When watching The Lonest Day it always warms my heart when I see the British commandos going into action being led by a piper. The commander of the commandoes was Lord Lovat, Simon Fraser. Lord Lovat came from my neck of the wood here in the North of Scotland and was a lovely man. Winston Churchill once commented on him the he was the most charming man wo ever cut an enemies throat...Every actor in this film played someone who took part in the invasion. The actor who played the commander of the men who took Pegasus Bridge was Richard Todd. He was a veteran who actually took part in the operation and was a close friend of Major Howard.
A few years ago, I had the privilege of having a morning coffee with two, WW2 British paratroopers at a B & B near the Pegasus Bridge. One was 92 years old, and the other was 97. The older gentleman was the last survivor of the glider assault on the Pegasus Bridge. He was on the third glider. As a history buff, my meeting these two veterans represented the most wonderful fifteen minutes of my life. Fantastic museum there! Ashleigh, please consider traveling to the D-Day Beaches and surrounding sites. It will change your life. My three trips had definitely had an impact on mine. Great reaction Ashleigh!
A bit late for this reaction, but as a Vet, I just wanted to say thank you for this reaction. I grew up on this movie and a few others, and helped inspire me to join up.
This is a pretty accurate movie (with some literary license taken). I was a paratrooper in Vietnam and while I never made a combat jump, I made many helicopter assault landings on hot LZ (landing zone). The hurry up and wait is just part of the Army, even in a war zone. And you are correct going into combat either by jumping in or by helicopter gives you time to think about your own mortality, but when the time comes, you put that aside and do what your were trained to do.
I used to watch this over and over as a kid (8-9yo). A lot of these guys had been there for the original event. Including the guy playing the commander tasked with holding a bridge. He'd been a part of that mission, and when the director found out, offered to let him play himself, but he declined, as he didn't want to trade the role he played for a "smaller" one.
Some Notes and some responses to your comments /questions: (SPOILERS WARNING!) This film is the adaptation of the book "The Longest Day", by journalist Cornelius Ryan. In the 1950s, he searched for and counducted a series of interviews with the soldiers and officers (the survivors, actually) that had been involved, or participated, in the D-Day invasions. He interviewed Americans, Canadians, British, French and Germans. He also interviewed civilians (e.g., the french in the village of St- Maire-Église, or the family members of the soldiers involved). The result is a book made of many little stories of the preparation, and then the first 24 hours, of the Normandy Invasions. The phrase "The Longest Day" was supposedly really stated by Rommel as he was organising the coastal defenses. Notes on your questions and comments: 4:00 - These lines are from the poem "Chanson d'Automne", by french writer Paul Verlaine. The first batch of verses ("Les sanglots longs des violons de l’automne") was a code phrase meaning that the invasion would take place soon, within a certain period of time (IIRC, the author stated about 48-72 hours). 9:30 - The second batch of verses ("Blessent mon coeur d’une langueur monotone.") meant that the invasion was iminent, and for this resistance group to do a certain action (in this case, to cut communications of a specific phone line). Also acording to Cornelius Ryan, the German Intelligence services knew that these lines were related to the invasion (Thus the General orders the army to be ready), but that they still had no information about its time or place. 10:10 - They were indeed gliders. The front planes dragged the gliders behind them, realesing them when they reached the designated landing zones. They the gliders should have to land with the troops. As you mention later, it was a silent way to transport troops directly into the ground, and without needing parachutes. One of the main problems was that the gliders would have to land wherever they could, which meant dangerous landing in rough terrains. 13:13 - In the book this is actually the first scene. The only difference is that the lady was so dumbfounded by the encounter that she just kept still, and it was the soldier that quickly run away, after making the shushing gesture. 14:08 - "A few of our trops got pushed in the wrong direction" - Yes. Again, according the book, many of the paratroopers missed their drop zones, due to a combination of darkness, confusion and bad naviagation. And, as shown in this scene, a whole platoon DID land in the middle of the village, right into the hands of the german military, and was basically massacred. 14:56 - Werner Pluskat, Major of the Wehrmacht, and assigned to the coastal defense / vigilance. Supposedly, and according to the book, he was the first german officer to see the American ships. 16:08 - According to Cornelius Ryan, he interviewed soldiers that claimed this event DID took place: both the german and american squads were marching to each other, were distracted by the sounds of planes flying above, looked up... and simply passed each other. 18:50 - Have you watched "Saving Private Ryan"? It's this scene, but a hundred times worse. Note: your comments about soggy terrain are spot-on! 22:27 - I think these are french troops. 23:09 - Again, "Saving Private Ryand" will provide you with a clear prespective of treating wonded soldiers while under fire. 23:49 - "Bangalore torpedo" - It would shoot a explosive that would travel through the tube, and explode on the end, eliminating whatever was there - in this case, the razor wire. 24:50 - Henry Fonda plays General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. At 16:49, we can watch him discussing with another officer the fact that he is the son of a previous US president, and how this makes the brass nervous of sending him into battle. Also, Roosevelt Jr. did suffered from arthritis. - Richard Burton appears at 24:30. I'm not sure what character he plays, but, from the wings on his uniform, he is probably a pilot.
Bangalore. The entire tube was filled with explosive. Invented by the British at the Bangalore Arsenal in India, its main purpose was to blow a path through barbed wire defences. The lengths of tube would be connected as the torpedo was slid under the barbed wire entanglements then detonated along its entire length, thus blowing the wire aside and creating a cleared path.
Hi Ashleigh. My Dad was in the Parachute regiment and often spoke about meeting Major John Howard. He was a very humble man who gave his men the full credit for taking the Orne river bridges. They used gliders called Horsa gliders. It is considered one of the finest glider assaults in history as the landed right next to the bridges at the right time. Believe me, most glider assaults were not this accurate! When my Dad was in airborne forces (1947-50), they actually stopped doing glider drops because they considered them just too dangerous.
I saw this movie in the theaters when I was a young teenager. Just about every major character was played by a fairly famous or even greatly famous movie star of the time; many of whom actually took part in the war. That is one reason for some criticism of the movie. Most of the actors were much older than the person they were portraying. John Wayne had to talked into doing his role because he knew he was too old, but they wanted his star power. On a side note, James Doohan (Scotty of Star Trek) landed on Juno beach as part of the Canadian contingent. He got hit with six bullets and lost a finger on his right hand. He had to hide that from cameras all through his acting career.
I'm a 20 year veteran and my dad was too RIP. No UA-camr has reacted to my favorite movie (and true story) called Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper. And before you think it's another war story, there is a love story in it.
General Teddy Roosevelt Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day. He died of a massive heart attack five weeks later and was buried at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. There is one World War 1 veteran buried in that cemetery, Quentin Roosevelt, Teddy Jr's brother. He was a World War 1 pilot who was shot down and killed in July, 1918. he was originally buried in Chamery, France. After WWII he was disinterred and buried next to his brother at Colleville-sur-Mer.
Richard Todd played his Commanding officer Major Howard in this film and was at the Orhne River bridge. The Beret he wore in the film is his issue one he had with him during that mission. And yes they were glider units, towed by another aircraft.
Awesome reaction to this movie classic!! A short history of how "Veteran's Day" came about: Known as Armistice Day in the U.S. at that time, Representative Ed Rees from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill establishing the Veteran's Day holiday through Congress. Emporia, Kansas, is considered the "birthplace of Veteran's Day. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on or about May 26, 1954. Congress then later amended the bill on June 1, 1954, thus replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day ever since. IF you ever visit the city of Emporia, Kansas, at the south end of town there is a nice memorial commemorating the "birthplace" of Veteran's Day. I live about a 1.5-hour drive (depending on route taking) from Emporia, Kansas, and visit he memorial site/park whenever am in town.
And thank you for all the Americans that have fought all the veterans since the French native American pre-revolutionary war of 1776 and the war of 1812 that only lasted for one year thank the LORD and may the Lord bless you and you😊
After 1950, any major motion picture filmed in black & white was meant to be filmed in black & white…the director chose that for a reason. The officers were all major stars at that time & most had served in WWII: John Wayne you recognized although he didn’t serve in the war, but there was also Robert Mitchum (Cape Fear…was drafted in 45 & served as a medic at Fort MacArthur), Robert Ryan (was a Marine drill instruction at Camp Pendleton), Edmond O’Brien who because of his age, served as an entertainer in the Army Armed Forces; Mel Ferrer (once married to Audrey Hepburn was 4-F due to having polio at 21), Henry Fonda played Teddy Roosevelt Jr. (served in the Pacific Theater on a destroyer & earned a Bronze Star), Eddie Albert (best known for Green Acres tv show, but was a hero as he saved 70 wounded Marines while under enemy fire ); Rod Steiger who played the Destroyer Commander served on a destroyer in the South Pacific & said the Battle of Iwo Jima haunted him until his dying day); Steve Forrest fought in the Battle of the Bulge; & the British major was Richard Todd who actually took part in the D-Day invasion and Stuart Whitman who was in high school at the time; Soldiers, many who were teens during the war, were Red Buttons (who, like O’Brien, was an entertainer for the Army Armed Forces), Richard Burton (yep, the one married to Liz Taylor…joined the RAF in ‘44 & was a flight navigator); Sean Connery, teen heartthrob singers Paul Anka & Fabian, Sal Mineo (Rebel Without a Cause); Roddy MacDowell, singer Tommy Sands (married to Nancy Sinatra then blacklisted by Frank when the two divorced); Robert Wagner; Clint Eastwood; and George Segal.
I was worried that as a millennial you would get bored watching this, as it’s not as dramatic as say Saving Private Ryan, but it’s a very accurate and fact filled version of events from multiple perspectives on both sides. I thought you did a very good job in understanding what was happening in each scene and why it was included in the movie. Sometimes that gets lost because things that were well known or obvious to people decades ago are not so well known or obvious today. Thank you for reacting to this and showing the respect these heroes deserve.
The invasion of Normandy was completely crazy in a bunch of ways, but the aerial insertion the night before was just total chaos. As you said, paratroopers landing in the wrong places, getting injured in landing, not being able to find the other members of their squad, marching around the French countryside in total darkness...it was nuts. And the gliders! They wanted to get soldiers in quietly, so they put a bunch of people in gliders they knew had no choice but to crash land. As you can imagine, there were a bunch of injuries in the process. It's a testament to the creativity and organization of the Allied Forces that any of it worked at all.
This is the first movie I remember ever seeing in the theater. My Dad was a huge John Wayne fan and he was a WW2 veteran (serving both in the Pacific and Europe which very few did). He thought it was important that his kids gained an understanding about D-Day but I was just a bit too young (6 years old, my brothers were older). I was bored and don't remember much except Red Buttons hanging by his parachute and the song.
While 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Band of Brothers' does this 'Day' far better justice? I went to the movies with Papa and my three older brothers, to see this film! Growing-up seeing all the 'Great' Actors/Actresses was truly a Blessing. No, none of them were/are perfect, but they sure's HELL fired-up our imagination and ideals (For better OR worse!). USMC Veteran, Woman, who served two Tours overseas, now disabled and just trying to sit-back and watch as the rest of the world does whatever the hell it's going to do! Thank you Ashleigh! I think you're a WONDERFUL woman and person, and adore your 'Reaction(s)'!
Hey, Ms. Ashleigh! This is one of those all-star cast movies that they used to make. Some of the cast had seen action in Normandy during the war. When this movie came out, it was closer to D-Day than we are now to 9-11. Heck, SAVING PVT RYAN and BAND OF BROTHERS both are further in our past than the war was for these LONGEST DAY guys. There are so many war movies out there. A bunch were filmed in B&W as to be interspersed with actual footage. Henry Fonda gave us some more European theater with BATTLE OF THE BULGE. Richard Burton, WHERE EAGLES DARE. Harrison Ford has a couple. There are bunches. Oh, Sean Connery was with the guy who didn't want to hear the pipes. I could go on, but you don't need that. Thanks for the support. Aim high semper fi hooah!
As a point of reference: We are now, chronologically, further away from 9/11 than this movie’s premiere was from the events it depicts. Many of the actors in this star studded cast actually served in the war. And Ashley, since you have now watched this Cornelius Ryan story, you MUST add his “A Bridge Too Far” to next year’s Veterans Day watch - especially since Band of Brothers introduced you BRIEFLY to that story.
I have read both of Cornelius Ryan's books (albeit in German translation). And a third book called The Last Battle, which depicts the end of the war in Europe. Ryan interviewed people who were actually involved in what was happening and from all perspectives of the war. He showed protagonists, witnesses and also victims of the war.
I had the great honour of meeting Bill Millin the real bagpiper with Lord Lovat's commandos on D-Day. When he retired, he moved to a town near where I lived and would often visit schools etc to talk about his experiences. I also happened to know the man who played him in this film, Pipe-Major Leslie de Laspey, who was the Queen's private piper and retired to my village where he would teach us school children scottish country dancing.
Veteran's Day is known as Remembrance Day in other parts of the world. It's basically the same thing except people wear a poppy, a tradition I wish Americans would adopt.
When I was a child in the 1960s we wore them, but the anti-military sentiment after the Vietnam War made it fall out of favor, and by the time patriotism made a resurgence in the mid 80s, and "Thank you for your service" became standard, the red poppy was largely forgotten by the general public and so was not brought back. Also, in the United States, we have Veterans Day which honors all who served and Memorial Day which honors those who gave their lives in service to their country, and since most Americans today don't know the difference, debating which day would be more appropriate to wear poppies would be confusing and/or divisive.
This is one of my favorite war movies. I watched it when I was in high school (in the 90s, to date myself), and after watching it, I read a book about D Day. That book made me appreciate this movie so much more. It's incredibly well done, and I do recommend you check out more info on D-Day if you can. Very fascinating.
This coming Memorial Day i recommend that you consider watching either Midway(1976), or Gettysburg(1993). Midway is about a WWII naval battle, which was the turning point in the war in the Pacific, and Gettysburg about the turning point in the Civil War. Long movie. Good cast in both movies.
"To be a good soldier, you must love the Army. To be a good commander, you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love." Gettysburg is my favorite movie.
I basically know nothing about technology. I'm 56 yrs old and still living in the 70's/80's. I'm lucky i can operate my cell phone(not a smart phone, a flip phone). One foot's in the grave.@T-.elegram.-Ashleigh_Burton
Many of the little unlikely events depicted actually happened in WWII. Including the paratrooper caught in the church bells, and the German and American troops marching along on opposite sides of the wall. And the general staff being afraid to wake Hitler.
I was in the 82nd airborne and there is a term for meeting up with random soldiers who meet up cus they got dropped in the wrong spot, it’s called L-GOPoPs, it means little groups of pissed off paratroopers , and that how we won that day
You should honestly check out Jeremy Clarkson... the Victoria Cross and the greatest raid of all time. They are absolutely thrilling documentaries. I can't recommend them highly enough.
I am glad you got to this one. Long before I joined the military this became one of my favorite films, thanks to it being on television when I was a child. Very well done with excellent consultation of people who were there as well as many of the actors themselves being W.W. II veterans.
Sees *The Longest Day* Reaction.
"Yes!"
Sees the 28-minute runtime.
"... How?"
Henry Fonda played Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the son of Teddy R. He was the guy who "didnt" have arthritis. At 56 he was the oldest man to land at DDay. He landed, unharmed, but died of a heart attack about a month later.
And for his actions on D-Day would receive the Medal of Honor, but died before it could be awarded to him.
That’s a Roosevelt, man. Characteristic determination.
@@BeeWhistler Yes! The one in the Wheelchair was running the War!
The blond RAF pilot explaining about code words in a cellar is Leslie Phillips, a fantastic actor, and also the voice of the Sorting Hat from the Harry Potter series.
This film was loaded with huge stars like John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, and Robert Mitchum. Also many who would later become stars like Sean Connery, Robert Wagner, and Roddy McDowall. It even had popular musical stars of the day, like Fabian and Paul Anka. One of my all time favorite war movies!
The Germans where played by top of the line German actors of that time too. Some might recognise Gert Fröbe, who later played the Bond villain Goldfinger and Curd Jürgens, who later also played a Bond villain in The Spy Who Loved Me.
@@mrtveye6682 on the German side you can add Vicco von Bülow later known as one of the best comedians Germany ever had, Hans Christian Blech, Peter van Eyck, Hans Söhnker, Michael Hinz, Heinz Reincke and those are just the really famous actors.
@@althelas Yes, it was a top of the line cast all around. I just thought Fröbe and Jürgens would probably be the ones that might be recognized the most by non German viewers, cause they did the most international film work.
I was not born yet when the movie was shot, but yes, I know more or less all of them from later appearances in TV and film when I grew up. Have to admit though I didn't remembered that Loriot was in this one too.
And Richard Beymer, who played Tony in the original "West Side Story" movie
Edit. And Red Buttons, who was with John Wayne in the movie "Hatari"
And all 30 odd years older than the real people involved
The Longest Day is one of my favorite movies. Many of the actors in the film served during WWII. One factor about the film, the actor Richard Todd, who played Major John Howard, the commander of the attack on the Orne River Bridge, was an officer in the unit that took the bridge in the real battle. So he played his own commanding officer in the movie and another actor, while not having a speaking role, who stood next to him in a scene was playing Richard Todd.
one of my favorites too got the dvd of it too
He also wore the same beret he did on D-day but swapped badging with the commander of the operation... who was the man that handed the note to him at the bridge! So Todd played him, and he played Todd
Eddie Albert too although he was in the pacific.
@@garycollins7750 Eddie Albert was the coxswain of a Coast Guard Higgins Boat (landing craft) delivering Marines and supplies ashore in an amphibious landing to take the Island from a well entrenched Japanese force.
The History Guy did a pretty good episode about that. Albert was running the Salvage boat, which is tasked with pulling stranded craft off the rocks and pulled a lot of guys out of the water@@regould221
One of the rare examples of a film that looks at a battle from multiple perspectives. It's also interesting in that several of the actors were veterans of the D-Day landings.
Now she needs to do Tora! Tora! Tora! to see the same type of film involving the attack on Pearl Harbor.
@@88wildcat or The battle of Britain (1969)
@@88wildcat I watched Tora! Tora! Tora! many times as a kid, perhaps one of the most factually accurate WW2 movies. Midway (1976) tried to do it, but less successfully - both in terms of accuracy & just not being as good a movie.
Yes, Tora! Tora! Tora! is a great movie!@@88wildcat
@@WhiskyCanuck Midway would have been both extremely good and extemely accurate if that Charleton Hesston and his kid family subplot had not been Hollywooded into the film. Everything else is extremely accurate.
OMG.. TLD.. one of the best War movies ever .... the amount of stars and upcomming stars in this film is simply staggering
Finally someone reacts to this movie. Most reaction channels refuse to do older movies. Older to them is the 90's.
Really? I've heard YT youngsters refer to 1980's and 1970's movies as "the oldest one I've seen.";)
You, Me, and the Movies did an awesome reaction to this movie. Thus, this channel and them are the only ones that I know of that reacted to this movie, though there may be a few others.
@jamesbednar8625 There's just so many movies that get ignored because they're older than the reactors or their Patreon fans. So much so that people are missing out in favor of movies every single other reactors have done. A lot of these channels are redundant. I subscribe to you, me, and movies they do some good ones.
Cinebinge says _Twelve Angry Men_ is one of their favourites.
As a german it was no problem to understand everything (ok, my french is very bad!). Certainly I recognized the famous german actors Curd Jürgens and Gert Fröbe. It says a lot about their mindset to play in these roles. Also, all german roles were "real" german actors, which says a lot about this movie in general in 1962. A heavy topic with a fine (sometimes dark) sense of humor.
Years later, Sean Connery and Gert Fröbe meet again in "Goldfinger"!
It`s in my top 5 of best war movies ever!
Curd Jürgens also played a Bond Villain, but opposite Roger Moore, in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977).
A young Loriot/Vicco von Bülow (a famous German Comedian) also played a small part.
Not years later. Goldfinger was made about one year later.
@@markman613 1964...
This movie was shot by several different directors all based on their language. The German scenes not only starred Germans, but was directed by a German. And the producer wanted the dialog to be as accurate as possible.
Ashleigh, thanks for reacting to this movie. I retired from the Navy 20 years ago. Happy Veteran's Day to all my brother and sister vets watching.
You too, Shipmate.
To all veterans, past, present and future... Thank you.
Eddie Albert, who played Col. Lloyd Thompson and you probably recognize from re-runs of Green Acres, won the Bronze star for Valor in combat at Tarawa in the Pacific. He disobeyed orders to rescue 70 trapped Marines with his landing craft while under enemy fire.
Before the war and his acting career, Eddie Albert toured Mexico as a clown and high-wire artist with the Escalante Brothers Circus, secretly working for U.S. Army intelligence, photographing German U-boats in Mexican harbors.
He was on Tarawa? That was a nasty one.
There’s only one interview in his entire career where he mentions his World War II experiences. He says he wasn’t a hero. He was just doing his job. The heroes were the men who didn’t come back. A lot of soldiers in that generation felt guilty they made it through these horrific experiences while so many others didn’t.
@@Caseytify it sure was. It was the first time the United States faced serious Japanese opposition to an amphibious landing in the war. The US had over 3000 casualties in less than four days.
ua-cam.com/video/6ZLYbpr4P7o/v-deo.html Salvage boat officer job. Not easy.
Another great suggestion from the fans.
(edit) 10:24 - the planes are towing gliders, which have no motors themselves, thereby making them very quiet and hard to detect in the night sky. It was a method used to drop people without parachute training and heavier gear behind the enemy lines and as close to the target as possible.
Though if you were in one of the gliders carrying a Jeep, you *really* didn't want a rough landing.
@@rcrawford42 let's just say the concept was...new.
The pilot of the glider that landed a little more than 40 yards from what was later renamed Pegasus Bridge was a man named James Wallwork. Landing so close to the objective allowed the glider troops to quickly attack and seize the bridge. The close landing was later noted by a senior Allied commander as "the greatest feat of flying of the second world war".
@@gabsrantsIn which kind...?
Thank you Ashleigh, nice to have the younger folks recognize what us veterans went through.
Landing in a tree was how my grandfather ended up in a POW camp. Apparently a child found him and alerted everyone. My grandmother had her loved one MIA-POW bracelet her whole life; it's become a family heirloom. He did come home, but died at an early age due to injuries (metal scrap embedded in his head and scalp).
My Dad fought in the Pacific. During the landing on the island of Tawawa, the landing craft miscalculated, and the the groups of in deep water. To survive, he had to dump his entire pack, 60+ lbs. When he made it to shore, he resupplied himself from the Marines who were already dead.
That was rough - your dad survived, right? Hope so.
Misjudging the tides made it impossible for the landing craft to ride over the reef to the beach. Eddie Albert, who is in "The Longest Day" (and the TV show "Green Acres") was awarded the bronze star for his actions off Tarawa involving the stranded Marines offshore. He took his boat many times back and forth taking wounded and trapped Marines back to the ships and bringing supplies forward to those still fighting, and providing fire support. He and your dad might have seen each during the day, you never know.
My own dad was in the pacific, but commanding Marine artillery, so not in the initial landings.
@@williamivey5296 Yes, he and mom were married July 4th 1956. I came along in October 1957. He never told any other stories but that one. He had a samurai sword that he got from a Japanese officer. It has a bullet lodged in the handle, and blood stains on the blade. He never told us a thing about it.
He passed in 2004 at the age of 80. This month was his 100th birthday. Mom passed last February at 93. At 66 losing my mom still shredded me.
@@peterciarcia2023 My parents married in 1938, mom died in 1987 and dad in 2000. Not easy becoming an orphan at any age.
My dad and I, when I was maybe five or six, watched Victory at Sea when it reran on Saturday afternoons. Didn't occur to me until I was an adult what a surreal experience that must have been for him.
@@williamivey5296 My Dad refused to watch war movies. He hated anything that would even hint at what he went through. Vets who saw it said that the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan were much more like the real thing than any other movie they saw.
@@williamivey5296 You are so right about becoming an orphan. I'm 66. Mom died almost a year ago. I feel rudderless. I'm in a row boat with no oars.
The guy with the bagpipes was a real person. Bill Millin was a Canadian and the personal piper to the commander of the British 1 Special Service Brigade at D-Day. The Real McKenzies recorded a song about him called "My Head Is Filled with Music"
The piper in the film, whose name escapes me just now, was the personal piper to HM the Queen Mother (QEII's mother), who assented to his participation.
The Economist's obituary of Bill Millin in 2010 is perhaps the best obituary they've ever published. Highly recommended.
Scottish
Damn, you got her watching one of the most underrated war films ever! Good taste, whoever made the request ❤
"underrated" 🤔🤣😒
@@MINKIN2 uh, compared to most other war films, yes?
@@MINKIN2 can you tell me how many people you know who have seen it?
This has to be the first time in my life, i've heard of this movie being referred to as "underrated" 🤣
@@ilejovcevski79okay well I VERY rarely hear anyone, especially film buffs, talk about this film like they do Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, etc. so my comment still stands 🤷
This movie is probably the most accurate depection of D-Day ever filmed. It was written by people who were actually there, using the military records from all sides. Many of the actors (both the stars and the extras) were D-Day Veterans. The director chose to film in B&W instead of Color because he wated it to have a documentary feel to it. It has a special place in my heart because of my family connections to it. My uncle was in the Airborne and it was only providence that he survived. Coming over the English Channel, through the storms, my uncle's plane hit turbulence and the men were tossed out of their seats. He landed on the floor with several other guys on top of him. He suffered a broken nose and a dislocated shoulder. Another man in the group broke an ankle. Needless to say they wouldn't let them jump. His plane was the one that missed the drop zone and the men landed in the town. The character played by Red Buttons (the one who got hung up on the bell tower) was the man in front on my uncle in the jump order. He's the only other one from that plane who survived. My uncle refused the Purple Heart for his D-Day injury.
Great story!
A great film. I'd like to see you do "Band of Brothers", a ten part HBO miniseries.
Agreed I too was going to recommend this
Thank you, Ashleigh, and Patreon members for selecting this excellent movie.
I'm a Boomer.. All the adults in my life growing up were in WWII. One of them had been a glider pilot. But there were some who escaped the Nazis, one woman was in a concentration camp. Another survived the London Blitz.
Exactly, my dad and all my uncles were in WWII. I even had a aunt in the WAVES.
I did yard work for a man who was a Sgt in one on the gliders.
@@lynnkain My dad was in the 12th Armored. He arrived a few months after D day.
So many big names in this movie....amazing!
My dad was a Navy medic in WWII, and was at Normandy on 'the day'. He not only helped transport troops in, but transported wounded out. He was also attached to a Marine unit and was on the ground with them. He never really talked about it, and watched about 10 minutes of 'Saving Private Ryan' before saying yes, it was very realistic, and turning it off. He said it took him years to close his eyes and not see the hurt and dying on that beach.
This movie is kinda the other side of Saving Private Ryan. The book was a series of personal interviews with people, high level or low, who were ACTUALLY there on D-Day. The movie necessarily combines some individuals, and fictionalizes some elements.
The book was by Cornelius RYAN.
@@laustcawz2089 I know . I've read it..
He interviewed something like 800 eye witness to D-day if I remember correctly.
@@ghostviggen yes. I have read the book. It has an Appendix, a chapter long addition at the end, that lists all the people he interviewed: Americans, Brits, Canadians, Germans, and French, civilians, Resistance and the Free French who participated in the landings.
Richard Todd who plays the British parachute major at Pegasus Bridge actually fought there during that action and was promoted to captain 5 days after D Day. The producers asked him if he wanted to play himself but he opted to play the major as he said it was his only chance of a promotion.
The beret he has in the film didn’t come from the property department.
It’s his issue one
Haha
Erm! Nope! He wasn't fighting at pegasus bridge, that was gliderbourne troops from the ox and bucks light infantry 6th airborne, Todd was in 6th airborne as a paratrooper, he did drop on d-day and landed east of pegasus Bridge and horsa Bridge and fought in that area, which was his and the other paras orders, hold the ground east of the two bridges. He delivered a message to major Howard but that's it. If you think I'm wrong then search it on UA-cam and you'll come across Todd himself telling you what he done on D-day. He did wear his own beret in the film but the rest is bull.
@@tobytaylor2154 he was in a blocking position on a hill protecting the bridge from counterattack which counts
@@shawnmiller4781 in that case, you must also think the 82nd and 101st also fought at pegasus bridge 🤣🤦. Talk about a weak defensive argument. The only factual comment in this thread before I commented was he wore his own beret in the film.
You really need to watch Band of Brothers.
It's universally accepted as the most realistic depiction of war ever made (especially WW2).
It's also an incredibly accurate telling of the story of the 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company with several of the surviving members acting as consultants and being interviewed after each episode
Its produced by Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks, and is one of those special things that can change your life, if you let it
Great movie. One of my favorites.
I served for 22 years and i owe everyone that came before me a big thank you.
Thank you for your service.
A classic. Another great WWII movie to watch: Bridge on the River Kwai. Maybe for next year's Veteran's Day movie.
My deep gratitude to all the Veterans out there. Thank you.
This, When It Was Released, Had An All Star Cast!! Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Ryan O'Neal Plus Others
Oops. It's the great Robert Ryan, not Ryan (Love Story) O'Neal.
@@glennwisniewski9536The other Ryan was in a bridge to far, the spiritual sequel to this movie.
And then we have another Ryan...
A "Homing" pigeon is exactly that. You get one born and raised in a location, carry it somewhere else, and when you release it, it goes Home.
Usually.
I have travelled to France and have visited the beaches of Normandy both the American and Canadian landing sites. Also we went to Sainte Mère Église and we saw that they have a replica of the paratrooper still hanging from the steeple of the church.
Great reaction Ashleigh! I'm surprised you didn't recognize Henry Fonda! I also saw Sean Connery, Richard Burton and several others. This movie had a great cast! Now that you watched this, you should also react to TORA! TORA! TORA! (1970). It's also another war film detailing the events leading up to and including the battle at Pearl Harbor. It is told from both the American and Japanese sides.
She would remember Henry Fonda if she watched the original 50s version of TWELVE ANGRY MEN instead of the 90s TV movie version! Ugh I'm still mad at that and whoever told her to watch that one instead!
@@Mokkari77 Me too! Understandable! 😊
Film critic Roger Ebert, dismissed "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970) as a dull documentary. Hence, we get soap opera-level movies like "Pearl Harbor" (2001) when movie directors "do World War II."
@Otokichi786 Yes I heard of Roger Ebert's negative review of this film. Well, I have a UA-camr friend who admires Roger Ebert and has watched Tora! Tora! Tora! too and liked it so not all movie critics have the same opinion. I'll ask him to also check out The Longest Day too.
Sean Connery could absolutely get it 😍😆
Do you remember the Brigadier General (1 star) who lied about his arthritis? That was Henry Fonda. He played the lead role in a film called, "Mr Roberts" that was adapted from a Broadway play he had also stared in. It a magnificent representation of the human side of war. No visible combat action in the entire movie, however it shows the conflict from a different perspective. Cast members include, Jack Lemmon and James Cagney. Jack Lemmon won his first academy award, for best supporting actor, in this film.
"Mr Roberts" is a great great flix
Ashley thank you for supporting US veterans. Thank you for watching this movie I love watching this movie I've seen at least a dozen times and I love watching it with people who've never seen it who don't understand what war is really like. It's amazing what you have to do and how your survival Instinct just kicks in when you're in situations like this. This is why we train to get our bodies to just automatically do things without us even thinking. And once again thank you to all the veterans who watch Ashley and thank you for your support and your service to our great country.
Nice. One of the best ‘old school’ war movies ever made.
As has likely been mentioned many of the actors were WW2 veterans themselves leading to a major mind blown moment.
Richard Todd played Major Howard, who held the bridge.
And when he’s relieved by the incoming reinforcements, he shakes hands with an actor who is portraying him, Richard Todd,for he is the officer that relieved Howard on D-Day.
The eleventh of November is celebrated as Remembrance Day in the rest of the world, with parades and ceremonies leading up to a two minute silence at 11:00 am to pay tribute to all the Fallen of World War One (and all the conflicts that followed). A sombre day world-wide.
That’s because it was originally Armistice Day, the end of WWI, which people thought at the time would be the “end” of major wars because countries had learned negotiation, and you couldn’t get a bigger war than that one…Or could we?
The reason the US does not celebrate Remembrance Day is because they already had one that they celebrated on May 30, Memorial Day, which remembered the Civil War dead and was declared a national holiday in 1868. When WW1 ended and the British Empire declared Remembrance Day, the US chose to not move their already established day but still participate by celebrating all who served, not just those who died. This is why we have 2 days and remember Armistice Day a little different.
@@hectorsmommy1717 Plus Armed Forces Day to honor those who are currently serving.
@@jhilal2385 True but most Americans don't even know it exists since it comes so close to Memorial Day and is not a Federal Holiday.
Not in any country...
Great historical movie to watch for veterans day.
People should watch this before Saving Pvt Ryan
i sooo agree
The gratitude I feel, for those boys, is sometimes overwhelming.
In case it hasn't been mentioned yet...David McCallum, who passed away recently, was in The Great Escape (1963) which is definitely a War film you should see
So for this film people who were on both sides were part of the behind the scenes to make it as accurate as possible.
Henry Fonda is the one playing Theodore Roosevelt the 3rd at 16:53. Who was the oldest to land on Normandy and the only General to do so. He died a month after the invasion. While Theodore Roosevelt the 4th was fighting in the Pacific.
Red Buttons who played the soldier who ended up stuck on the clock face that happened to the real life soldier he was playing.
Sean Connery was the soldier Flanagan.
Red Buttons! I kept thinking Red Skeleton.
John Wayne tried to enlist. They said he was too old, had a bum hip, and classified 3-A. Then he tried to get into John Ford's military unit, but Republic Pictures threatened him with a lawsuit if he broke his contract with them. Then he tried to get into the OSS (precursor to the CIA) to no avail. So he made repeated USO Tours to both the ETO and the PTO. He did what he could. SO, jamesmoyner7499, do some research before you call someone a coward. Oh, and what was YOUR service?
That is a very unfair characterization of John Wayne. Wayne was classified 3-A and exempted from service due to his age (he was already 34 when the US entered the war) and his family status. Because he was exempted, he remained bound by his studio contract. He repeatedly expressed to the studio his desire to enlist, but the studio had lost so many other A-list actors to the military that they refused to let Wayne out of his contract. He applied to join the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA, but was unsuccessful. He wrote several times to director John Ford, who was head of the photographic unit of the OSS, then engaged in secret photographic missions documenting the activities of resistance fighters in enemy-occupied territories, and asked if Ford could get him into his unit. When he was later reclassified as 1-A and became eligible to be drafted, he did not seek a deferment. However, Republic studios, who held his contract, requested his deferment so they would not lose him and they threatened to sue Wayne if he walked away from his contract. In the end, he did not serve in the military. Could he have found a way to get out of his studio contract and join the military without risking his family's financial ruin? Maybe. But unless you know for sure that he could have and made a conscious choice not to, calling him a coward is completely unjustified.
@@jonm1114 Well thank you for more information. I'll give you that, but what I won't is the fact he was an awful man. Just look at his playboy interview and you'll see his true colors. Plus he was never a good actor always playing the same grizzled grumpy old man even as a young man.
This is my favorite war movie, along with "Glory" and "Hacksaw Ridge". There is a lot of trivia associated with this movie. Here's a little-
The guy who played Eisenhower was in the crew, but he got the part because of his uncanny resemblance to Ike. Roddy McDowell, and Richard Burton were filming "Cleopatra" at the same time. There were so many delays, they asked director Darryl Zanuck if they could have roles in "The Longest Day". Zanuck and Wayne had a feud going on. Wayne refused to be in the movie until he was paid $250,000, 10x's what all the other actors were paid. The French commando assault on the casino was done in one shot lasting 1 1/2 min.
The actor who played the commander of the glider troops taking the bridge, the very first Allied assault, was a guy named Richard Todd. In real life, he had been one of the troops involved in that same assault, so he was essentially playing his own commander 18 yrs later.
Thanks for recognizing the Vets. My husband is a 23 year Vet. He got stop lost 2 months before his retirement and was sent to Iraq. He doesn't talk about it much, but thankfully came home. It was so different in WWII. Most of my uncles served and a few of my aunts served too! I believe it an honorable thing to do.
Vets are the true heroes, with out them my dog would have been, if not dead then at least much worse for health.
It depends on whether the war is justified and legal. That hasn't been the fact since Korea.
@@jnagarya519 at least one side is usually justified. The people fighting to defend their homes against american invaders where fighting the very textbook example of a justified war.
@@titanuranus3095 The US was attacked at Pearl Harbor, then Germany declared war on the US. Yes, that war was justified. Korea had some justification, though its governments for decades thereafter were dictatorships supported by the US against . . . dictatorship.
From Vietnam on it was not about defense or democracy; it was about natural resources.
@@jnagarya519 The Vietnamese had every right to defend themselves against the Unitad States, the Vietnam war was much more justified than the U.S' participation in ww2; as they where defending their homes whereas the U.S. was only defending its colonies.
Coast Guard vet here. Thank you for the call out / recognition. Enjoy your channel, keep on truckin'. Also, you should consider Command Decision from 1949. An excellent movie that takes place in one room / building, much like 12 Angry Men. Incredible storytelling.
I'm a Coast Guard vet too! Not very many of us around.
As a vet, have to say this is one of my favorite movies, any time I catch it on tv I always stop what I am doing and watch it
To all the veterans, thank you for your service.
Audrey Hepburn was a member of the Resistance when she was a girl. She would bike all over Holland delivering messages and spying. Who would suspect a gawky 12 year old??? I like that this movie started out showing resistance.
I am so glad you noticed the scope of the battle footage. There is one incredible shot that starts with a French soldier peeking around a corner - then it pulls back in a helicopter shot to show him leading 50 or so men around the corner in a charge down the street. As the camera keeps pulling back, there is a canal next to the street and on the other side of the canal is another street, with another group of 100 or so men charging down it. Bullet impacts are hitting everywhere, explosions are going off (in the canal water and on land), bridges spanning the canal are getting blown up, and men are getting shot down. The helicopter angle ends up behind the objective of the French charge, which is a multi-storey, German occupied casino building at the end of the road, with an artillery gun on the roof that is shooting back at the attackers. Now that's a BIG shot, with a lot going on! There are others like it, too. Shots filmed from an airplane flying for at least half a mile over a beach, with hundreds of men charging out of dozens of landing craft, again with explosions and such going off everywhere. Those are big, big, complicated scenes!
I inherited this movie from my best friend after his dad passed away now a number of years back. He was a veteran. Super nice guy, could talk your ear off for hours. Every year on mine and my best friend’s dad’s birthday (yes, our birthdays are on the same day, June 13th) I make sure to make a toast to him. As far as the movie goes, it was ambitious, but in the end such a good movie, and is one of the most important war movies ever made.
John Wayne’s character was actually 27. Back then there really was no steering a parachute. You just landed where you landed. They landed over a large area. The scene where they passed the German column actually happened. President Teddy Roosevelt was a cousin of Franklin D.Roosevelt. (The President at the time of WWII)
Ashleigh, thanks so much for this Veterans Day salute movie. When the mood hits you, I'm sure you'd enjoy the WW 2/mystery film, 'Stalag 17', which was based on a Broadway play, written by a pair of U.S. prisoners of war. Enjoy!
John Steele, the character played by Red Buttons, I’ve been intrigued by his story. The church in St. Mere Eglise hangs a replica of his parachute, complete with mannequin, from their roof year round. If you ever visit France, that needs to be one of your stops.
Quite a bit of this movie was filmed at the actual locations of the real battles, making it more authentic than people think.
Ashley, long time viewer from the UK here, even ;onger film buff. We just had Remembrance day here in the UK and of course I watched The Longest Day. I have three war films from the 60's I absolutely love...
The Longest Day...Tora Tora Tora, and The Battle Of Britain.
When watching The Lonest Day it always warms my heart when I see the British commandos going into action being led by a piper. The commander of the commandoes was Lord Lovat, Simon Fraser. Lord Lovat came from my neck of the wood here in the North of Scotland and was a lovely man. Winston Churchill once commented on him the he was the most charming man wo ever cut an enemies throat...Every actor in this film played someone who took part in the invasion. The actor who played the commander of the men who took Pegasus Bridge was Richard Todd. He was a veteran who actually took part in the operation and was a close friend of Major Howard.
Good gosh, the cast in this film is unbelievable! ❤
A few years ago, I had the privilege of having a morning coffee with two, WW2 British paratroopers at a B & B near the Pegasus Bridge. One was 92 years old, and the other was 97. The older gentleman was the last survivor of the glider assault on the Pegasus Bridge. He was on the third glider. As a history buff, my meeting these two veterans represented the most wonderful fifteen minutes of my life. Fantastic museum there! Ashleigh, please consider traveling to the D-Day Beaches and surrounding sites. It will change your life. My three trips had definitely had an impact on mine. Great reaction Ashleigh!
Loved your reactions to this powerful account of The Longest Day, Ashleigh.
Sean Connery played the part of Private Flanagan! :)
A bit late for this reaction, but as a Vet, I just wanted to say thank you for this reaction. I grew up on this movie and a few others, and helped inspire me to join up.
This is a pretty accurate movie (with some literary license taken). I was a paratrooper in Vietnam and while I never made a combat jump, I made many helicopter assault landings on hot LZ (landing zone). The hurry up and wait is just part of the Army, even in a war zone. And you are correct going into combat either by jumping in or by helicopter gives you time to think about your own mortality, but when the time comes, you put that aside and do what your were trained to do.
I used to watch this over and over as a kid (8-9yo). A lot of these guys had been there for the original event. Including the guy playing the commander tasked with holding a bridge. He'd been a part of that mission, and when the director found out, offered to let him play himself, but he declined, as he didn't want to trade the role he played for a "smaller" one.
Some Notes and some responses to your comments /questions:
(SPOILERS WARNING!)
This film is the adaptation of the book "The Longest Day", by journalist Cornelius Ryan. In the 1950s, he searched for and counducted a series of interviews with the soldiers and officers (the survivors, actually) that had been involved, or participated, in the D-Day invasions. He interviewed Americans, Canadians, British, French and Germans. He also interviewed civilians (e.g., the french in the village of St- Maire-Église, or the family members of the soldiers involved). The result is a book made of many little stories of the preparation, and then the first 24 hours, of the Normandy Invasions.
The phrase "The Longest Day" was supposedly really stated by Rommel as he was organising the coastal defenses.
Notes on your questions and comments:
4:00 - These lines are from the poem "Chanson d'Automne", by french writer Paul Verlaine. The first batch of verses ("Les sanglots longs des violons de l’automne") was a code phrase meaning that the invasion would take place soon, within a certain period of time (IIRC, the author stated about 48-72 hours).
9:30 - The second batch of verses ("Blessent mon coeur d’une langueur monotone.") meant that the invasion was iminent, and for this resistance group to do a certain action (in this case, to cut communications of a specific phone line).
Also acording to Cornelius Ryan, the German Intelligence services knew that these lines were related to the invasion (Thus the General orders the army to be ready), but that they still had no information about its time or place.
10:10 - They were indeed gliders. The front planes dragged the gliders behind them, realesing them when they reached the designated landing zones. They the gliders should have to land with the troops.
As you mention later, it was a silent way to transport troops directly into the ground, and without needing parachutes. One of the main problems was that the gliders would have to land wherever they could, which meant dangerous landing in rough terrains.
13:13 - In the book this is actually the first scene. The only difference is that the lady was so dumbfounded by the encounter that she just kept still, and it was the soldier that quickly run away, after making the shushing gesture.
14:08 - "A few of our trops got pushed in the wrong direction" - Yes. Again, according the book, many of the paratroopers missed their drop zones, due to a combination of darkness, confusion and bad naviagation. And, as shown in this scene, a whole platoon DID land in the middle of the village, right into the hands of the german military, and was basically massacred.
14:56 - Werner Pluskat, Major of the Wehrmacht, and assigned to the coastal defense / vigilance. Supposedly, and according to the book, he was the first german officer to see the American ships.
16:08 - According to Cornelius Ryan, he interviewed soldiers that claimed this event DID took place: both the german and american squads were marching to each other, were distracted by the sounds of planes flying above, looked up... and simply passed each other.
18:50 - Have you watched "Saving Private Ryan"? It's this scene, but a hundred times worse.
Note: your comments about soggy terrain are spot-on!
22:27 - I think these are french troops.
23:09 - Again, "Saving Private Ryand" will provide you with a clear prespective of treating wonded soldiers while under fire.
23:49 - "Bangalore torpedo" - It would shoot a explosive that would travel through the tube, and explode on the end, eliminating whatever was there - in this case, the razor wire.
24:50 - Henry Fonda plays General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. At 16:49, we can watch him discussing with another officer the fact that he is the son of a previous US president, and how this makes the brass nervous of sending him into battle. Also, Roosevelt Jr. did suffered from arthritis.
- Richard Burton appears at 24:30. I'm not sure what character he plays, but, from the wings on his uniform, he is probably a pilot.
Bangalore. The entire tube was filled with explosive. Invented by the British at the Bangalore Arsenal in India, its main purpose was to blow a path through barbed wire defences. The lengths of tube would be connected as the torpedo was slid under the barbed wire entanglements then detonated along its entire length, thus blowing the wire aside and creating a cleared path.
Hi Ashleigh. My Dad was in the Parachute regiment and often spoke about meeting Major John Howard. He was a very humble man who gave his men the full credit for taking the Orne river bridges. They used gliders called Horsa gliders. It is considered one of the finest glider assaults in history as the landed right next to the bridges at the right time. Believe me, most glider assaults were not this accurate! When my Dad was in airborne forces (1947-50), they actually stopped doing glider drops because they considered them just too dangerous.
I saw this movie in the theaters when I was a young teenager. Just about every major character was played by a fairly famous or even greatly famous movie star of the time; many of whom actually took part in the war. That is one reason for some criticism of the movie. Most of the actors were much older than the person they were portraying. John Wayne had to talked into doing his role because he knew he was too old, but they wanted his star power. On a side note, James Doohan (Scotty of Star Trek) landed on Juno beach as part of the Canadian contingent. He got hit with six bullets and lost a finger on his right hand. He had to hide that from cameras all through his acting career.
Roddy McDowall's character talks about hunting and fishing in "the Blue Mountains" in June, so I presume he is a Canadian from Ontario.
One of the greatest collections of film celebrities of their age. Many legends from around the world.
I grew up watching this movie with my dad many many times! Legendary cast.
I did too and when I started taking German in college, he'd try to get me to listen to it and see if I could translate. PS, I couldn't.
Thank you for showing this and recognizing the holiday...
I'm a 20 year veteran and my dad was too RIP. No UA-camr has reacted to my favorite movie (and true story) called Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper. And before you think it's another war story, there is a love story in it.
General Teddy Roosevelt Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day. He died of a massive heart attack five weeks later and was buried at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. There is one World War 1 veteran buried in that cemetery, Quentin Roosevelt, Teddy Jr's brother. He was a World War 1 pilot who was shot down and killed in July, 1918. he was originally buried in Chamery, France. After WWII he was disinterred and buried next to his brother at Colleville-sur-Mer.
Another great film in this vein is 1977's "A Bridge Too Far", which is about WWII's Operation Market Garden and also sports a massive all-star cast.
Writer-Historian Cornelius Ryan's last book, researched as well as "The Longest Day."
Richard Todd played his Commanding officer Major Howard in this film and was at the Orhne River bridge. The Beret he wore in the film is his issue one he had with him during that mission.
And yes they were glider units, towed by another aircraft.
Wow...amazed to see Ashleigh react to this one...but really really happy as well. I just hope she really likes it. 💯
Awesome reaction to this movie classic!! A short history of how "Veteran's Day" came about: Known as Armistice Day in the U.S. at that time, Representative Ed Rees from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill establishing the Veteran's Day holiday through Congress. Emporia, Kansas, is considered the "birthplace of Veteran's Day. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on or about May 26, 1954. Congress then later amended the bill on June 1, 1954, thus replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day ever since. IF you ever visit the city of Emporia, Kansas, at the south end of town there is a nice memorial commemorating the "birthplace" of Veteran's Day. I live about a 1.5-hour drive (depending on route taking) from Emporia, Kansas, and visit he memorial site/park whenever am in town.
An off-beat war movie you'll like is "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison."
You would never know it's about a Marine fighting in the Pacific by its title.
How about the even more off-beat "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" (1983)?
The pigeons supposedly don’t need training, they are supposed to know how to go home. It’s the same way birds know how to go south for the winter.
Love anything with Robert Mitchum in it.
Wish she would watch Heaven Knows Mr Allison.
@@GA-fn8hrI was going to mention that one! My favourite film of his!
Thank you so much for doing one of the "older movies" like this.
A lot of the story about the US Paratroops was covered in more detail in Saving Private Ryan and episodes 2-4 IRC of Band of Brothers .
Every episode of Band Of Brothers was about US Paratroops ;-)
In the movie "A Bridge too far" they talk about and show the planes towing the gliders in greater detail!
And thank you for all the Americans that have fought all the veterans since the French native American pre-revolutionary war of 1776 and the war of 1812 that only lasted for one year thank the LORD and may the Lord bless you and you😊
One of my favorite movies! So glad you are watching some true old Hollywood classics.
*Ashleigh, I am very proud of you!!!!! That's all I to say.*
After 1950, any major motion picture filmed in black & white was meant to be filmed in black & white…the director chose that for a reason. The officers were all major stars at that time & most had served in WWII: John Wayne you recognized although he didn’t serve in the war, but there was also Robert Mitchum (Cape Fear…was drafted in 45 & served as a medic at Fort MacArthur), Robert Ryan (was a Marine drill instruction at Camp Pendleton), Edmond O’Brien who because of his age, served as an entertainer in the Army Armed Forces; Mel Ferrer (once married to Audrey Hepburn was 4-F due to having polio at 21), Henry Fonda played Teddy Roosevelt Jr. (served in the Pacific Theater on a destroyer & earned a Bronze Star), Eddie Albert (best known for Green Acres tv show, but was a hero as he saved 70 wounded Marines while under enemy fire ); Rod Steiger who played the Destroyer Commander served on a destroyer in the South Pacific & said the Battle of Iwo Jima haunted him until his dying day); Steve Forrest fought in the Battle of the Bulge; & the British major was Richard Todd who actually took part in the D-Day invasion and Stuart Whitman who was in high school at the time;
Soldiers, many who were teens during the war, were Red Buttons (who, like O’Brien, was an entertainer for the Army Armed Forces), Richard Burton (yep, the one married to Liz Taylor…joined the RAF in ‘44 & was a flight navigator); Sean Connery, teen heartthrob singers Paul Anka & Fabian, Sal Mineo (Rebel Without a Cause); Roddy MacDowell, singer Tommy Sands (married to Nancy Sinatra then blacklisted by Frank when the two divorced); Robert Wagner; Clint Eastwood; and George Segal.
after watching this, you should make room to watch the mini-series, Band of Brothers, you won't regret it
Tora, Tora, Tora is one of my favorite WW2 movies. It deals with the attack on Pearl Harbor.
For a more comedic tone, watch Kelly's Heroes.
I was worried that as a millennial you would get bored watching this, as it’s not as dramatic as say Saving Private Ryan, but it’s a very accurate and fact filled version of events from multiple perspectives on both sides. I thought you did a very good job in understanding what was happening in each scene and why it was included in the movie. Sometimes that gets lost because things that were well known or obvious to people decades ago are not so well known or obvious today. Thank you for reacting to this and showing the respect these heroes deserve.
The invasion of Normandy was completely crazy in a bunch of ways, but the aerial insertion the night before was just total chaos. As you said, paratroopers landing in the wrong places, getting injured in landing, not being able to find the other members of their squad, marching around the French countryside in total darkness...it was nuts. And the gliders! They wanted to get soldiers in quietly, so they put a bunch of people in gliders they knew had no choice but to crash land. As you can imagine, there were a bunch of injuries in the process. It's a testament to the creativity and organization of the Allied Forces that any of it worked at all.
This is the first movie I remember ever seeing in the theater. My Dad was a huge John Wayne fan and he was a WW2 veteran (serving both in the Pacific and Europe which very few did). He thought it was important that his kids gained an understanding about D-Day but I was just a bit too young (6 years old, my brothers were older). I was bored and don't remember much except Red Buttons hanging by his parachute and the song.
Then John Wayne fought in Vietnam in The Green Betets. He got around.
While 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Band of Brothers' does this 'Day' far better justice?
I went to the movies with Papa and my three older brothers, to see this film!
Growing-up seeing all the 'Great' Actors/Actresses was truly a Blessing. No, none of them were/are perfect, but they sure's HELL fired-up our imagination and ideals (For better OR worse!).
USMC Veteran, Woman, who served two Tours overseas, now disabled and just trying to sit-back and watch as the rest of the world does whatever the hell it's going to do!
Thank you Ashleigh! I think you're a WONDERFUL woman and person, and adore your 'Reaction(s)'!
A perfect remembrance of our veterans and D-Day
Hey, Ms. Ashleigh! This is one of those all-star cast movies that they used to make. Some of the cast had seen action in Normandy during the war. When this movie came out, it was closer to D-Day than we are now to 9-11. Heck, SAVING PVT RYAN and BAND OF BROTHERS both are further in our past than the war was for these LONGEST DAY guys. There are so many war movies out there. A bunch were filmed in B&W as to be interspersed with actual footage. Henry Fonda gave us some more European theater with BATTLE OF THE BULGE. Richard Burton, WHERE EAGLES DARE. Harrison Ford has a couple. There are bunches. Oh, Sean Connery was with the guy who didn't want to hear the pipes. I could go on, but you don't need that. Thanks for the support. Aim high semper fi hooah!
As a point of reference: We are now, chronologically, further away from 9/11 than this movie’s premiere was from the events it depicts. Many of the actors in this star studded cast actually served in the war.
And Ashley, since you have now watched this Cornelius Ryan story, you MUST add his “A Bridge Too Far” to next year’s Veterans Day watch - especially since Band of Brothers introduced you BRIEFLY to that story.
I have read both of Cornelius Ryan's books (albeit in German translation). And a third book called The Last Battle, which depicts the end of the war in Europe. Ryan interviewed people who were actually involved in what was happening and from all perspectives of the war. He showed protagonists, witnesses and also victims of the war.
I had the great honour of meeting Bill Millin the real bagpiper with Lord Lovat's commandos on D-Day. When he retired, he moved to a town near where I lived and would often visit schools etc to talk about his experiences. I also happened to know the man who played him in this film, Pipe-Major Leslie de Laspey, who was the Queen's private piper and retired to my village where he would teach us school children scottish country dancing.
Veteran's Day is known as Remembrance Day in other parts of the world. It's basically the same thing except people wear a poppy, a tradition I wish Americans would adopt.
As I understand it, the poppy idea was originally an American one
When I was a child in the 1960s we wore them, but the anti-military sentiment after the Vietnam War made it fall out of favor, and by the time patriotism made a resurgence in the mid 80s, and "Thank you for your service" became standard, the red poppy was largely forgotten by the general public and so was not brought back. Also, in the United States, we have Veterans Day which honors all who served and Memorial Day which honors those who gave their lives in service to their country, and since most Americans today don't know the difference, debating which day would be more appropriate to wear poppies would be confusing and/or divisive.
It’s been a while but is that what the little flower represents that members from the VFW hand out with little cards?
This is one of my favorite war movies. I watched it when I was in high school (in the 90s, to date myself), and after watching it, I read a book about D Day. That book made me appreciate this movie so much more. It's incredibly well done, and I do recommend you check out more info on D-Day if you can. Very fascinating.
This coming Memorial Day i recommend that you consider watching either Midway(1976), or Gettysburg(1993). Midway is about a WWII naval battle, which was the turning point in the war in the Pacific, and Gettysburg about the turning point in the Civil War. Long movie. Good cast in both movies.
"To be a good soldier, you must love the Army. To be a good commander, you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love."
Gettysburg is my favorite movie.
I basically know nothing about technology. I'm 56 yrs old and still living in the 70's/80's. I'm lucky i can operate my cell phone(not a smart phone, a flip phone). One foot's in the grave.@T-.elegram.-Ashleigh_Burton
"General Lee, I have no division"@@brianb8060
Happy Veterans Day to all of the Veterans that are watching the movie
Many of the little unlikely events depicted actually happened in WWII. Including the paratrooper caught in the church bells, and the German and American troops marching along on opposite sides of the wall. And the general staff being afraid to wake Hitler.
There is even as book Titled, 'Hitler slept late.'
I was in the 82nd airborne and there is a term for meeting up with random soldiers who meet up cus they got dropped in the wrong spot, it’s called L-GOPoPs, it means little groups of pissed off paratroopers , and that how we won that day
You should honestly check out Jeremy Clarkson... the Victoria Cross and the greatest raid of all time. They are absolutely thrilling documentaries. I can't recommend them highly enough.
The Greatest raid of all time ‘operation Chariot’ was just crazy brave. These guys had BALLS OF STEEL. God rest them all.
I am glad you got to this one.
Long before I joined the military this became one of my favorite films, thanks to it being on television when I was a child.
Very well done with excellent consultation of people who were there as well as many of the actors themselves being W.W. II veterans.