I remember watching this with my father who was a Marine vet of WW2 and Korea. He was at frozen Chosin. At one point he got up and left the theater. He told my brother and I it was too real and brought back the memory of those fellow Marines that didn't survive.
Despite being such an old film, it has some of the greatest battle scenes of any WW2 movie. The lack of CGI and use of loads of extras goes such a long way to giving the feel of a massive scale engagement
It was an epic war film for 1962 with the cream of both American and British entertainment of the day appearing in the film, even popstars like Paul Anka playing roles rather the same as harry styles appearing in Dunkirk now. The tracking shot over the fight at casino still holds up as some of the best war film cinematography I've ever seen so it's a shame the film doesn't get referenced much these days.
Fun fact: The actor who plays Major Howard, the commander of the British glider troops who capture the bridge over the Orne River, was actually part of the real operation. His seat on the glider was only a few feet away from the real Major Howard.
I visited Pointe Du Hoc recently and looked over the cliffs. How in the hell those men climbed them while under fire is impressive, but even more impressive when you see it in person. Once they got to the top, they are greeted by some of the gnarliest bunkers you ever saw and about 100 ish meters of open ground. These men were built different
German resistance to the Ranger assault was actually worse >after< the Rangers had taken the cliff top, when the Germans launched several vicious counterattacks...
@@looneyburgmusic Indeed. From seeing how deep the fortifications ran into the country side, its no wonder they received much heavier resistance after they took the cliffs. They had massive logistics networks and bunkers for miles behind the coastline. Still, taking those cliffs would have been terrifying.
Same I visited normandy and it's just insane knowing what happened there on the beaches and surrounding towns. I hope you went to the us and german graveyard also. The german one is just empty with not many visitors and it's just surreal
I'm sure many of them were happy to do it since they want the world to remember the sacrifice of their brothers, but imagine how awkward that casting call had to have been. "Looking for Dday vets to relive the worst day of their lives. Free tissues and whiskey for if you start crying on set!"
I've visited pointe du hoc many years ago. incredible achievement those rangers did there. What struck me were the enormous bombcraters from the naval bombardment. big enough to fit a complete house in it. Those rangers had to climb very high and steep under horrendous fire. Respect!
In addition to the steep cliff face, German firepower, etc., they didn't count on the added weight of sea water on the ropes so many of them fell well short of their target.
I too was awe struck in 2009, when I was able to go to Point Du Hoc, during my mid deployment leave. I am a Paratrooper, and also earned my CIB (Combat Infantryman's Badge), yet I am awed by the Courage of those MEN who performed those noble deeds 75 years ago today. Whomever they were, Infantrymen, Engineer, Sailors, or service personnel, just crossing those fire swept beaches was a Heroic Act! Clad just in a wool uniform, not the High Technology Body Armor, and other gear the American people provided me...
Yeh I always felt sorry for that soldier having to carry the weight of that massive gi but I'm sure that's what happened in real life and they did it without complaint to support their mates.
Saving private Ryan was pretty accurate in their depiction of D-Day, to the point where they had to set up an extra phone line to deal with the veterans suffering from PTSD and helping them cope after watching it
Paul Anka, John Wayne, Eddie Albert, Robert Mitchum, Fabian, Red Button, Roddy McDowall,many more guys are great and wonderful actors. Well some are more than others.
Great WW2 movie, the first one i ever saw. Great historyline from D-Day, great battles, great cast and veterans and every side speaks their own language. Especially the last one sounds pretty rare to me for a movie in the early 60s. Great Job! 👍🏻
I would imagine there were many soldiers that lost or discarded their weapons through this chaos and picked up whatever they could. That actually makes it more believable in my mind rather than less.
Actually everybody in this film uses the M1 Carbine, It's my favorite WW2 era weapon but however in reality these were only used in small numbers during the D Day invasion, Most guys who landed in Normandy would've been using more Garands and Tommy Guns.
The greatest generation in action. We will never see their like again. The pre-invasion plans estimated something like 80-90% casualties for the Rangers. Luckily they weren't as high as that, but still substantial. Douglas Brinkley wrote a book entitled "The Boys of Pointe Du Hoc". Worth reading.
This movie is so freaking good. I use to hate how my dad only watched this history channel, but god damn, this is probably the most epic event to happen in modern times. This movie is timeless
Watched it during the holidays. While certain effects aged quite badly, I must say that the film is still excellent. Btw, did you know that the first time it aired on french TV, so much people tried to watch it that it blew up the french electricity network?
I am writing on behalf of my wife - her father, SSG Mike Sharik, was in Easy Company, 2d Ranger Battalion and climbed those cliffs. Tough job - but to a man, members of 2d Ranger said they'd trade a week of being at Pointe Du Hoc to avoid one single day at Hill 400, in the Hurtgen Forest - Dec 7-8, 1944 - that was their "Longest Day" - ordered to take a hill that 3 separate divisions attempted to take - and they were ordered to hold it "at all costs" for 24 hours until reinforcements arrived. The Combat Command Reserve Brigade of the 5th Armored Division (3000 men with tanks) was practically annihilated by the ferocity of the German counter-attack when it attempted to take hill immediately before the 2d Ranger were assigned the task. Google "Mike Sharik Hill 400" and you'll get several articles and books which detail the action - several of them mention my father-in-law (even a German version mentions him). There are two videos - one was a History channel summary of the battle from Dog Company's perspective, which mentions my wife's father twice - and the other was an A&E series which covers the battle in a broader overview. There are two books which detail the Hill 400 action - one is "Beyond Valor - Suicide Missions of World War II" and "Dog Company" which chronicles Company-D, which led nearly every major action the Allies took in France, and who the author of the book says "they were everywhere" claiming that this small group of men positively affected more battles than any other company in the U.S Army. Indeed, 2d Ranger Battalion NEVER FAILED to achieve the objectives assigned to them - and those objectives were usually the "impossible missions" - such as Pointe Du Hoc, the Port of Brest, and Hill 400. The Rangers stormed the hill with 125 men and took it - my father-in-law led the D-Company charge up Hill 400 (he had been transferred into Dog Company as a section leader from Easy Company right before the battle); they then held it against five major counter-attacks over a 40-hour period in an attempt to take it back. They did their duty - at great cost. Only about a dozen men from Dog Company survived the action - fewer survived from Fox Company. The 2d Ranger Battalion was shattered by that battle and was disbanded shortly thereafter - all to take and hold a hill that once turned over to the 8th Infantry Division was lost 14-days later. Wehrmacht Field Marshall Walter Model said the artillery barrage dumped on the Rangers (and the Germans, too) was not surpassed by anything he had seen on the Russian Front. The Rangers said it was far more brutal than the barrage on D-Day - that's saying something. My Father-in Law, wounded three times in WWII, stayed in the Army after the war and made it his career. Colleagues who served with him in New Mexico (the Manhattan Project), Germany, and Turkey, mentioned what a fine soldier he was, but commented that they were not aware of his bravery in combat. This is typical of the countless heroes of "The Greatest Generation" who never spoke of their experiences - partially because they felt they did nothing deserving recognition - they just did their duty, and partially because of the painful memories of losing so many of their buddies in combat. He stayed silent and his sons and daughters did not know of, nor see until they buried him - his Presidential Unit Citation (Pointe-Du-Hoc), his French Croix-De-Guerre (Hill 400), two Bronze Star and three Purple Heart medals, along with a chest-full of others. That's just how "The Greatest Generation" rolled - Duty, Honor, Sacrifice and Silence - no self-aggrandizement. As it should be. To my Father-in-Law, the Rangers, and all of the men and women who were genuine heroes, not what we erroneously call "heroes" today - but selfless, brave and determined people who answered the call of their country and didn't whine about it, and did not expect to be treated as special for having done so - THANK YOU for showing us the best of what we can be as Americans.
Watching this on June 6th now the 75th anniversary of that day, and the many great men who served on it. Never forget every Allied soldier who died that day! 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷🇷🇺
I watched it again, too. This time I noticed a few teen music stars in it--Fabian, Paul Anka, Tommy Sands. At first I thought they were put in the film to attract younger audiences. Then, I remembered how young many of those who were casualties were in this invasion. Made total sense to me after that.
This is such a great film. Lives up to the hype! I understand that 60s audiences were not ready to see all the gore and carnage that takes place during wartime. You'll need to watch Private Ryan to see that. But TLD is a truly remarkable film - I love the B&W contrast that would not have been achieved if color film had been used. Very factual and without hype.
He got fractured legs but hes gonna heal and live.And if he wants he can return to combat.Bts the worst way to end your war isnt to get killed or getting fractured legs.Its losing your limbs,getting your skin deformed at the face and surviving it all.
@Robo Redneck not at all, quick death and off to valhalla, forgot the movie name but its about a WW2 vet that lost hearing, sight, deformed face and lost his arms and legs, only way he knew it was day and night was because he could feel the sun on the part of his body that could still feel
My uncle, Thomas Braidwood, was with the Rangers thst day. He took myself and younger brother to this movie when in came out around 1960. He lived with us and didn't sleep for a week.
Great scene except for...... there was almost no resistance at Pointe Du Hoc during the beach assault. The real tough fighting for these guts occurred in the three days after D-Day.
While the 1998 movie Saving Private Ryan depicts the detailed brutality of the action on D'day, The Longest Day depicts the detailed events of the landings on D'day. D'day was not just Omaha Beach and the allied landing party was composed of American, British and Canadian troops. French locals also proved to be helpful allies.
First movie of WWII I’ve ever seen back in 4th grade. I got interested in the war because I watched my dad play Call of Duty WW2. I had always played war with my brother recreating these scenes of the paratroop assault and Utah/Omaha Beach. Now here I am 6 years later knowing no many details about the war to some of the most lesser-known battles/units/people. By the way, my ggpa was a paratrooper in the 82nd Abn, 505th pir at Sicily, Salerno/Naples-Foggia campaign and then sent to the 101st Abn at Normandy, Market Garden, and the Bulge. He stayed in Europe until 1947 serving as a railway operator in the Army Service Forces.
It was very difficult to get up the cliff at pointe ddu hoc , the ropes were soaked with water from the ride in and hard to climb, but luckily, they attached fusess to them to make them look like explosives to keep the Germans away, there was even a case of a firetruck with twin Lewis guns on top of the ladders, but it couldn't get out of the surf, so a ranger climbed it and fires away while waving around in the air
This is one movie that should be updated with today’s stars. Imagine a massive movie like this but with Neeson, Stallone, hanks, Costner, pascal, Kidman, Davis, Berry, lane, tomei
The further back you go in history the more barbaric the wars became. Imagine no bullet's, just arrow's, spears, knives, sword's. Close combat. Must have been terrifying.
Not necessarily. Pre-firearm warfare was nowhere near as bloody as the movies would have you believe. As odd as it may seem, being stabbed with a sword or spear, or being punctured with an arrow was often not as destructive as being hit by a rifle round (and certainly not as terrible as being near an explosion). When bullets enter the body, they often tumble, fragment, or expand, shredding internal organs and creating internal cavities much larger than the entry wound. A sharp implement, on the other hand, would often create clean cuts that, bar a direct hit to a vital organ or blood vessel, can be dressed and healed fairly easily. The worst part of combat was for centuries the risk of infection. Furthermore, the slow, organized, and at times even tedious pace of pre-firearm warfare meant that soldiers often did not suffer the same intensity of mental trauma that accompanies twentieth century warfare.
"Sgt. Randall, the guns are gone. They're not here." "What?!" "The guns.... aren't.... here! The krauts must have moved them someplace else!" "Well, hell, keep moving! We're sitting ducks up here! Head for rally point Baker and set up that roadblock. Taylor and I will get the guns from the there." - Call of Duty 2
One detail that got left out was that all the Rangers had a orange diamond[or lozenge] with a blue number of their regiment on the back of their helmets. They also left out the extendable ladders that were borrowed from the London Fire Brigade. Those were so unstable, and too short to be of any practical use. The bombing and naval gunfire that hit the area of the headland also created a slide of rock and rubble that made access to the cliff face much more manageable.
According to Leonard Lomell, a Ranger who was there that day, no one said that. It was all Hollywood. Lomell and another Ranger went looking for the guns because they had to complete their mission. They located the guns in a stand of fruit trees. Lomell and the other Ranger used thermite grenades to disable the guns. Hollywood should have told that story in the film rather than making a statement about the Vietnam War, which is what that bogus line was about.
I have been in war and experienced fighting scenes with all noises , explosions , blood and deaths. Blieve me that "Saving private Ryan " is the best among war films in showing war scenes .
Germans in the film as here were outfitted in the generic uniforms from 1940 to 1942, but in reality by 1944 most were wearing ankle boots rather than jackboots.
The Germans hardly put up a defense with the Luftwaffe not rising to the skies until 10:00 that day in 1944 ! Kaiser Wilhelm II - Romanoff ( I was dead in 1939 )
There were more then 2 fighters out on D Day launched by the Germans , incredibly low numbers of bombers such as a Ju88 flying near Omaha was shot down , they didn’t even have 150 planes operational
Thanks United states of américa 🇺🇸 , Russia 🇷🇺 , Britain 🇬🇧 for Protecting France 🇨🇵 To all Brits , Frénch , Américan Condoléances to all of you I salute you all
Fun fact the author of the book the movie is based on felt the landings were for nothing as the guns had been moved, when in actually the guns would have slaughtered the troops moving off Utah beach by firing on the exposed Exit roads
Funny how a movie can never truly capture the insanity of war. For example.. the explosion at the beginning of this video would have easily rendered each and every one of those men completely deaf.
At the same time this and the entire D Day invasion was taking place the Battle of Saipan was also taking place in the Pacific theatre when the Marine Corps and Army 27th Infantry Division assaulted the island taking heavy casualties from fierce Japanese resistance to capture an airfield.
I get to add a comment. My uncles were in this area. On my fathers birthday Pearl Harbor attack 1942. 12 brothers left the party to sign up, but being Sunday they had to wait another day. My father was exempt because of his ability in manufacturing electoral parts for tanks, otherwise I may not have been born.
The greatest epic war movie of all time.. never again will there be a war movie featuring an all star cast.. they tried to duplicate it with A Bridge Too Far in 1978...but it bombed at the box office..
Do you know the Rangers were late getting to Pointe du hoc because all the smoke from the naval bombardment hid it from site. That is why the rest of the Rangers went in on the beach landings. As depicted in Saving Private Ryan . If the Rangers at the Pointe would have been on time then the Rangers held in reserve would have entered the war at the Pointe and reinforced the guys there.
I remember watching this with my father who was a Marine vet of WW2 and Korea. He was at frozen Chosin. At one point he got up and left the theater. He told my brother and I it was too real and brought back the memory of those fellow Marines that didn't survive.
Your father is a hero
Thank you for sharing this story. Your Father’s service can never be forgotten.
Life isn’t a movie. I don’t believe you
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them
Lest we forget 🌺
@@MM-qi5mkit can feel similar, the sounds, the general feel of it.
Despite being such an old film, it has some of the greatest battle scenes of any WW2 movie. The lack of CGI and use of loads of extras goes such a long way to giving the feel of a massive scale engagement
Not to mention that at least a few people on set were probably actually there for it.
Why do people feel the need to comment on how old a movie is? Smh if something's good it's good period.
Did you know they even had germany take france for the movie
It was an epic war film for 1962 with the cream of both American and British entertainment of the day appearing in the film, even popstars like Paul Anka playing roles rather the same as harry styles appearing in Dunkirk now. The tracking shot over the fight at casino still holds up as some of the best war film cinematography I've ever seen so it's a shame the film doesn't get referenced much these days.
@@anthonygarcia8749 Because it’s impressive
It’s amazing WWII was just 17 years ago when this film was released and the actors themselves were veterans.
Fun fact: The actor who plays Major Howard, the commander of the British glider troops who capture the bridge over the Orne River, was actually part of the real operation. His seat on the glider was only a few feet away from the real Major Howard.
I visited Pointe Du Hoc recently and looked over the cliffs. How in the hell those men climbed them while under fire is impressive, but even more impressive when you see it in person.
Once they got to the top, they are greeted by some of the gnarliest bunkers you ever saw and about 100 ish meters of open ground. These men were built different
German resistance to the Ranger assault was actually worse >after< the Rangers had taken the cliff top, when the Germans launched several vicious counterattacks...
@@looneyburgmusic Indeed. From seeing how deep the fortifications ran into the country side, its no wonder they received much heavier resistance after they took the cliffs. They had massive logistics networks and bunkers for miles behind the coastline. Still, taking those cliffs would have been terrifying.
I was there a little over a month ago and was just wondering the same thing. Those man were made different indeed!
I took my wife and son there
American Cemetery, Omaha Beach & Ponte du Hoc.
Took my shoes off & walked into the waves @ Omaha. Profound.
Same I visited normandy and it's just insane knowing what happened there on the beaches and surrounding towns. I hope you went to the us and german graveyard also. The german one is just empty with not many visitors and it's just surreal
"Sergeant Randall the guns are gone! They're not here!"
"What!?!"
"The GUNS. AREN'T. HERE. The Krauts must have moved them someplace else!!"
Freaky Frosty CALL OF DUTY 2!
PF!?
"Well hell keep moving, we,re sitting ducks out here!!"
Cod 2!!!!!
@@dagwood6703 Taylor and I will look for the guns from there!
Given the circumstances, it is a miracle that any of the Rangers survived this assault.
Including my grandfather in the 5th Rangers. Got a Bronze Star out of the battle.
It’s like the guy in saving private Ryan said, if gods on our side then who could be on there’s
A lot of actors in this great movie were soldiers from D Day,, including the Germans... amazing realistic movie !!!
It's amazing that they survived this experience and were then willing to portray it on film. Thanks for that. It makes this movie even more meaningful
Back when ww2 vets were young!
a chicken nugget that wants to die dumbass
I'm sure many of them were happy to do it since they want the world to remember the sacrifice of their brothers, but imagine how awkward that casting call had to have been.
"Looking for Dday vets to relive the worst day of their lives. Free tissues and whiskey for if you start crying on set!"
@@Cyrillic_108 it was the days of Wooden guns and steel men
I've visited pointe du hoc many years ago. incredible achievement those rangers did there. What struck me were the enormous bombcraters from the naval bombardment. big enough to fit a complete house in it. Those rangers had to climb very high and steep under horrendous fire. Respect!
Alex Postma Indeed. I've been there twice last time last year. Truely a remarkable achievement.
In addition to the steep cliff face, German firepower, etc., they didn't count on the added weight of sea water on the ropes so many of them fell well short of their target.
I too was awe struck in 2009, when I was able to go to Point Du Hoc, during my mid deployment leave.
I am a Paratrooper, and also earned my CIB (Combat Infantryman's Badge), yet I am awed by the Courage of those MEN who performed those noble deeds 75 years ago today.
Whomever they were, Infantrymen, Engineer, Sailors, or service personnel, just crossing those fire swept beaches was a Heroic Act!
Clad just in a wool uniform, not the High Technology Body Armor, and other gear the American people provided me...
7
Same, been there, also same thought about the craters , huge asf
This scene stressed me out too much. Real heroes, never forgotten.
Yeah. That part with no MGs in those pillboxes. It’s like Jerry was expecting the Rangers.
Yeh I always felt sorry for that soldier having to carry the weight of that massive gi but I'm sure that's what happened in real life and they did it without complaint to support their mates.
To be honest, judging by WW2 photos, this looks more realistic than Saving Private Ryan.
I agree
Lol
Impossible
But wow this was a good movie
Saving private Ryan was pretty accurate in their depiction of D-Day, to the point where they had to set up an extra phone line to deal with the veterans suffering from PTSD and helping them cope after watching it
Paul Anka, John Wayne, Eddie Albert, Robert Mitchum, Fabian, Red Button, Roddy McDowall,many more guys are great and wonderful actors. Well some are more than others.
Great WW2 movie, the first one i ever saw. Great historyline from D-Day, great battles, great cast and veterans and every side speaks their own language. Especially the last one sounds pretty rare to me for a movie in the early 60s. Great Job! 👍🏻
It’s an old movie but one of the best I’ve seen
I have this movie on dvd. It is very good.
They actually attached fuses to the hooks to make the Germans think they were grenades so it would be easier to start the climb
Fr they litterally used German and Americans Veterans soldiers that survive on D-Day
Alright time to go play Call of Duty 2.
Stolen comment
69th like
@Federal Bureau of Investigation it was a stolen comment
@Federal Bureau of Investigation just saying this is a stolen comment
Do you still have an older silver plastic TV to play it on? I envy you, there.
One guy had a Tommy gun but he had M1Garand pouch’s but other than that very realistic
I would imagine there were many soldiers that lost or discarded their weapons through this chaos and picked up whatever they could. That actually makes it more believable in my mind rather than less.
Amen
I didn’t think about it that way good point
Actually everybody in this film uses the M1 Carbine, It's my favorite WW2 era weapon but however in reality these were only used in small numbers during the D Day invasion, Most guys who landed in Normandy would've been using more Garands and Tommy Guns.
US Rangers... created and trained by the British Commandos in WW2. The 1st and 29th Rangers. These went on to form more Rangers.
I worked at as a volunteer in a Dutch ww2 museum. We had one of the grabnel hooks actually used on point du hoc
How many men were involved in the climb? I am sure it must have been at least several dozen.
@@juanmonge8 225
The greatest generation in action. We will never see their like again. The pre-invasion plans estimated something like 80-90% casualties for the Rangers. Luckily they weren't as high as that, but still substantial. Douglas Brinkley wrote a book entitled "The Boys of Pointe Du Hoc". Worth reading.
0:59 What a way to go soldier 🫡
This movie is so freaking good. I use to hate how my dad only watched this history channel, but god damn, this is probably the most epic event to happen in modern times. This movie is timeless
Watched it during the holidays. While certain effects aged quite badly, I must say that the film is still excellent.
Btw, did you know that the first time it aired on french TV, so much people tried to watch it that it blew up the french electricity network?
Wow!
PapaZoulou considering free french forces are in this movie it's understandable.
I seriously doubt that...
Is there any Proof for that ?
So if France had 100 TV's and they normally all watched TV, 100 watching this would blow up the network? Got to love men and their emotional thinking.
I've been to Point du Hoc and how those guys got up that cliff with people shooting at you while you're coming up is incomprehensible to me.
Because they shot back, and the Germans couldn't hit them all, sheer numbers meant somebody would be getting to the top of that cliff no matter what.
one of my uncles was one of those brave men climbing in world war 2, got drafted at age 33
I am writing on behalf of my wife - her father, SSG Mike Sharik, was in Easy Company, 2d Ranger Battalion and climbed those cliffs. Tough job - but to a man, members of 2d Ranger said they'd trade a week of being at Pointe Du Hoc to avoid one single day at Hill 400, in the Hurtgen Forest - Dec 7-8, 1944 - that was their "Longest Day" - ordered to take a hill that 3 separate divisions attempted to take - and they were ordered to hold it "at all costs" for 24 hours until reinforcements arrived. The Combat Command Reserve Brigade of the 5th Armored Division (3000 men with tanks) was practically annihilated by the ferocity of the German counter-attack when it attempted to take hill immediately before the 2d Ranger were assigned the task.
Google "Mike Sharik Hill 400" and you'll get several articles and books which detail the action - several of them mention my father-in-law (even a German version mentions him). There are two videos - one was a History channel summary of the battle from Dog Company's perspective, which mentions my wife's father twice - and the other was an A&E series which covers the battle in a broader overview. There are two books which detail the Hill 400 action - one is "Beyond Valor - Suicide Missions of World War II" and "Dog Company" which chronicles Company-D, which led nearly every major action the Allies took in France, and who the author of the book says "they were everywhere" claiming that this small group of men positively affected more battles than any other company in the U.S Army. Indeed, 2d Ranger Battalion NEVER FAILED to achieve the objectives assigned to them - and those objectives were usually the "impossible missions" - such as Pointe Du Hoc, the Port of Brest, and Hill 400.
The Rangers stormed the hill with 125 men and took it - my father-in-law led the D-Company charge up Hill 400 (he had been transferred into Dog Company as a section leader from Easy Company right before the battle); they then held it against five major counter-attacks over a 40-hour period in an attempt to take it back. They did their duty - at great cost. Only about a dozen men from Dog Company survived the action - fewer survived from Fox Company. The 2d Ranger Battalion was shattered by that battle and was disbanded shortly thereafter - all to take and hold a hill that once turned over to the 8th Infantry Division was lost 14-days later. Wehrmacht Field Marshall Walter Model said the artillery barrage dumped on the Rangers (and the Germans, too) was not surpassed by anything he had seen on the Russian Front. The Rangers said it was far more brutal than the barrage on D-Day - that's saying something.
My Father-in Law, wounded three times in WWII, stayed in the Army after the war and made it his career. Colleagues who served with him in New Mexico (the Manhattan Project), Germany, and Turkey, mentioned what a fine soldier he was, but commented that they were not aware of his bravery in combat. This is typical of the countless heroes of "The Greatest Generation" who never spoke of their experiences - partially because they felt they did nothing deserving recognition - they just did their duty, and partially because of the painful memories of losing so many of their buddies in combat. He stayed silent and his sons and daughters did not know of, nor see until they buried him - his Presidential Unit Citation (Pointe-Du-Hoc), his French Croix-De-Guerre (Hill 400), two Bronze Star and three Purple Heart medals, along with a chest-full of others. That's just how "The Greatest Generation" rolled - Duty, Honor, Sacrifice and Silence - no self-aggrandizement. As it should be.
To my Father-in-Law, the Rangers, and all of the men and women who were genuine heroes, not what we erroneously call "heroes" today - but selfless, brave and determined people who answered the call of their country and didn't whine about it, and did not expect to be treated as special for having done so - THANK YOU for showing us the best of what we can be as Americans.
Watching this on June 6th now the 75th anniversary of that day, and the many great men who served on it. Never forget every Allied soldier who died that day! 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷🇷🇺
I watched it again, too. This time I noticed a few teen music stars in it--Fabian, Paul Anka, Tommy Sands. At first I thought they were put in the film to attract younger audiences. Then, I remembered how young many of those who were casualties were in this invasion. Made total sense to me after that.
@@VtRD Watching the longest day was a tradition of mine as a child, I would watch it every 6th of June.
And not remembering the poor Whermacht and Luftwaffe on that day too? Go to hell, and never rise to the overworld a single time you monster.
@@hughjanus2192 The most werent germans
This is such a great film. Lives up to the hype! I understand that 60s audiences were not ready to see all the gore and carnage that takes place during wartime. You'll need to watch Private Ryan to see that. But TLD is a truly remarkable film - I love the B&W contrast that would not have been achieved if color film had been used. Very factual and without hype.
1:02 Fracture both legs! Get a Purple Heart and a ticket back home. Worst way to end your war.
He got fractured legs but hes gonna heal and live.And if he wants he can return to combat.Bts the worst way to end your war isnt to get killed or getting fractured legs.Its losing your limbs,getting your skin deformed at the face and surviving it all.
@@hevyc8353 yep, i'd rather die honorably
@Gazzara5 is right skip
He didnt fracture his legs it isnt that high
@Robo Redneck not at all, quick death and off to valhalla, forgot the movie name but its about a WW2 vet that lost hearing, sight, deformed face and lost his arms and legs, only way he knew it was day and night was because he could feel the sun on the part of his body that could still feel
My uncle, Thomas Braidwood, was with the Rangers thst day. He took myself and younger brother to this movie when in came out around 1960. He lived with us and didn't sleep for a week.
Back when there was no wilhem scream.
Rudy R good times
The first Wilhem scream was in 1951 this was 1962.
Would probably be insensitive to put it in a war movie in my view
What a terrible, terrible time the Rangers had trying to scale those cliffs.
Huge credit and thanks to them.
"It was deadly, it was hell. And without a doubt, the longest day of my life." - Omaha Beach vet.
Saw it when it came out. Ste Mere Eglise and Pointe du Hoc were the real money sequences of the picture.
Running onto a beach is one thing; climbing up a ladder or rope into gunfire and the unknown is something else - the absolute STONES on these guys
The 100-foot ladders the Rangers used had been requisitioned from the London Fire Brigade, however they proved to be too short to reach the cliff top.
I grew up with this, saving private Ryan, we were soldiers, the thin Red line and Black Hawk Down, best war movies ever
Great scene except for...... there was almost no resistance at Pointe Du Hoc during the beach assault. The real tough fighting for these guts occurred in the three days after D-Day.
Visit point du hoc a few days ago. Its still amazing the guts theze guys had .
That one mission in cod 2
I used to light a joint and watch the whole movie, it was amazing
A friend of my father was one of the Rangers who assaulted Pointe du Hoc.
I like the fact that there was not a musical score to this scene or to the movie in general.
This was a great movie with a good cast.
Guess what? These scenes are at the real location. The actors are scaling the very same cliffs the Rangers climbed on D-Day
While the 1998 movie Saving Private Ryan depicts the detailed brutality of the action on D'day, The Longest Day depicts the detailed events of the landings on D'day. D'day was not just Omaha Beach and the allied landing party was composed of American, British and Canadian troops. French locals also proved to be helpful allies.
One can't have too many grenades.
The only thing that shows the movie's age is the funny way the German soldier reacts to being shot.
Much better than Saving Private Ryan.
First movie of WWII I’ve ever seen back in 4th grade. I got interested in the war because I watched my dad play Call of Duty WW2. I had always played war with my brother recreating these scenes of the paratroop assault and Utah/Omaha Beach. Now here I am 6 years later knowing no many details about the war to some of the most lesser-known battles/units/people. By the way, my ggpa was a paratrooper in the 82nd Abn, 505th pir at Sicily, Salerno/Naples-Foggia campaign and then sent to the 101st Abn at Normandy, Market Garden, and the Bulge. He stayed in Europe until 1947 serving as a railway operator in the Army Service Forces.
Rudder's Rangers...weeping manly tear.
It was very difficult to get up the cliff at pointe ddu hoc , the ropes were soaked with water from the ride in and hard to climb, but luckily, they attached fusess to them to make them look like explosives to keep the Germans away, there was even a case of a firetruck with twin Lewis guns on top of the ladders, but it couldn't get out of the surf, so a ranger climbed it and fires away while waving around in the air
HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THIS? BEST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!
Fr they litterally used German and Americans Veterans soldiers that survive on D-Day
This is one movie that should be updated with today’s stars. Imagine a massive movie like this but with Neeson, Stallone, hanks, Costner, pascal, Kidman, Davis, Berry, lane, tomei
Yes! Yes! With Neeson doing Sean Connery's part!
1:58 Lol... like the cartoons xD
time to go play COD 2.
This needs more comments
I thought at the time in my 13 year old mind that it was the most realistic game at the time : D
The further back you go in history the more barbaric the wars became. Imagine no bullet's, just arrow's, spears, knives, sword's. Close combat. Must have been terrifying.
Not necessarily. Pre-firearm warfare was nowhere near as bloody as the movies would have you believe. As odd as it may seem, being stabbed with a sword or spear, or being punctured with an arrow was often not as destructive as being hit by a rifle round (and certainly not as terrible as being near an explosion). When bullets enter the body, they often tumble, fragment, or expand, shredding internal organs and creating internal cavities much larger than the entry wound. A sharp implement, on the other hand, would often create clean cuts that, bar a direct hit to a vital organ or blood vessel, can be dressed and healed fairly easily. The worst part of combat was for centuries the risk of infection. Furthermore, the slow, organized, and at times even tedious pace of pre-firearm warfare meant that soldiers often did not suffer the same intensity of mental trauma that accompanies twentieth century warfare.
No sword or spear ever came close to the barbarity of hittng human beings with napalm or mustard gas.
"Sgt. Randall, the guns are gone. They're not here."
"What?!"
"The guns.... aren't.... here! The krauts must have moved them someplace else!"
"Well, hell, keep moving! We're sitting ducks up here! Head for rally point Baker and set up that roadblock. Taylor and I will get the guns from the there."
- Call of Duty 2
How did they add such incredible effects in this black and white movie
This movie was a smash hit in Germany.. they played it backwards.
One detail that got left out was that all the Rangers had a orange diamond[or lozenge] with a blue number of their regiment on the back of their helmets. They also left out the extendable ladders that were borrowed from the London Fire Brigade. Those were so unstable, and too short to be of any practical use. The bombing and naval gunfire that hit the area of the headland also created a slide of rock and rubble that made access to the cliff face much more manageable.
I think climbing that steep cliff was the easiest part.
I'm afraid of heights and afraid of bullets so I don't know how I could do this.
Rangers was something else,, badass warrior
I forget which actor it is but one of the guys in this scene actually fought at Point De Hoc and was wounded there.
I Liked the End of This Scene When Target Guns Were Not There and One of the Rangers Said "We Came All This Way. For Nothing?"
According to Leonard Lomell, a Ranger who was there that day, no one said that. It was all Hollywood. Lomell and another Ranger went looking for the guns because they had to complete their mission. They located the guns in a stand of fruit trees. Lomell and the other Ranger used thermite grenades to disable the guns. Hollywood should have told that story in the film rather than making a statement about the Vietnam War, which is what that bogus line was about.
@@ElaineWood-f2t My Bad, I Know, War is Hell.
much better than "Shaving Ryan's Privates"
Michael Fuchs
Different battle, different sets, different budget, actors and means of production.
Don’t try to see this as a one up.
@@johnsmith1119 Indeed. Really different.
I have been in war and experienced fighting scenes with all noises , explosions , blood and deaths. Blieve me that "Saving private Ryan " is the best among war films in showing war scenes .
Family Guy episode: Saving Private Brian
0:08 is that Forrest Gump ?
Haha Buffalo Springfield
His grandfather lmao
Cornelius Ryan wrote the book after interviewng the people who were there
THE GUNS AREN'T HERE!
Don't forget guys, they are humans too.
Not only that they were conscripted to fight in that army on pain of death they did nothing wrong.
Germans in the film as here were outfitted in the generic uniforms from 1940 to 1942, but in reality by 1944 most were wearing ankle boots rather than jackboots.
The Germans hardly put up a defense with the Luftwaffe not rising to the skies until 10:00 that day in 1944 ! Kaiser Wilhelm II - Romanoff ( I was dead in 1939 )
There were more then 2 fighters out on D Day launched by the Germans , incredibly low numbers of bombers such as a Ju88 flying near Omaha was shot down , they didn’t even have 150 planes operational
Sweeping the Krauts from the skies was one of the highest priorities of the air campaing of 1944.
Thanks United states of américa 🇺🇸 , Russia 🇷🇺 , Britain 🇬🇧 for Protecting France 🇨🇵 To all Brits , Frénch , Américan Condoléances to all of you I salute you all
What about the Canadians they had a huge role also
Just think! This was shot only 17 years after the actual battle and most of the guys who fought were under 40 years old!
Fun fact the author of the book the movie is based on felt the landings were for nothing as the guns had been moved, when in actually the guns would have slaughtered the troops moving off Utah beach by firing on the exposed Exit roads
kevin texter s
there were no guns there, as with most of the defensive features they were fantasy
@@JohnSmith-zv8km They had been recently moved, the Rangers found them later that day and destroyed them
I cannot even imagine....
Rangers lead the way since WW2 to this day
just for money.
Get a soul.
Since King Philip's War (1675-1678). 340 years and still doing the impossible.
I hate the fact that this movie now is not free. I used to watch whole memorial day along with midway . Definitely getting it on blue ray dvd..
It's currently free on UA-cam
COD 2 got me here
Funny how a movie can never truly capture the insanity of war. For example.. the explosion at the beginning of this video would have easily rendered each and every one of those men completely deaf.
Oh I forgot I had this CD
At the same time this and the entire D Day invasion was taking place the Battle of Saipan was also taking place in the Pacific theatre when the Marine Corps and Army 27th Infantry Division assaulted the island taking heavy casualties from fierce Japanese resistance to capture an airfield.
Call of Duty 2 taught us about this
It's over Anakin
Certainly the best place for an amphibious landing
It's amazing that the ropes and ladders could bear the weight of these Rangers with such overwhelming and weighty testicular fortitude.
How bad would it be to give a good movie disklike ???
I get to add a comment. My uncles were in this area. On my fathers birthday Pearl Harbor attack 1942. 12 brothers left the party to sign up, but being Sunday they had to wait another day. My father was exempt because of his ability in manufacturing electoral parts for tanks, otherwise I may not have been born.
U know whats really weird. Even though we have much more resources today, the old war movies are SOOOOOOOO much better. Its not even close
I bet so many of us want this movie colored cause I actually enjoy 2 black and white films pork chop hill and this
No doubt Activision took notes from this movie for the D-Day mission in CoD 2 (2005).
My favorite WW2 movie.
My farther was part of the diversion fleet on the East Coast with inflatable tanks and guns en-board. Not much action until he was sent to Japan.
The greatest epic war movie of all time.. never again will there be a war movie featuring an all star cast.. they tried to duplicate it with A Bridge Too Far in 1978...but it bombed at the box office..
If only Humphrey Bogart were alive to star in this masterpiece tho
The best war movie in terms of scene and performance.
Watch out for grenade! Watch out for grenade!
They had the high ground
It's over anakin
Don't try it!
Do you know the Rangers were late getting to Pointe du hoc because all the smoke from the naval bombardment hid it from site. That is why the rest of the Rangers went in on the beach landings. As depicted in Saving Private Ryan . If the Rangers at the Pointe would have been on time then the Rangers held in reserve would have entered the war at the Pointe and reinforced the guys there.
der Feind ist hier. wir kämpfen bis zum letzter Mann!!!!
More Rangers were supposed to be at Pointe du Hoc but the current prevented them from doing so. The current sent them to Omaha Beach.