Charming attempt at humour or corny and a little hackneyed??? (1 Viewer)

[Rob]

Now don't get me wrong, I am very fond of 'The Longest Day' indeed, it has some fine actors, great battle scenes and made shortly before I was born it was often on at Christmas during my childhood. It's a fine War film. However I do think some of the dialogue a wee bit corny? Now of course in the early sixties you couldn't have SPR type realism even in an epic like this, but some scenes appear almost absurd. Kenneth Moore starting a Bren gun carrier by hitting hit with his walking stick(!) Sean Connery stood on landing craft ramp shouting at the Germans and then falling Buster Keaton style into the water (please) and the Frenchman ' enjoying ' having his house reduced to rubble around his ears. This film is one of the ' Classics' of the genre despite these little asides with a cast most could only dream of.

Love the film and just watched it again on tv. So I'll forgive the ' humour ' :salute:::salute:::salute::

Rob

 

[TomB]

Now don't get me wrong, I am very fond of 'The Longest Day' indeed, it has some fine actors, great battle scenes and made shortly before I was born it was often on at Christmas during my childhood. It's a fine War film. However I do think some of the dialogue a wee bit corny? Now of course in the early sixties you couldn't have SPR type realism even in an epic like this, but some scenes appear almost absurd. Kenneth Moore starting a Bren gun carrier by hitting hit with his walking stick(!) Sean Connery stood on landing craft ramp shouting at the Germans and then falling Buster Keaton style into the water (please) and the Frenchman ' enjoying ' having his house reduced to rubble around his ears. This film is one of the ' Classics' of the genre despite these little asides with a cast most could only dream of.

Love the film and just watched it again on tv. So I'll forgive the ' humour ' :salute:::salute:::salute::

Rob

Cannot say I really noticed much of what you relate...but...now... I do recall the wonderful Kenneth Moore wacking the carrier universal with his walking stick....as it was an American made film...I also recall being told somewhere down the track that in an Yankee Army Mechanical Manuel of that period, it stated...If you cannot get the motor to start...hit it with a hammer....maybe one of the writers was an ex army Meck...cheers TomB

 

[theBaron]

Ryan didn't mention either of them in the book, so it's possible that they were made up when the script was written. Some of the content of his book was recombined into different scenarios, or assigned to different characters. For example, the German officer who put his boots on the wrong feet was not shot by a downed RAF flier, but survived the invasion unscathed.

I don't think either of them are corny or hackneyed, in any case. Giving something mechanical a bash to get it working again was a not-too-rare remedy, in the days before digital circuits to control everything. And plenty of men coming off the landing boats plunged into water over their heads. Those scenes don't detract from the movie, for me.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Fubar]

The Frenchman appears to be losing it at the end of the scene. From overjoyed that his Nations salvation has arrived , to terrified and driven over the edge by the barrage.

 

[RPZ]

It's called artistic license. But I would venture that all of these happened in some similar form on some invasion front at some time or other. Get a few Ww2 vets together over a coffee and one will no doubt hear things that might surprise, entertain or astound.

When living in the U.K. years ago I was stopped by a copper one night over a non-functioning headlight. I confidently slapped the fender with an open palm ... and on came the headlight. I was alittle surprised but shrugged and grinned. The copper laughed and bid me well on my way. And that light never failed again as long as I drove that car.

 

[Rob]

You're all probably right guys, I was probably being a bit too picky:wink2: Love this film , it's one of about 12 movies that were often on (especially Christmas time)when I was a kid and always enjoyed watching them. Here are the twelve

Longest Day
Zulu
Great Escape
Magnificent Seven
Battle of Britain
Charge of the Light Brigade
Waterloo
Heroes of Telemark
Battle Of the Bulge
Bridge Too Far
True Grit
Sons of Katie Elder

Any of you remember childhood movies often on tv long before videos/dvd's?
Rob

 

[Mitch]

For me its a good film but, these are bits that don't bother me. I believe from what I have been told etc that the happy Frenchman came from some French people saying that they would be happy to have been bombed by the allies and lose all than live under the Germans.

For me its John Wayne that spoils the movie for me I just don't like his acting style
Mitch

 

[Martin Tabony]

You should have been listening to Radio 4 over the weekend Rob, there was a programme about historical accuracy in films. With disscusions by historical advisers and historians.

Martin

 

[RPZ]

I viewed a documentary about this one some time ago and several examples were given of inaccuracies. One was the rush through the breached seawall. Didn't happen; it was more of a relaxed walk supposedly.

Lord Lovat of Fraser was on set as one of the technical advisers and angrily remarked that he never walked in the manner of Peter Lawford, and that he exhibited a "sissy's walk". I have to say that Lawford was a terrible miscast in my opinion even never having seen Lord Lovat in motion. He just did not have the presence and demeanor of the role.

 

[lancer]

Being Veteran's Day, The Longest Day is on my local cable, so I will be watching again, along with Tora, Tora, Tora, and some others. All good. :salute:: -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Can't remember if it was in the book as I read it as a teenager but how about the scene when Pluskat (who is in one of the bunkers at Omaha) is being berated by his CO about all those supposed ships the Allies have and asks him dryly where are all those ships headed and Pluskat screams back, "At me, they are headed at me!" That is one of the highlights of the movie.

He also shows up in a key role in Battle of the Bulge. His name was Hans Christian Blech and apparently served on the Russian front.

 

[Rob]

Can't remember if it was in the book as I read it as a teenager but how about the scene when Pluskat (who is in one of the bunkers at Omaha) is being berated by his CO about all those supposed ships the Allies have and asks him dryly where are all those ships headed and Pluskat screams back, "At me, they are headed at me!" That is one of the highlights of the movie.

He also shows up in a key role in Battle of the Bulge. His name was Hans Christian Blech and apparently served on the Russian front.

Very good Brad:salute:: When he first sees the armada heading his way has to be one of the most memorable of all war films^&cool

Yes he was a drive in the Bulge wasn't he, I remember he sets off walking at movie end along with thousands of other Germans.

Rob

 

[lancer]

The Longest Day is one of the first war films I remember seeing in the theaters and, as a result, has always been a favorite. It really is a fine film that seems to get better with age and multiple viewings. I have always thought the best sequence in the film is the battle for Pegasus Bridge. "Up the Ox and Bucks! Up the Ox and Bucks!". It took me years to figure out what Todd was saying.:wink2: -- Al

 

[theBaron]

He also shows up in a key role in Battle of the Bulge. His name was Hans Christian Blech and apparently served on the Russian front.

And more interesting trivia about Pluskat...he survived Normandy, and wound up in Berlin at the end. Ryan interviewed him for his book, "The Last Battle". He was a civil engineer after the war, if I'm not mistaken.

Prost!
Brad