History Professor Breaks Down "The Longest Day" (Part 1) / Reel History

[@ReelHistory]

Correction: Roddy McDowall played Octavian, not Anthony. Burton played Anthony. Sorry for the mix up.

[@alfredstimoli2590]

I was coming onto your comments section to write the same thing. LOL

[@Naylte]

Fun fact: The sets they used in Britain for Cleopatra were re-used by a comedy version that had a much smaller budget.

[@NickC1966]

Antony.

[@grahamperkins6582]

Richard Todd was actually on the attack on Pegasus bridge (named such after the war, because the airborne troops badge is Pegasus) at one point in the movie Richard Todd actually tells Todd to attack the bridge. He often joked that he must be the only actor to have talked to himself in a movie. Brave man.

[@gregbailey1753]

Todd was not in the glider unit but a para coming to the relief of the Ox and Bucks. Yes, he was there, just a few hours later.

[@Gramscifreedom]

I’ve seen this mentioned before that Richard Todd appears as an actor and indeed a character in the film. Yet I’ve never been able to locate his character in the film. Do you know which scene he apparently appears in?

[@rhannay39]

@@Gramscifreedom He was the officer in command of the paratroops who reinforced the glider troops. There are several scenes showing them together.

[@panzerdeal8727]

🤣🤣🤣

[@MichaelSaunders-y2m]

​@Gramscifreedo m on the bridge

[@mikloowl4899]

I agree 100% with having the actors speak in the language of their nationalities. it's hard to get into the historical vibe of a film where someone is speaking English where they shouldn't be but then trying to throw an accent upon it. I appreciate having to read subtitles more in order to preserve realism.

[@ReelHistory]

Sadly I couldn't get the subtitles to rip to a file off of the DVD, I tried for days.

[@mikloowl4899]

@@ReelHistory no worries lol.

[@iShaymus]

@@ReelHistory just play the video on your PC with subtitles and record the screen. Not optimal but simple.

[@laustcawz2089]

This is exactly why I think "Schindler's List" is overrated.

[@scottkrater2131]

It's a movie, I like it when they speak their actual language, but on the other hand it can be hard to follow everything on the screen when you're reading the whole time.

[@richardmardis2492]

I once came across the daughter of “Dutch” Schultz on line, she talk about his PTSD, how he almost drank himself to death, ruined marriage- these heroes were real people and very human as well. I asked her about the Rosary, he kept it with him through out the war- and she has it. I’m sure it’s her most important item that she possesses.

[@donwild50]

John Wayne did play Lt. Colonel Vandervoort in TLD and acting wise, did a fair job. But like many stars in the film, he was there because he really wanted a part in what, at the time, was considered a very important historical film. However, again as with many other actors, he was portraying an officer who was much younger than himself. He was 54 years old when playing Vandervoort, but the real Vandervoort was only 27 years old on June 6, half the age of Wayne and apparently wasn't too pleased at being portrayed by a man old enough to be his father and historically too old to be commanding a unit of the 82nd Airborne. Airborne officers tended to be younger than Infantry officers of equal rank.

[@musicaleuphoria8699]

That must be awkward being portrayed that way, especially by the Duke.

[@peterthegreat996]

That’s a common problem with WWII movies- the actors are much to old for their roles .

[@behindthescenesphotos5133]

​@@peterthegreat996 Moreso with the Civil War. The battlefields are filled with reenactors who tend to be past retirement age. Speaking of Civil War films, Wayne was 5 inches taller than General Sherman and Harry Morgan was 2 inches shorter than General Grant in How the West Was Won, giving the two a "Mutt and Jeff" look that's always bothered me.

[@gregbailey1753]

Remember a mid 30's Jim Gavin was played by Robert Ryan who looked 60 ish in his 30's. Paul Anka was probably the only actor who appeared the age of his true character.

[@jannarkiewicz633]

That is my #1 comment on the movie

[@didimean]

This might be one of my favorite movies about WWII. Would love to see it in color, but at the same time, the Black and White really gives it character. Amazing how they were able to show so many different characters and aspects of that day in a single film.

[@brianjones7907]

some where out there is a full colour version of this film , many years ago it was shown on British Tv a few times but then seemed to disappear in favour of the b/w original ..

[@Blackfoxparadox]

​@@brianjones7907its a mandela effect i also clearly recall it being in colour, but that no longer exists

[@alistairjohnson6061]

I don't know if anyone else has said this but Richard Todd actually took part in the action at Pegasus Bridge. He reported to Howard on the bridge and in the film another actor plays him as a Lieutenant reporting to Howard.

[@thomasontiveros3166]

Eddie Albert was a Navy Salvage Officer at Tarawa when the 2d Marine Division landed there in November of 1943. There is an interview of him talking about his experience during the landing.

[@joeblow2069]

He was a hero of almost medal of honor proportions at Tarawa. He saved many lives.

[@drewstephans3436]

If I remember correctly, Eddie Albert piloted Higgins Boats both at Tarawa And during the Normandy Invasion and was awarded a Silver Star for saving a wounded man

[@stevemance2812]

I had the honor of meeting Major John Howard outside Café Gondrée on the 7th June 1994 during the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

[@williamlopez8676]

Just a little aside about weather in WWII. Among other jobs, my Mom worked for a time for the US Weather Service in New Orleans, reading ships logs. For centuries, ships from many nations traveling the world noted twice per day in their logs their positions,and the current weather. Someone decided to gather as many ships logs as they could find, and have rooms full of women read those logs, and extract the data they contained. In this way, they could construct a data base of the weather in certain locations and dates going back in time. By analyzing this data, weather trends could be extrapolated that would give military planners an idea of what the weather was statistically likely to be in a given area at a given time. Among the logs my Mom read was a log from the Lusitania.

[@GoGreen1977]

I stayed at a guest ranch in Southern Arizona many times from 2001 - 2014. It had been a guest ranch since the 1920s and attracted many well-known or successful people over the decades. In a photograph album from the 1930s, I came across photos of a Scottish lord goofing around with the owners and other guests. He came all the way to the empty spaces of the high desert of Arizona for a "holiday" in 1938. In the description, he was identified as Lord Lovat. At first, that didn't mean anything to me, but in talking to the owners and doing some digging, I realized he was portrayed by Peter Lawford in this movie. What a surprise! To think he went from goofing off in the far reaches of Arizona to preparing for war soon after and then, eventually, participating in D -Day.

[@J5460-r8z]

Good ole Grandad, god bless him!

[@bulfin21]

Lovat was a complete ass, he refused to let his men take cover, as per Stephen ambrose, while crossing pegasus bridge and wouldn't let them wear helmets either, a lot of his men died because of his ideas of what a gentleman soldier should act like

[@Concetta20]

That fact about Henry Fonda and the ship is so wild and Richard Todd being a veteran parachutist of D-Day with his actual beret on! Mind blowing.

[@donwild50]

Roddy McDowell didn't play Marc Anthony in "Cleopatra;" he played Octavian who eventually beat Anthony and Cleopatra and became Emperor Augustus. However another actor who had a part in "The Longest Day" DID play Marc Anthony and that was Richard Burton...who not only was involved in both movies but was also involved in the purely personal battle of stealing Elizabeth Taylor away from Eddie Fisher during the filming of "Cleopatra."

[@virgilstarkwell8383]

I believe Burton said he took a part in LD because he was bored with all the hurrying up and waiting on the set of Cleopatra which was on one long break after another. He got sick of sitting around the set and took up a last-minute offer to be in on the LD.

[@Michael-vk1vr]

True, even historians fuck up

[@virgilstarkwell8383]

@@Michael-vk1vr All the time!

[@jackmcgonegal8728]

This film in 1962 followed a year later by the Great Escape. It was cinematic heaven for my friends and I whose dads were WWII vets. Back in those days we could sit in the theater all day and watch those films over and over. Trivia: the scene at the 35:15 in the episode of the fleet has four aircraft flying past. Those were US Navy A-1 Skyraiders. One of those pilots was later one of my instructors in Navy pilot training. It's ironic to hear complaints now about the film giving short shrift to the 101st Airborne Division because when you visit Normandy these days, you sometimes get the impression that only the 101st was there. Call it the Band of Brothers effect, I suppose. If the producers had given time to every single unit that participated in the invasion, the film would have to have been about six weeks long.

[@reddevil3387]

Since you liked my last comment I'll add one more. My wife was raised in a Catholic school run by nuns. One day the nuns brought six new girls into the class, and said "Class, these new girls are Jewish, but you can not tell anyone that, not even your parents.Your job girls, is to teach them how to be Catholic in case they are questioned by the Germans. So my wife and the others taught them how to say the "our Father (notre pere), Hail Mary (Ave Maria)", use rosary beads etc. All six survived the war. Not exactly Schindler's list, but she did her part.

[@stevenmccart5455]

To prove how good this movie was...I had a girlfriend "much" younger than myself and wanted to show her books and films she just hadn't heard of. This was one of the movies we rented and she absolutely loved it. This along with To Kill a Mockingbird were a couple of her favorites.

[@nicksykes4575]

The term "Rupert" is a derogatory one used by British troops towards officers, I suspect they thought the dummies would prove as useful as some officers!

[@glosfishgb6267]

more banter than derogatory

[@KibuFox]

@@glosfishgb6267 This nickname is believed to be derived from the children's comic book character Rupert Bear who epitomises traditional public school values.

[@andrewfischer8564]

i dont know if your going to talk about eddie albert.. he was a coxswain in the pacific drove higgens boats was a real hero put himself in harms way was very brave and saved many lives

[@paladinsix9285]

I thought that Eddie Albert was a LTjg in the US Navy, and in command of a number of amphibious landing craft; not just a Coxwain. I recall he was courageous, and went above and beyond the call of duty; rescuing wounded Marines, who were under heavy enemy fire, at risk of his life.

[@nigeh5326]

Rupert is a nickname for officers in some parts of the British Army. The museum at Arromanches in Normandy has some great displays of the beaches as well as equipment used.

[@andydudley1775]

normaly a snobby toff who thinks we here to do all his bidding inculding polishing his boots and reading maps .with a paid for eton education.it never helps

[@theother1281]

Rupert - an inexperienced junior officer, usually from a public (private in US terminology) school background.

[@moonglow630]

One of my favorite movies. Such an all star cast. As a history buff, I learned a lot when I first watched it a couple decades ago. Now I own it, & watch it whenever the mood strikes. Currently, my only John Wayne film in my collection.

[@jmad627]

One of my favorites as well. I can’t tell ya how many times I’ve seen it.

[@ChuckJansenII]

A lot of great insight into both the invasion and the making of the movie. Looking forward to part 2. I read the book The Longest Day when I was in elementary school. I think I went from Green Eggs and Ham right to history books. My father also had a print of this film in 35mm. The print was the subtitled version. Also in my father's film collection were 16mm prints of several CBS Airpower episodes narrated by Walter Cronkite. The Air Power series was responsible for my love of history, aviation and interest in World War II. Eddie Albert was a coxswain driving a Coast Guard landing craft at Tarawa in 1943. Some of my observations. 20th Century Fox, "Cleopatra! Stop drowning me!" The Longest Day, "Fox, I'll save you!" Roddy McDowell, "Cleopatra, I'm bored." The Longest Day, "I'll save you, Roddy!" John Wayne, "Alamo! Stop drowning me!" The Longest Day, "I'll save you, Duke!" It should be noted that director John Ford never forgave his friend the Duke for his deferments. This was especially true when actors who participated in the war co-starred with Wayne in the movies Ford directed. John Ford was wounded on Midway Island when during the Japanese attack on the islands in The Battle of Midway while directing his Oscar winning documentary. Let's put it this way. Duke was too old, too slow, and too big a damn target to have survived the war. He did have the injury he suffered when he was younger that resulted in his characteristic limp displayed in all movies. There are two stories about that injury. One has it as a football injury from his days at UCS. One of his team mates was Ward Bond who was a lifelong friend of John Wayne and John Ford. The other story has the origin of the injury as a surfing injury. I am not sure which one is true. Speaking of John Wayne, Ward Bond and John Ford, here is a story about The Wings of Eagles. This is the story of Frank Spig Wead, a naval aviation pioneer who was paralyzed in a home accident. John Wayne played Spig who went on to write screenplays, many directed by John Ford. In the movie John Ford is played by Ward Bond but they change John Ford's name to John Dodge. Ubiquitous, you bic wit out us. Interesting fact is Richard Todd was originally asked to play himself in the movie. He turned that down stating that he really didn't do anything. He wanted to play Major John Howard instead. In one scene you can see an actor playing Richard Todd with the real Richard Todd in the foreground playing Major Howard. Well, that's enough of my tangential nickels worth.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

I'm sorry you missed this, but there is a scene where Richard Todd, playing Maj. John Howard while standing next to Patrick Jordan, playing Lt. Richard Todd.

[@ReelHistory]

It's been awhile, but I believe we covered that in part 2

[@adeptiotsolutions3644]

Recently discovered your channel and I am hooked.

[@Robert-ku6jx]

Thank you for the John Wayne rant. I have cousins who act like John Wayne was the embodiment of patriotism, and I always enjoyed getting a rise out of them by pointing out the draft deferments. Regardless of how well he did as an actor, I think it’s worth pointing out. Especially since he did so many war films, and that here he’s playing a real person.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

He did a side story about Cleopatra, so I'm going to do a side story concerning Cleopatra. A large amount of the budget for Cleopatra was spent on scenery and costumes. Afterwards they were used by the Carry On team to make Carry On Cleo, which is why that film had a rather unusual (for a Carry On film) level of quality.

[@TomFynn]

"this unknown day" A Major General Henry J. F. Miller blabbed a bit too loudly about when the invasion was coming during a cocktail party. Eisenhower busted him back to his permanent rank of Lt.Col. and gave him 24h to move to the "zone of the interior". He narrowly escaped doing time in Leavenworth.

[@Pte.Fletcher]

I'm not going to lie when I say that I skipped ahead straight to the Pegasus Bridge part in this video, mainly because I myself re-enact the 2nd Oxf. & Bucks., my step-great grandfather was at Pegasus Bridge on D-Day, and it's a mission I'm very interested in anyway. What John Howard yells in the film is "Up the Ox. & Bucks.!" which unfortunately I can't find any period piece showing that the men of the Oxf. & Bucks. said it, but since Howard himself was on set, it's entirely possible. Not every member of the Oxf. & Bucks. were from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, my step-great grandad was from Shropshire, which is quite a long way away from those two counties. If you want conformation about how good of a portrayal the battle of Pegasus Bridge is, know that this film is the only film my step-great grandad ever wanted to see (he wasn't too fond of movies apparently), and when he came out of the theatre, he said that it was exactly what it was like to be there.

[@NatoBro]

The theme music, "The Longest Day", can be heard throughout the movie in the background. It's played on the piano in the Officers' Mess during Richard Burton's scene, also being played on a harmonica during the conversation on the troop ship between the two soldiers. Also, the bunker shown and used by Maj Pluskat is an actual bunker found at the Arromanches-les-Bains gun emplacement near Bayeaux.

[@colinritchie1757]

Richard Todd was actually part of the Orne river attack force, and in fact an actor plays him in the film

[@coleparker]

Dang! you beat me to it.

[@colinritchie1757]

@@coleparker Sorry!

[@msalzberg4962]

According to the book, Lt Col Vandervoot did break his ankle, but didn't tell anyone, and limped his way through the battle. Much more of a hero than portrayed in the movie.

[@ScottAnderson-nw7vb]

Just realized this movie was released one month before I was born. I guess that means it really isn't that old.

[@XLegiitBadassX]

As I’ve been watching these videos I’ve looked up a lot of stuff, ordered one of your books from a local bookstore I used to work at, etc, but I never looked you up, Jared! And I have to say, you are just as cool as some of the guys you’ve talked about in your videos (at least to me, a philosophy student).

[@paul-we2gf]

The opening bars of Beethovens 5th symphony was used by the BBC to reassure people in occupied Europe that this broadcast is genuine news.

[@harlechmaker]

Another wonderful breakdown/review. By any chance do you have similar plans to do the same for Richard Attenborough's "A Bridge Too Far" (1977)? All of the moving parts and numerous multi-national personalities shown in that film deserve this level of unpacking and context-setting in terms of the greater backdrop of the operation and the war as a whole.

[@ReelHistory]

Thank you! And yes we do! We don't do this full time so it will be some time, but it will happen.

[@davemac1197]

I second that. ABTF would be a major undertaking as there's a lot to unpack on that one.

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

@@davemac1197 Same author should maybe make the ground at least a little familiar.

[@davemac1197]

@@georgesakellaropoulos8162 - Cornelius Ryan was an Irish reporter, born in Dublin, who moved to London during the war to work as a war correspondent for the Daily Telegraph. He was part of the Press pack following Generals like Montgomery and Patton around western Europe after D-Day. He emigrated to the United States after the war, where he wrote his three books, The Longest Day, The Final Battle (about the fall of Berlin), and A Bridge Too Far. The last book was rushed to publication in 1974 because he knew he was dying of cancer. His research documents and interviews were donated to Ohio State University, where they remain as a resource for historians. In 2019-20, Swedish historian Christer Bergström used the Cornelius Ryan Collection to write his two-volume book Arnhem 1944: An Epic Battle Revisited, which seeks to explode the myths and legends surrounding Operation Market Garden, mostly perpetrated by the film version of A Bridge Too Far. The film was directed by a British director Richard Attenborough, who stated during filming that he was making an "anti-war film", and I've recently heard that American producer Jospeh E. Levine said "I pay to make entertainment, not history".

[@brentea65]

TIC history channel does an excellent breakdown of it

[@TheLeprechaunjm]

Easily one of my top-favourite war movies... thanks for the in-depth review (Part 1).

[@coleparker]

One thing about the film that was interesting, is the unintentional(?) humor that was in it. Examples being Pluskats' reaction when he first sees the invasion force, Todds lines to the Doctor being on the wrong side of the river, the pigeons flying in the wrong direction, Sean Connery's lines, and the British Col. landing in the German Headquarters courtyard.

[@martinmcnamer4081]

Only the 101st Airborne used the "Crickets" but it has them being used by all airborne troops in this movie.

[@thomasblim2894]

I forget the name of the book I read but it stated that Germans in the tower pulled John Steele in and captured him then he was liberated when the town was captured. Idk if its true but it makes sense as far as him getting down goes.

[@highdesertutah]

John Wayne was 34 years old with a wife and 4 children when the US entered the war. He likely would not have passed the physical because of his college football injuries. Plus the government correctly believed he would do immensely more for the war effort by making patriotic films.

[@fireshack6485]

John Ford was 48, married, with 2 children, in 1942 and he was accepted into the Navy. Ford never let Wayne forget that about his lack of service during wartime.

[@peterthegreat996]

@@fireshack6485 John Ford also was at Midway filming the Japanese bombing runs and was injured by shrapnel

[@peterthegreat996]

Another famous no show was Ronald Reagan

[@davidhobbs3181]

It is more than time to set the record straight about John Wayne and his world war two service John Wayne did indeed volunteer for military service during World War II in fact his request was taken all the way to the White House where President Roosevelt himself declined to allow him to enlist due to the terrible Effect on public morale should he either wounded or killed in action it would’ve been majorly detriment to the Country. He was just too valuable to the war effort in selling bonds and making war movies to raise morale John Ford had many issues with many actors and actresses of the day put no stock in what he says.

[@fireshack6485]

@@davidhobbs3181 Wayne despised FDR and it is hard to believe that he would have appealed to him to defer his enlistment without any kind of documentation to back it up. Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda all volunteered and served in combat. Wayne was no saint and his marriage fell apart AFTER he was declared 3-A. As far as benefit to war bond drives, several veterans participated in bond drives and then volunteered to return to combat. Was Wayne’s life more valuable because he WASN’T a veteran? Also, as far as Ford is concerned, the Navy seemed to put a lot of stock in what he said. He retired as an Admiral in the Reserves.

[@nickmitsialis]

I have long felt that both Longest Day (and Bridge Too Far) should get the HBO miniseries treatment, that would possibly cover the whole campaign from 'days before' to the 'day of the landings' to the fight up to the break out and liberation of Paris (or maybe not that far); populate it with an ensemble of less well known actors from all the involved nations. It's just too big a story to do justice to, even with a three hour movie.

[@m1t2a1]

Eddie Albert from Green Acres played Col. Lloyd Thompson in the movie. Bronze Star with V for rescuing 50-something Marines at Tarawa, in real life.

[@michaelrotman8523]

Thanks!

[@ReelHistory]

Thank you!

[@grandpavanderhof]

In regards to the controversy you mentioned with John Wayne's lack of military service. John Ford, the director that made Wayne famous, also was upset with Wayne's multiple deferments and got back at him in his film "They Were Expendable", which starred Wayne in 1945. When the end credits roll everyone who fought in the war was credited affixed with their war time military rank, and its said that this really caused a bit of friction between Wayne & Ford for a short while.

[@joeyjojo5986]

he was 35 with small children. the army was looking for young men, I think draft age stopped at 37. I'm not saying he was right, but I certainly see the argument both ways. also, every serviceman held it against someone like Frank Sinatra for not joining, but I've never seen a serviceman from back then have anything but love and admiration for John Wayne. I think people who attack Wayne these days have other agendas, and I'll leave it at that.

[@bwise7739]

John Ford also served and founded a unit to photograph and film combat. He was on Midway during the Japanese attack and was at Normandy. Supposedly Normandy shook him badly and that affected his relationship with Wayne.

[@Concetta20]

I love this movie and watch it every D-Day. I really liked that it touches on what all sides were doing and that eventual collision of all parties during invasion.

[@OldRedandGold]

I don't know if you have already, but will you, someday, do Tora! Tora! Tora!? Awesome video series man. Keep em coming.

[@mayorofbagtown9097]

I'm glad stuff like Parasite and Squid Game are opening peoples eyes (literally) to the joys of subtitles.

[@davemac1197]

Hi Jared. You just beat the TV channel Film4 here in the UK by five minutes! They started showing The Longest Day at 1:05pm this afternoon.

[@haroldhardrada7449]

Rodney McDowell played Octavian (Augustus) in Cleopatra, not Marc Anthony. Burton played Anthony. Jimmy Stewart was another actor who played a person almost half his age. Stewart was in his late 40's when he played at 25 year old Charles Lindbergh in the Spirit of St Louis.

[@davemac1197]

That threw me as well. I guess we're talking about the Richard Burton/Elizabeth Taylor production released in 1963.

[@ReelHistory]

You win this round Harald, we goofed. I suppose it would be difficult for him to declare himself dead.

[@robertandersen4873]

Hi Jared, love your videos. Just started watching this one and agree totally with your comment re: Cornelius Ryan. Love his books - The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, and The Last Battle - for their ability to paint the overall picture while also humanizing the events they portray. Also as I'm typing this, just caught your comment re: Wayne being double the age of Vandervoort. Spot on! 🙂

[@WilliamTheMovieFan]

The actor Eddie Albert was an undercover agent for U.S. Army(as a circus clown in Mexico) taking pictures of German subs in Mexican harbors. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard and was coxswain on a landing craft in the Pacific Theater. He participated in the battle at Tarawa and saved/help save over 70 U.S. Marines.

[@virgilstarkwell8383]

A sharp contrast to the draft dodging John Wayne.

[@CreightonDevers]

I recommend (if you have not already) you take a trip down to Fayetteville NC to the airborne special ops museum. It is geared much like the museum you recommended in the video. It's really worth the trip!

[@phillipboone2005]

Endless respect to any british gentlemen that served as commandos during WW2. They established the precedent for special forces units developed around the world. After studying what these men did during the raid at St. Nazaire,these men were superhumen.

[@kriticalrollersrpgguild6329]

The RAF officer who goes through the talk about the Ruperts (approx 30 minutes into the video) is the actor Jack Hedley. He would go on to play the Senior British Officer (SBO) in both series of the 1970s British TV series of Colditz. He also had small parts in the Third Man, Lawrence of Arabia and the James Bond Film For Your Eyes Only.

[@reddevil3387]

My wife grew up in southern France during the war. One day American bombers flew over and straifed a German munitions train not far from her home. It was her most vivid memory of the war, munitions kept exploding for several hours. Can't imagine what it was like around Normandy.

[@ReelHistory]

Wow!

[@donwild50]

In the assault on Pegasus Bridge there is a small shot of a German throwing a potato masher grenade that explodes with a realtively small blast. I love this shot because modern movies tend to make grenade explosions look like 50 pound bombs going off, blowing up buildings and such. The standard US grenade at the time was the classic pineapple style and was specifically designed to inflict casualties. The Potato Masher so openly shown in so many movies from WWI to WWII was pretty much an explosive device packed into a metal can. It did throw out shrapnel but was primarily designed to disorient and wound with blast effects rather than shrapnel. It was no where near as lethal as Allied grenades, as is depicted in "Band of Brothers" where several of the 101st troopers are quite close to German grenade blasts and survive. The quite realistic blast effect shown is much more historically correct than the "blockbuster" special effects in modern movies.

[@ReelHistory]

Great insight!

[@stevetheduck1425]

You describe the difference between defensive and offensive grenades well. Basically the German steilhandgranat and 'egg-grenades' were for throwing ahead of advancing troops (rather like a flash-bang today), and the British Mills bombs and the later American 'pineapple' grenades were intended to throw a lot of nasty bits of metal about, to deter attackers. Some grenades were intended to do both, with removable metal sleeves already cut in a shrapnel pattern. In battle of course, the two purposes are basically irrelevant, throw, get behind cover.

[@fubar7631002]

I was fortunate to spend 3 days touring Normandy in 2005... amazing experience!!! Also got to go to the museum mentioned... amazing!!

[@HATZELL]

The actor who played General Eisenhower...Henry Grace had a son named Wayne who would go on to become an actor. In 1989 he was cast as the Major who was tasked to hunt down Keving Costner in the movie "Dances With Wolves".

[@andrewfischer8564]

the paratroop crickets was still a popular toy in the early 70's i had them

[@parkeydavid]

Richard Burton played Mark Anthony and Roddy McDowall played Octavian.

[@davemac1197]

Some clarification on Major Werner Pluskat at the beginning of the film, he was inaccurately captioned in the film as "352nd Coast Artillery Division". There's no such thing. He was in fact commander of I./Artillerie-Regiment 352, or 1st Battalion 352nd Artillery Regiment. This was the divisional artillery regiment of 352.Infanterie-Division, which had recently moved into the Omaha Beach sector and not picked up by Allied Intelligence. It was normal practice for the artillery battalion commander and the three battery commanders (usually a Captain) to be at the observation posts for their respective units with their observation officers in bunkers overlooking the beach, and connected by field telephone to their battery and higher headquarters. The gun batteries under the command of the battery (firing) officer would be just a few kilometers behind the beaches and zeroed in on them to bombard beach targets. The standard 10.5cm leFH 18 (light field howitzer 1918) had a range of about 10 km. The battery seen in the Band Of Brothers episode Day Of Days was 6./Artillerie-Regiment 191 (91.Luftlande-Division) at Brecourt Manor, firing on Utah Beach in the same way. This division was actually an airlanding division, designed to be air transportable before Hitler cancelled further major airborne operations after Crete. Those guns may have been a lighter air transportable version of the leFH 18 but I think the standard model was used in the episode, but the two productions between them give a good idea of how the field artillery system was set up.

[@calabresefamily9907]

Coming to this having just returned from taking my son to visit Saint-Mère-Église, Juno beach and Pegasus bridge. For the nay-sayers, the parachutist dangling from the church really did happen, and you can see a dummy hanging from the church there today. His name was Private John Steele, a veteran of two jumps into occupied Italy. He survived this and later went on to parachute into occupied Holland … and survived. Juno beach was the scene of some of the biggest losses; the Canadian museum at the Juno Beach Centre is well worth a visit. The original Pegasus bridge and sign have now been moved to the nearby memorial, but the current bridge is a pretty exact replica. The canal setting is beautiful. The café is currently closed until next April, but the Trois Planeurs across the road is ok. So worth visiting this area!

[@tracyfrazier7440]

Thank you for sharing items from your fine collection in many of your videos. That silk map is special.

[@babychuma1]

Have you done my favorite "a bridge too far"? Great film and cast.

[@Michael-vk1vr]

Cool review,one of my dad's favorite movies

[@gamersilviogg9664]

My grandfather was a former concentration camp prisoner , he was very into WW2. I used to watch The Longest Day several times a year with him. Both the black and White and colorize versions

[@marcziegenhain8420]

Jeffrey Hunter played captain Pike only one time in "The Cage", Star Trek's first pilot movie and not in several episodes.

[@paladinsix9285]

The Cage was intended to be a 2 hour premiere introduction to Star Trek. Paramount executives didn't like it; so, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was the first episode of Star Trek televised. The Cage was re-edited, and additional scenes shot, and was shown as 2 Episodes in the second season. So, both of you are somewhat correct. Also, as I recall, some footage of Jeffrey Hunter was reused again in subsequent episodes. Mister Hunter's son is keeping his legacy alive.

[@lunamae4718]

excellent commentary !

[@davidstonkus3288]

Thank you for covering this movie. I used to watch it yearly on the aniversary. Alas the CBC no longer broadcasts it as our P.M. seems to think that the wrong sinde won the war. He even invited an SS soldier to a fund ratsing diner and gave him a standing ovation in parliament.

[@staceypiper3319]

Hi Jared lots of great info as usual. I detect some Pittsburghese?

[@ReelHistory]

Thanks! Pittsburgh isn't that far away from here.

[@alandahlstrom7213]

You keep referring to Benjamin Vandervoort as Major, but he was a Lieutenant Colonel at this time. It even says Colonel on the screen caption, which is how one would address a LTC in the US Army.

[@davemac1197]

In the UK we pronounce "shire" like "sher" when at the end of a county name, like The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment. It's certainly a lot easier to say it that way! The "i" is still pronounced in "shire" when on it's own, like "The Shire" in the Hobbit films. I thought you pronouced New Hampshire the same way, but I may stand corrected? The 2nd Battalion of this Regiment was in the 6th Airlanding Brigade, which was the glider infantry brigade of 6th Airborne Division, as you said. On a side note, the 2nd Ox and Bucks were originally in 1st Airlanding Brigade, along with 1st Battalion of The Border Regiment, part of 1st Airborne Division, and the Ox and Bucks also provided the Brigade's Defence Platoon. When 6th Airborne Division was raised, the 2nd Ox and Bucks were transferred to the new 6th Airlanding Brigade, but the Brigade Defence Platoon were provided by 1st Border in a sort of exchange! So the one platoon of 2nd Ox and Bucks that didn't go to Normandy, went to Arnhem instead.

[@andrewmstancombe1401]

In this film Richard Todd played his commanding officer because as he said, he was too old to play Lieutenant soon to be promoted Capt Richard Todd. He was involved in the fighting for Pegasus Bridge so called because the Paras captured it. There is a very brief moment in the film when he gives orders to an actor playing Lt Todd so you could say talking to himself. Todd also gave invaluable historical detail about how the attack went in. Also In reality there was a point when Howard and Todd drove off an attack by the Germans. Todd seemed to have a lot of sorrow in his personal life, but often attended the reunions to see his men. A very brave man and a very good actor.

[@highdesertutah]

New-ham-sher.

[@davemac1197]

@@andrewmstancombe1401 - the bridge was captured by a Company from an Airlanding (glider infantry) Battalion and later reinforced by a Parachute Battalion. The 'winged Pegasus' was the divisional patch worn by all troops in the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions. Thanks for the details on Richard Todd. I didn't know he was actually portrayed himself by another actor.

[@donwild50]

Thing about the silk maps, at the end of the conflict all these maps were supposed to be turned in, but most troops who were issued silk maps kept them as souveniers and stated they had "lost" them after the operation. I can see why...would love to have one myself.

[@davemac1197]

Interesting point about John Wayne in 1962 being double Benjamin Vandervoort's age on D-Day. Apart from the huge historical inaccuracy of Robert Redford's single-handed capture of Nijmegen bridge in 1977's A Bridge Too Far, he was 41 around that time (his birthday and the film's release I recall both being in August), while the character he plays of Major Julian Cook was also 27 in 1944. Most of these Hollywood stars reached the peaks of their careers later in life than the young men who fought the war.

[@davemac1197]

Didn't know about Charlton Heston being up for the part of Vandervoort. When I researched Julian Cook I thought he looked a lot more like Bruce Willis, but Willis was only 22 in 1977 and not yet found fame in the 1980s TV series Moonlighting.

[@databasedesignstar308]

You convinced me that John Wayne was a poor choice. I now also wish Charlton Heston had gotten the part.

[@davemac1197]

Robert Ryan (53 in 1962) was also a poor choice to play General James Gavin (37 in 1944). Ryan O'Neal (36 in 1977) was a much better choice in A Bridge Too Far. In fact, Robert Ryan (b. 1909) was only two years younger than the real James Gavin (b. 1907).

[@doc_adams8506]

The paratroopers from the 82nd fought for thirty-three consecutive days following the jump into Normandy. They jumped in with light weapons and a few spare pieces of artillery against German tanks. They never surrendered an inch of ground they had captured.

[@neilholmes8200]

40:05 Just a bit of extra info for your viewers (as you probably know it already haha), you're right about him being in the 7th, but it's also worth noting that the 7th's role on D-Day was to provide support to Howard's small force. They were to help defend the bridges from counter attack, so he was actually present at Pegasus Bridge on the day.

[@mjc8281]

One of the interesting things about the British Glider Pilot Regiment, was unlike the US Military the Air Force in the UK controlled almost all aircraft operations and as such the pilots should have been in the RAF. The Army therefore used the pilots as light infantry and thus maintaining control of them(although they did receive their training from the RAF). The end result is what is widely regarded as the finest display of airmanship during World War 2 by British pilots was conducted by the only British Army unit that had pilots in the war.

[@ReelHistory]

Well said!

[@dyejohn1905]

Roddy McDowell played Octavian/Augustus in Cleopatra.

[@donwild50]

The bail out scenes shown in "Band of Brothers" was much more accurate. That couple of extra seconds delay waiting for someone to say "Go" could mean you would be coming down fifty yards further away from your fellow trooper. The "stick" going out as close together as they could meant they would land closer together. In the case of St. Mere Eglise it had a tragic effect in that several sticks landed right in the middle of town and were pretty much slaughterd.

[@ReelHistory]

Indeed! Thanks for your input.

[@HankD13]

Pretty good - "Rupert" is also a not too respectful name British troops apply to Officers. Minor ouch... OX and Bucks was not a "nickname" but the short form of their actual unit - 2n Battalion, The Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment. I have had a beer and croque monsieur severed by Arlettes mother Madam Thérèse Gondrée very shortly before she passed in July 84. (I was there for the 40th anniversary). Special moment. Ambrose's book on Pegasus Bridge does highlight Sgt Thornton's killing of a Panzer IV that led an armoured counter attack, as probably the single most important PIAT shot of the war! Also spent time in Sainte-Mère-Église, Steele claims he hung there several hours before the Germans took him prisoner, although he "escaped" during the subsequent attack on the town. Memorable time.

[@sirpurrsalot6588]

The infamous leg bags you where referring to in your other vids where originally desinged for a max jump speed around 100mph. Ironicaly alot of the transport pilots, that came under heavy fire that night, dropped height and accelerated way above that limit to 150+ mph to shorten the time they would be under fire and to avoid being hit before the troopers could jump. Even though it ment they had to disobey strickt orders to hold speed and formation. That of course increased the air restistance and propblast to a degree that alot of the bags got instalty torn off according to James Hollands book Normandy 44 D-day and the Battle for France.

[@kapten-awesome]

35:18 there is actually also a colorized version of the movie and I'm on the hunt for that VHS. Or someplace where I could download or watch the colorized version. Help anyone?

[@adammitchell3462]

Hey man,I just got your book in (dispatches of d day) and can't wait to read it. I'll be sure let ya know just what I think about it lol

[@roberthultz9023]

Regarding Pvt Steele; I remember the book mentioning that several survivors of St Marie Englise recalled seeing "The dead man hanging from the church".

[@davidmichael6239]

Burgess Meredith did a number of training films; one on how to behave in a British pub

[@gravitypronepart2201]

Hey Jered, question. Weren't the paratroopers issued lenghts of rope with carabiners to extracate themselves if they got hung up on trees , buildings etc? Did the guy portrayed by Red Buttons actually claim he was caught on the church steeple?

[@MrJoebrooklyn1969]

Yes he was. My Army brother met the real guy.

[@kenrup]

The city of Sainte Mere Eglise maintains a memorial parachute on the church steeple. It's still there and replaced as needed. The Normandy people honor the memory.

[@davidswift7776]

Excellent commentary for a most incredible movie. One of my most favorites! Eisenhower’s actor was the most phenomenal and incredibly moving in such short scene. Red Buttons and Richard Burton were my least favorite. The German discussions were the most fascinating. Rod Steiger’s brief scene was quite moving also .

[@marcziegenhain8420]

The character Speidel, Rommel's adjutant, who appears in this movie, was also part of the July 20 conspiracy of Stauffenberg. In 1950 he became the military advisor of chancellor Adenauer. One year later he became a military expert of the ministry of defence and represented West Germany during the negotiations about the NATO membership in 1954/55. From 1957 to 1963 he was NATO Commander Allied Land Forces Central Europe in the rank of a four star General.

[@bobapbob5812]

My father was in the 29th Division. When I was in Germany I took my 6 year old son to the PX to rent the film. He told the salesperson we were getting the movie because his grandfather was in the movie.

[@charlesgantz5865]

One other great thing about this movie is that they show the British Army is actually fighting in the war. In to many American movies you would think that the United States fought the war single-handed. And often would appropriate actions that were fought by the British or some other country. One comment though. You show a scene being played, then gray out the scene while you give your commentary. But when you give your commentary I've forgotten what took place in the scene. Other than that you do a great job. I always watch videos where the truth is presented. In fact, just as in this movie, the truth is more interesting than the dramatization.

[@visassess8607]

People need to stop bringing this up. They're American movies made for a primarily American audience so they'll focus on America's involvement. If the British want to portray their war then they're free to make movies themselves. Stop expecting another country to cater to your desires.

[@pilgrimageintothepast6086]

​@@visassess8607 So the US it's OK for the US to write other nationalities out of history then? Did you know also that 10% of the funding for Band of Brothers (enough to pay for 1 episode) was provided by the BBC? Not to mention that it was mostly filmed in the UK and half the cast were British. Yet the only mention the British get is as jokes or people in need of rescue. Given your comments I'm sure you'd at least 10% of the series or one episode should have focused on the British? Also what do you think of US films that completely rewrite history taking credit for things that other nationalities did e.g. U-571 or Objective Burma? Or of white washing out of history the British land craft and sailors that landed the US rangers on Omaha beach by Saving Private Ryan? Heck there are Americans still taking offence at the idea that Montgomery took credit for winning the Battle of the Bulge. Even when that was a lie peddled by a fake BBC radio broadcast transmitted by Nazi Propagandists in early 1945 trying to divide the US and Britain. Imagine how well a British film claiming to have won the Battle of the Bulge single handed would go down in America? Though in that case I'm sure you'd agree that if we paid for it we can portray American soldiers as incompetent cowards, no?

[@frankanderson5012]

@@visassess8607 So you’re presumably saying American audiences are to dim witted to want to understand historical events? This has not helped Americans poor grasp of history, geography and a general understanding of other nationalities. You also presumably think it’s ok for Americans not to even think that Canadians were there? They played one of the most important parts in blocking the expected main German counter attacks. The American film industry is notorious for poorly portraying historical events, even their own (Battle of the Little Bighorn, The Alamo, The American Revolution) and this just perpetuates their publics ignorance. Instead of complaining when someone brings this up, you should be concerned unless the truth doesn’t bother you.

[@evancrum6811]

Oh....and Priller is one of my favorite characters of that day.

[@DBCuzitis]

Eddie Albert too! He was a veteran of the pacific theatre - piloted a troop landing craft at Tarawa I believe.

[@krisfrederick5001]

Happy D-Day everyone...Thank God the Germans speak German in this film, that is a pet peeve of mine. P.S. On that note, I would really love to hear your thoughts on "Downfall." It took a lot to portray Hitler on screen, beyond just the photograph on the desk or painting on the wall. The fact that it was actually done by the Germans themselves makes it all the more powerful, almost an admission and long look in the mirror, instead of an outside allegation and judgement. You sometimes forget you're watching a movie and not a documentary.

[@laustcawz2089]

Bruno Ganz should've gotten an Oscar.

[@cubfanmike]

I saw this movie at the Alcyon theater, Highland Park, IL, in 1962. The version I saw there featured subtitles. I was 12

[@juliemerritt5144]

Will be watching June 6.

[@Activated_Complex]

Thanks the video. About those “crickets” the paratroopers were issued, Don Burgett once suggested, in a speaking engagement, that using one of these in an area full of Germans would have a been good way to get one’s head blown off. Since they were loud and very mechanical-sounding. I suppose it came down to where the trooper landed, and which was more important in that moment. To find a buddy or to not be discovered by the enemy.

[@sizemorej]

Two things. When the movie was filmed the procedure was a smack on the behind and say go. Different procedures in 1944. As far as how he got down. He would have deployed his reserve. Then unhook out of his harness and climb down his reserve. That is the self rescue procedure for tree landing. Whether he was stuck I cannot say. But there was an existing procedure he had been trained on that would explain how he got down.

[@davehossack7191]

Major Howard shouts "up the Ox and Bucks" twice...the unit rallying cry

[@MrJoebrooklyn1969]

I use to think he was saying: "up the action mack."

[@stevepirie8130]

The actor played his friend, he actually dropped with 6th Airborne Division on another objective that night in real life.

[@evancrum6811]

Love this movie so much and yes thankfully they spoke their native languages. Oh....and Priller is one of my favorite characters of that day. Also Lord Lovat and his pipes...man there is so much.

[@davemac1197]

It's 1:07am Monday in the UK and I'm contemplating heading for my rack but just checking the programme guide on TV, and in a few minutes they are showing Ike: Countdown To D-Day (2004 TV movie). I've seen this before and thought it was very well done, but I wonder if you have a view on this movie and Tom Selleck's portrayal of Eisenhower compared to The Longest Day? I've always been a fan of Selleck's, and his favourite character - Jesse Stone (based on the series of books by crime novelist Robert B. Parker), is my favourite TV movie series. I think he's an underrated actor.