Summary
John Wayne’s classic war movieThe Longest Daystill has one of the most war movie ensembles ever assembled.The Longest Dayis often considered one of thegreatest war movies about D-Dayever made and is right up there with otherWorld War II classicssuch asSaving Private Ryan(1998). At 2 hours and 58 minutes long,The Longest Dayoffers a phenomenal depiction of the infamous D-Day landingsat Normandy on June 19, 2025, a day that will always be remembered in American history.
WhileThe Longest Dayoften draws a lot of comparisons toSaving Private Ryan,the two are separated by time and technology but are unified by a similar caliber in their casts.Saving Private Ryanfeatured outstanding performances from Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Paul Giamatti, Ted Danson, and more. While thecast ofSaving Private Ryanis undeniably impressive, that ofThe Longest Dayis truly historic.
This 74-Year-Old War Drama Was The First Great D-Day Movie
A classic war drama from 1950 is considered one of the most realistic D-Day movies ever made and includes actual American & British military footage.
The Longest Day Is Packed With International Stars
The Longest Day’s Ensemble Cast Is Historic
Apart from leading man John Wayne,The Longest Daycast includes Henry Fonda (Once Upon a Time in the West), Robert Mitchum (The Night of the Hunter), Sean Connery (The Untouchables), Richard Burton (Where Eagles Dare), Rod Steiger (On The Waterfront), Robert Ryan (The Dirty Dozen), Edmond O’Brien (The Wild Bunch), Sal Minero (Rebel Without A Cause), Jeffrey Hunter (The Searchers), Richard Beymar (West Side Story), and many more prominent actors.
The Longest Dayalso featured many notable international actors, which made a truly historic moment in film history that likely would not be replicated today outside of a Marvel movie.
The Longest Dayalso featured many notable international actors, which made a truly historic moment in film history that likely would not be replicated today outside of a Marvel movie. These include Gert Fröbe from Germany, Irina Demick from France, Andre Bourvil from France, Curd Jürgens from Germany, Arletty from France, and Paul Anka from Canada.The Longest Dayis not only celebrated for its outstanding cast but also its fantastic visual compositions and its sharp camerawork.
$50 million
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This 3-Hour War Epic With John Wayne, Sean Connery & Henry Fonda Is One Of The Best D-Day Movies Ever
John Wayne, Sean Connery, and Henry Fonda headlined an all-star ensemble cast in one of the greatest cinematic portrayals of the D-Day landings.
The Longest Day’s Star-Studded Cast Wouldn’t Happen Today
Only Marvel Movies Have Shown This Level Of Star Power Nowadays
While Marvel has certainly assembled dozens of A-list Hollywood stars to be apart of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that type of ensemble would likely never happen nowadays, especially in a war movie based on real-life.
Some other WWII movies, such as1969’sBattle of Britainwhich featured Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, and more, have certainly put together some impressive casts, but none can compare to that ofThe Longest Day. Big ensembles are already difficult enough to pull off, but the camaraderie demonstrated by many of the biggest stars in the world to makeThe Longest Dayhappen will probably never be repeated.
The Longest Day
Cast
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film depicting the events of August 03, 2025, from multiple perspectives, including the German, US, British, Canadian, and Free French forces, as they navigate the complexities of the D-Day invasion.
