Tele: "The Longest Day"

Hi Panther. I'm watching that movie right now. I really don't know how many times I've watched it. I remember the first time I saw it. I was a very young C-130 loadmaster stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., way back in 1964. Saw it at a drive-in theatre. I was beginning to wonder if it was going to be over in time for my alert call for a flight. It was but, the alert phone was ringing shortly after I got back to the barracks. Great memories.

RD
 
One of the best WWII movies extant. Based on Cornelius Ryan's book of the same title it is, unlike many movies, very accurate in time, detail, personalities and tactics.

Cornelius Ryan also wrote two other equally good books: "A Bridge too Far" and "Enemy at the Gates." All three of his books are worth the time to read. A Bridge too Far was also made into an outstanding movie. If you're a former Para, you'll love the jump scenes in the movie. I believe the British Airborne Regiment did the jumping in the movie.

An interesting piece of trivia: Sean Connery went from a corporal in "The Longest Day" to the First Para Division commanding general in "A Bridge too Far."
 
I think Ryan may have written one more, called "The Last Battle." About Berlin. If you like irony, you'll love this book. One of the greatest anti-Christian regimes and enemies of civilization ever to befoul the earth had as its last defender a German patriot and devout Lutheran - Gen. Heinrici - who insisted on church parades for his troops and shunned the "Hitlergruss." They accepted him only because he had an impeccable record in defensive tactics from the Eastern Front, and was able to keep the battle going long enough to ensure an escape route was kept open to the West to enable as many Germans in general - and Berliners in particular - as possible to flee to the British or American units there before the end came. What a story.
 
Jagdflieger said:
A Bridge too Far was also made into an outstanding movie.
Click to expand...

My late father was a Royal Marine Commando during WWII and his unit should have been at the infamous 'Bridge Too Far' (he also took part in the D-Day landings amongst other things). Unfortunately (or fortunately for him, depending on how you look at it) his unit got caught up in that massive traffic jam depicted so well in the film. He eventually got to the bridge three days after the fighting was over.
 
Lots of good movies on this weekend.... AIR FORCE, GOD IS MY CO-PILOT, COMMAND DECISION, .... watching these 1940's films now, I see so many stars who were
just "under contract" doing secondary parts that would later move into their own niches and television roles. Good stuff!
 
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