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I think not. The vast majority of people going to see The Longest Day never were anywhere close to Omaha Beach, let alone World War II. So how exactly did they live it?
Now you raise an interesting point about graphical depictions and censorship. Fair up to a point. However, Paths of Glory did a pretty good job depicting the fear and horror of battle without showing actual blood and guts. Even All Quiet on the Western Front, made decades before TLD, accomplishes that. The Longest Day, in direct contrast, portrays it almost like a game- macho guys lighting up cigars while Jerry shoots at them, soldiers playing bagpipes, wisecracks, etc. So yes, the times were more restrictive, but not nearly as much as you might think.
A lot of the actors were in fact veterans of combat, not necessarily D-day of course. You would be suprised - an actor like Eddie Albert earned a bronze star and saw some considerabel action in the Pacific Theater.
The Longest Day is based on a well researched documentary, so all the events are true, although of course lightened up for the movies. The intention and theme wasn't to be an anti-war film that portrays all the suffering and after results of combat. But it is, primarily, a documentary much like "a night to remember" was filmed (about the titanic disaster, and a book by the same author) in contrast to later overboard movies about the Titanic (i.e. the Leanordo Di Caprio film).
A lot of the actors were in fact veterans of combat, not necessarily D-day of course. You would be suprised - an actor like Eddie Albert earned a bronze star and saw some considerabel action in the Pacific Theater.
Did that include John Wayne?
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The Longest Day is based on a well researched documentary, so all the events are true, although of course lightened up for the movies. The intention and theme wasn't to be an anti-war film that portrays all the suffering and after results of combat. But it is, primarily, a documentary much like "a night to remember" was filmed (about the titanic disaster, and a book by the same author) in contrast to later overboard movies about the Titanic (i.e. the Leanordo Di Caprio film).
I did not say it was supposed to be anti-war. D-Day was horrid, but quite necessary. I simply commented that while its a good movie, its tone is, as you say, "lightened up." That makes it somewhat implausible and consequenly watching it is more akin to viewing a football game or a cheesy action film.
For the record- Its a good film and I like it. But its more entertaining than reflective or thought-provoking. That's all.
John Wayne tried to join up, but was too old, and from what I have read was very disappointed. If I remember correctly he did volunteer his services to the DoD in other capacities.
John Wayne tried to join up, but was too old, and from what I have read was very disappointed. If I remember correctly he did volunteer his services to the DoD in other capacities.
He got a deferment as I understand it, and felt guilty about not just enlisting outright.
He was 34 years old in 1941, probably too old for front line combat as an enlisted grunt anyways. His services were probably more valuable making "propoganda"-type war films in hollywood during that time. Other actors like Clark Gable enlisted - did pretty much the same thing however, made "propoganda" type films for the military rather than hollywood. On the other hand, Jimmy Stewart enlisted and survived 50 missions over Germany.
Most of the other actors like Eddie Albert were nobodies before ww2 and thus were just like any other grunts at the time.
Dd714, you are right about the deferment. Now I am left wondering who I have confused him with. I like to read biographies, somewhere I read about a motion picture star who tried to get into the service and was denied because of age, but volunteered services to DoD in some other capacity: bond drives, USO, something. Who could it be?
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