The Longest Day1962The Longest Day
1962
Hour by hour, from the anxious waiting in England to the beaches of Normandy, this sweeping docudrama follows generals, paratroopers, resistance fighters, and German officers through June 6, 1944. Dozens of small stories come together into the largest invasion in history.
For children old enough to talk it through: sustained intensity, or language or sexual content that Common Sense Media rates 7–9.
Why it’s here
A sober, sweeping account of D-Day from every side that honors the ordinary men who gave everything to free Europe, with seriousness and without gratuitous gore.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Long battle sequences with many deaths (no graphic gore), and dead paratroopers hanging in trees. Wartime smoking and drinking go unaddressed, and German officers are shown as human beings, which can open a conversation about enemies in war.
The Longest Day (1962)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Which soldier's story stayed with you most? Why?
- What do you think it took for those men to land on the beaches?
- How did the film show the German officers? Did that surprise you?
- What would you want to ask a D-Day veteran?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 12+: over an hour of combat with many deaths, no graphic gore; a few "damns" and "hells"; wartime smoking and drinking.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
The Longest Day Blu-ray (Blu-ray + DVD)
Blu-ray · May 6, 2014
Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.