The Longest Day

---

At every beach, on every dune...

...on every rock.

I repeat:

I've ordered alerts again and again.

Tell me this:

-Anything else?

-No, sir.

Good morning, Field Marshal.

-Any news?

-Nothing important.

Snap it up. Jerk the lead.

Snap it up.

Jerk the lead.

Snap it up.

Jerk the lead.

You expect us to eat this slop again?

I don't care what you do with it, mac.

Eat it, throw it out.

I get paid for cooking it.

Come on. Put it on.

Snap it up.

Jerk the lead.

Didn't you get any sleep?

Are you kidding? I haven't slept

since we got here.

I got the absolute lowdown.

It's on for tonight. For sure.

Yeah.

I got in this crap game

with this guy from F Company.

-He's an orderly for some general.

-Move it. Move it.

Hey, Hutchy!

Hutchy, I want to ask you something.

Hey, Hutchinson...

...do you think they'd let me write

home? If it was really important?

Not likely, mate. Security.

I don't think old Churchill trusts us.

It's the wife, you see.

She's going to have a baby.

Your first, is it?

Oh, it's not mine, but I'm dead

worried about her.

She's not too strong, you see.

Man, that stink.

Diesel oil, backed-up toilets, vomit.

And there ain't no place left

to get sick in.

The puke bags is full.

The fire buckets is full.

All we got left is our helmets.

June.

Every June my old man

used to take me camping...

...up in the Blue Mountains.

We'd hunt and fish all day long.

And at night...

...we'd sleep out under the stars.

Didn't even need a blanket.

June.

Wind and rain. Wind and rain.

Don't it ever stop?

Look, Dad, all I want

to do is get going.

Wind or no wind. Even if we land

in Paris on the Eiffel Tower.

-Come to think of it...

-Colonel wants us.

All of us.

All troops will participate

in ground tactics and deployment.

In this weather, sir?

Of course, Harding, if you can ensure

that we'll land in France...

-...in sunshine and dry weather.

-Didn't mean that.

-What did you mean?

-It isn't the weather.

It's the waiting.

These men are itching to go.

I don't think I have to remind you...

...that this war has been going on

for almost five years.

Half of Europe has been

overrun and occupied.

We're comparative newcomers.

England's gone through a blitz with

a knife at her throat since 1940.

I am quite sure that they too

are impatient and itching to go.

Do I make myself clear?

Yes, sir. Quite clear.

Three million men penned up

on this island.

All over England,

in staging areas like this.

We're on the threshold

of the most crucial day of our times.

Three million men out there...

...keyed up, and waiting for

that big step-off.

They aren't exactly alone.

Notify the men. Full packs

and equipment, 14:00 hours.

Yes, sir.

This allows you more freedom.

Quicker to get rid of

when we hit the beach.

-Well?

-It's on.

Tonight, as scheduled.

-If the weather isn't worse.

-How worse can it get?

Ike has called a high-level

conference for 9:30.

I am not Eisenhower. I am

an assistant division commander.

I don't know from nothing,

but he can't call it off again.

Frank, turn that thing off.

Four thousand ships loaded for bear.

Troops ready to go.

Eleven thousand planes on the line.

Eighteen thousand paratroopers.

God only knows how many gliders.

Norm, relax.

RAF says the gale can stop

as suddenly as it began.

So they told us yesterday

and the day before.

Look, Norm.

We're all of us just as...

...dedicated to this thing as you are,

just as anxious to get going.

And that includes Ike.

Now if he calls it off again,

he knows what he's doing.

Of course he does. I know that.

I'm just thinking about those

assault troops. 200,000 of them...

...out there on those ships.

They're probably seasick as hell.

Some of those men have been

on those tubs for almost three days.

I say go.

Go. Weather or no weather.

No!

A hundred on the bone! Let's go.

-Hey, give me $50. I'm busted.

-I'm not doing so good myself.

Hey, lend me $50?

-Lend me 20 bucks?

-Drop dead.

Lend me $ 10?

-Fifty on a bet.

-I got it.

One, two, three, four, five.

Fifty!

Let me hear it, let me hear it.

-Five and two, four and three.

-Six! That's the way we go!

Seven points in a row. It ain't

logical, it just ain't logical.

-There's a hundred out there.

-$ 100 dollars, $20 dollars.

Anything open?

-Forty more.

-Forty more.

You got a bet.

-Okay, you mother-loving...

-Just a minute. Wait a minute.

Here you are. Use this.

-You don't think I'd...

-I don't think anything.

I just like to hear the sound

when it comes out of the cup.

That's it. Shake it.

Okay. Let me see what you do

with it now. Go ahead. Shoot.

-What is it?

-Nothing.

-Seven!

-That's what I wanted!

Who put this cup in the game?

-Next shooter. Who's coming up?

-I'll go $ 100.

He's shooting a hundred.

Who's got it?

-Watch your side bets.

-$ 100.

You got a letter for me.

Schultz, huh?

Yeah, that's it.

Thanks, buddy.

-How much did you take him for?

-Not much. Just a hair over $2500.

-$2500?

-Yeah.

Oh, man, $2500?

It's too bad you had to win it now.

What do you mean, now?

Suppose we take off tonight.

What will you do with it?

Five I take with me to Paris

to blow on the broads and wine.

A thou I leave here for seed

when I get back.

And the rest I send to my mother.

Oh, man, $2500. And in Paris.

You always was lucky.

Hey, remember that night

in Fort Bragg?

I remember it.

You know, I think I sneak over there

and give it a big whang myself.

Why not? What's to lose?

Damn it.

Why did he have to mention Fort Bragg?

I was lucky, all right,

in that crap game.

Next day I break my leg in a jump.

And two months in traction.

$2500.

That's more money I ever had

in my whole life.

I know.

Man, I just know.

I wonder how long it takes

to lose $2500?

Pint of sludge, Ted.

Oh, hello, Dave.

Hey, you seen Johnny?

Yes.

Well, where is he?

Come on, Dave.

I need my boots.

Johnny's borrowed them.

Where is he?

At the bottom...

...of the Channel.

You mean...

...he's bought it?

Ack-ack over Calais.

He jumped clean,

but his parachute didn't open.

That leaves just you

in the squadron, Dave.

I mean, of the old 1940 mob.

What's always worried me

about being one of the few...

...is the way we keep on

getting fewer.

Yeah.

Poor old Johnny.

Bad luck, it happening now.

-Now, then. What's the difference?

-He went through the Battle of Britain!

And now if the big show

starts tonight...

...he won't be in it.

Look, will you please

shut up about him?

All right, all right.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

You heard something about tonight?

No, no. I haven't heard anything.

-What are you talking about then?

-Well, it's just...

-Go on, go on.

-I have a feeling it's on for tonight.

-That's all.

-A feeling.

Take your feeling somewhere else.

I've got a letter to write.

I've had this feeling since I woke up.

I've had it with me all day long.

I can't shake it off.

It's tonight. I know it is.

All right, it's tonight.

Suits me fine.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes