‘The Longest Day’: A Sweeping Epic Depicting the D-Day Events

A key event in World War II, the film portrays the landing in Normandy with gritty realism.

One of the sobering opening shots of “The Longest Day.” 20th Century Fox

G | 2h 58m | Action, Drama, History | 1962

Today movies rely heavily on computer-generated imagery (CGI) for special visual effects, so I marvel at filmmakers from earlier eras who created stunning effects without it. Although these effects may be more time-consuming to construct and synchronize, they often appear far more realistic.