The Longest Day (1962) on Prime Video
A sweeping D-Day epic that still holds up, though long and dated in places.
The short version
- World War II and military history fans
- Classic film viewers who like large ensemble epics
- Families looking for a war film with a G rating
- You want modern, realistic battle effects
- You prefer a story centered on a few characters
- You want it included with a Prime membership rather than rented
What owners like
- Conveys the huge scale of the invasion
- Documentary style realism
- Handles many storylines across four nations without getting confusing
- No single star dominates the story
Common complaints
- Long running time
- Dated characterizations and some stiff performances
- Uneven effects by modern standards
- Star cameos can distract
Based on Critic reviews collected on Rotten Tomatoes, the reception section of the film's Wikipedia entry and the Prime Video listing.
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
- Jun 2024
First bought.
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
The 1962 black and white war epic about the D-Day landings, available to rent or buy digitally on Prime Video.
- Follows the invasion through American, British, French and German perspectives
- Large ensemble cast including John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton and Henry Fonda
- Screenplay by Cornelius Ryan with Romain Gary, James Jones, David Pursall and Jack Seddon
- Won Academy Awards for black and white cinematography and for special effects
- Prime Video offers English audio with dialogue boost options and English closed captions
A strong choice for viewers who want the big picture of D-Day from the American, British, French and German sides in one film. It runs close to three hours, and critics note that some performances and characterizations feel dated.
How it compares
Specs
- Directors
- Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki
- Producer
- Darryl F. Zanuck
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox
- Released
- 1962
- Runtime
- About 3 hours (Prime Video lists 2 h 51 min)
- Rating
- G; Prime Video lists it as 7+
- Picture
- Black and white, HD on Prime Video
- Based on
- The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan (1959)
- Prime Video access
- Rent or buy at the time of research
Worth knowing
- Prime Video shows a photosensitivity advisory for this title.
Questions
Is The Longest Day free with Prime?
At the time of research, Prime Video offered it to rent or buy rather than included with Prime. Availability changes.
How long is The Longest Day?
About three hours. Prime Video lists 2 h 51 min.
Is The Longest Day in color?
No. It was shot in black and white. A colorized version was released on VHS in 1994.
Is The Longest Day based on a book?
Yes. It is based on Cornelius Ryan's 1959 nonfiction book of the same name, and Ryan co-wrote the screenplay.
What is The Longest Day rated?
It is rated G.
Sources
Researched 2026-10-01. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.