Deadly day

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Movie
German title Deadly day
Original title The Long Day's Dying
Country of production United Kingdom
original language English
Publishing year 1968
length 93-95 minutes
Age rating FSK 16 f
Rod
Director Peter Collinson
script Charles Wood
production Peter Collinson
Harry Fine
music Malcolm Lockyer
camera Brian Probyn
cut John Trumper
occupation

Deadly Day (Original Title: The Long Day's Dying ) is a 1968 British anti-war film directed by Peter Collinson . The leading roles are cast with David Hemmings , Tony Beckley , Tom Bell and Alan Dobie .

The script is based on Alan White's novel The Long Day's Dying , published in London in 1965.

action

Second World War : Three young British paratroopers who have been separated from their regiment wait in a destroyed house for their NCO to come to their aid. Tensions arise between the young men, who are very different personalities. John, actually a pacifist , feels torn. Despite his attitude, he is proud of his military skills. Tom Cooper, the eldest of the three, is careful and careful to stick to the rules. Cliff, on the other hand, is downright enthusiastic when it comes to military matters, is Christian, shows sadistic and impulsively violent tendencies and smiles at John for his pacifist attitude.

John and Tom are surprised by the German officer Helmut and threatened with a weapon. He wants information about where the officers and other men in their regiment are. When Cliff arrives, Helmut disarms him and keeps him in check. The tide turns, however, when John manages to injure the German in the neck with a knife throw. The three men are now trying to get information about the tactics of the Germans from Helmut, but are still dependent on guesswork. However, it turns out that the German toyed with the idea of ​​overflowing, but wanted at least to send a signal that he did not agree with the German Wehrmacht's approach.

When the small troop come across a hidden farmstead while on patrol , John takes on the task of leading the way and almost single-handedly shoots the German soldiers who are supposed to be sleeping except for a guard. It turns out that the Germans had all been dead for quite some time. Shortly afterwards there is an argument between John and Cliff when Cliff rips out the gold teeth of two dead men. After the four have continued their march, they find their sergeant with his throat cut at dawn. A short time later a German patrol approaches. The men are shot by them. During this action, Cliff is also killed.

Eventually, John and Tom Cooper, together with Helmut, get close to the British lines. There tracer bullets are fired at them. Helmut orders John and Tom Cooper to sing English songs with presence of mind to show that they are not enemies. However, the singing is drowned out in the din of the explosions and gunfire. Tom is killed by a grenade explosion. Now only John and Helmut are left. Although Tom claims to be a staunch pacifist, he kills the German soldier Helmut, who is lying next to him and for whom he has always stood up, with a long needle. Disturbed by what he was just experiencing, he stumbled again into the line of fire of the English, where he was shot before they recognized him as one of their own.

Production notes

The footage filmed on location in Chertsey in the county of Surrey and in the Twickenham Studios in London. It is a Paramount Pictures / Junction Films production. The film was presented at the Cannes Festival in May 1968 . It started in New York on May 28, 1968 . It was also shown in July 1968 at the San Sebastián Film Festival in Spain (title: Todo un dia para morir ) and in September 1969 at the Adelaide Film Festival in Australia. In the Federal Republic of Germany it was first shown in cinemas on February 14, 1969 under the title Tödlicher Tag .

The peculiarity of the film is that it works largely with the soldiers' internal monologues. What they think is made audible to the audience.

criticism

The lexicon of international film found: "In renouncing the usual effort of unusual anti-war films that are oppressive in the analysis of behavior."

Variety's criticism was negative overall, there was talk of countless platitudes that had already been seen in a similar way in other anti-war films. The script lacks dramatic twists. But it is even worse that you cannot develop sympathy or interest for any of the four men, the inner monologues are awkward and you never get closer to their real nature.

Renata Adler of the New York Times gave a similar ruling on the plot. The acting is okay and there are some excellent scenes in the film. However, Charles Wood's script is almost unbearable.

Timeout spoke of a clumsy adaptation of the script to the novel, many camera tricks, and haunting, but pretending, soft focus photography. The actors were recognized for excellent performances, especially Tom Bell.

The evangelical film observer came to a rather praising verdict : “Consistently also where the blood gushes too red. Not to be recommended to those with a tender heart, as the well-made film contains scenes of war-related cruelty. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Long Day's Dying (1968) - Screenplay Info. In: Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved November 3, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Deadly Day. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 3, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. ↑ The Long Day's Dying Variety Staff (English). Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  4. ^ Renata Adler: The Long Day's Dying In: The New York Times, May 29, 1968 (English). Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ TM: The Long Day's Dying timeout.com (English). Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ Evangelischer Presseverband Munich, Review No. 73/1969