No ,I'd love to see it though, I read the book, there were only like 6 people in the whole book, was the cast of the movie bigger?
To the best of my recollection it involved a group of 3 british paratroopers in a small valley and a similar ammount of germans. The hunt was on as one side tried to take out the other, its 20 years ago since i read the book. I recall it was very claustraphobic. One of the para's could recognize his mate by the fact he always fired 3 quick rounds from his enfield. and of course whenever someone fired, you could be pretty sure there was noe less either german or british.
I've only seen it once - on British TV - about 15 years ago. I thought it was a minor classic, spoilt a little bit by an overblown final scene. I'm going by memory, but the principal character was played by David Hemmings with Tom Bell as another British soldier. The German was ( I think ) Marius Goring ( no relation ! ). I have never seen it again on TV and I'm sure it's not on video. I'll find out more details and report back. . .
It was on TV a couple of months ago the thinking out loud thing was a bit disconcerting, but they faith the para's had in their superiority seemed right on as far as esprit du corps
Speaking of "Right-on" performances, this is also like the Rangers and Delta Forces portrayals in Black Hawk Down. I can hardly wait to get it on DVD.
'Long Days Dying' - mystery solved ! It starred David Hemmings, Tom Bell and Tony Beckley ( as the British ) and Alan Dobie ( as the German ). And that's the entire cast. Screenplay by Charles Woods, and directed by Peter Collinson who went on to do 'The Italian Job' before dying tragically young. Made in the UK, it was released by Paramount in 1968 . It 'bombed' in the USA, never made it to video, so it looks like I'll have to watch out for those late-night movie slots !
Hi all, The book is a bit different to the film - no surprise there. Author Alan White was a genuine WW2 Commando, not a para, though doubtless para trained. I wish films were more honest to the books, but I guess Hollywood and UK film companies (mostly owned by US companies anyway) are governed by the US market. Perhaps the 'dubious' and gory side of war might not have been well received by the American (and British) public at this time. In many respects maybe this film was produced ahead of if it's time. If Spielberg and Co. was to do it it now mybe it would be a minor masterpiece, with all the special effcts currently available. I hear that a new version of the film is planned based in N Africa - I have doubts both the authenticity of the film and and the marketability.
