My father was a 19 year old combat engineer with the 1st wave on Omaha Beach and was awarded the French Legion of Honor for bravery. I accompanied him in 1999 to Normandy for the 55th D-Day anniversary. I saw many veterans touching the white crosses of lost comrades, my father touching the names of his 2 best friends on a memorial and men collecting small jars of sand from where they landed. This film captured those feelings & moments perfectly.
Alec Guinness should have won every award possible for his portrayal of Amos. As far as I am concerned, it was his best acting performance ever and doubly amazing in that it was all body language & facial expressions. The bond between Amos & Cyril was so touching it made my eyes water.
I left my father alone to talk privately with other veterans, just as only Cyril & Waldo could know what the invasion was really like. We who were not a part of it can never comprehend the emotions & lifelong imprint that day had on its participants.
We also visited a German Cemetery and my father sat next to a German ex soldier. I was not privy to their conversation as they talked quietly & shook hands when they parted. The visit to Lisa's brother's grave brought back those memories & was yet another very emotional scene well written & acted.
This film is one of the best (if not the best) post WW2 films ever made & also probably the least known of them. All the actors were fantastic, the script & direction superb and I defy anyone to watch this and not tear up at the ending. This is a film that will long remain in my memory and in my heart. My heartfelt thanks go out to those who made it possible.
Alec Guinness should have won every award possible for his portrayal of Amos. As far as I am concerned, it was his best acting performance ever and doubly amazing in that it was all body language & facial expressions. The bond between Amos & Cyril was so touching it made my eyes water.
I left my father alone to talk privately with other veterans, just as only Cyril & Waldo could know what the invasion was really like. We who were not a part of it can never comprehend the emotions & lifelong imprint that day had on its participants.
We also visited a German Cemetery and my father sat next to a German ex soldier. I was not privy to their conversation as they talked quietly & shook hands when they parted. The visit to Lisa's brother's grave brought back those memories & was yet another very emotional scene well written & acted.
This film is one of the best (if not the best) post WW2 films ever made & also probably the least known of them. All the actors were fantastic, the script & direction superb and I defy anyone to watch this and not tear up at the ending. This is a film that will long remain in my memory and in my heart. My heartfelt thanks go out to those who made it possible.