While John Wayne might have appeared more than others in this drama, it feels very much like a group effort that brings a strong sense of realism to the screen. The story unfolds on the day of the D-Day landings in 1944. According to their meteorologist, the weather along England’s southern coast was "akin to mid-winter." Because any delay caused more problems for everyone involved, they set off using every kind of transport imaginable – gliders, planes, tanks, landing craft; everything as a quarter of a million men (along with plenty of British soldiers) made their way toward Normandy. At the same time, we get a reasonably believable look at things from the German side across the channel. They’d been expecting an invasion for some time but weren't certain where or when it would happen and the worry was starting to weigh on them. It also becomes apparent that those in charge were losing confidence in the battle plans of the Austrian corporal and felt more comfortable expressing this opinion. The story really starts moving then, as troops land by sea and air and confront a well-defended enemy who are determined to prevent them from establishing a foothold on the beach. With bullets flying and explosions everywhere, the photography, stunt work, and special effects genuinely convey the risks these men faced trying to secure just a few miles of sand. There's a charming, brief appearance by Bourvil as the mayor of a small town so happy to see them that he shows up, appropriately decorated and carrying a bottle of champagne to celebrate while shells are falling all around. Gert Fröbe also finds his delivery route becomes rather dangerous, allowing just a bit of humor to enter the story of carefully planned logistics that didn't always work out as intended. It’s edited well and keeps a steady pace as we witness events over just one day – no resolutions, not even an ending to the beginning. It runs for three hours, but each beach has its own narrative and the four people who created this film manage to keep it engaging, mostly, through a harrowing and hopeful experience.

Source on TMDB