A few weeks before the start of Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious operation in history, on June 6, 1944, German General Erwin Rommel, in charge of Army Group B based in Normandy, wrote to his wife. “The Allies must land, that is a fact. But the 24 hours before the invasion will be of the essence. It will be the longest day for us as Allies…” Words that have since entered history.
It is also the name of the film released in 1962, which greatly contributed to the popularization of the landings and the events related to the Battle of Normandy. After 36 years, Steven Spielberg and Private Ryan deliver an ultra-realistic and uncompromising war film. An unexpectedly successful bet with an anthology-filled film, including a 20-minute sit-down sequence on Omaha Beach, has already ensured the film’s pedigree.
Between the two, however, lies a rare and precious work completely unknown to the general public: Overlord.
The film, unfortunately, is not visible in France
A landmark film that earned its director Stewart Cooper a Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1975, Overlord has sadly fallen back into obscurity except in the UK. Ten years ago, it was presented in a restored copy as part of the Cannes Classic, which seemed to herald the arrival of the Blu-ray/DVD release here. But, a thousand times alas, nothing came of it…not even available on VOD. And so fate continues.
Following the story of Tom Bellows (Brian Stirner), a young man called up to serve under the British flag, Overlord follows his journey from training to D-Day. Shot in black and white, the film is expertly shot by John Alcott, the hugely Oscar-winning cinematographer and favorite of Stanley Kubrick, behind the photography of A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and The Shining. He also signed Hugh Hudson’s magnificent photograph of Greystoke. As for legacy, we’ve seen worse.
The originality of the film is a subtle mix between fictional images (Tomb training, waiting…) with extraordinary archival images taken on the exact day of D-Day, in particular the images captured by cameras on bombers or Spitfires (British fighter). airplanes).
The result is as eye-catching as it is moving, and above all, ultra-realistic. In order to ensure that the audience does not clearly distinguish the impressive archival footage from the rest of the film, Stewart Cooper shot with vintage camera lenses from the 1930s and 1940s, so that the look of his new footage matches the archival footage. All of these filmed scenes are seamlessly integrated into the archival footage.
As a documentary about World War II and a poignant meditation on a man immersed in a giant machine that destroys individuals, Overlord is a very good film that we would love to see one day on physical support. Its true value, as it should be.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
