Bill Millin, Lord Lovat's piper, earned the nickname 'Mad Piper' due to the fact that he was spared by German snipers on D-Day because they thought him to be crazy playing bagpipes in the middle of a war.
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The film exaggerates the carnage at Ste Mere Eglise. In this battle sequence, the U.S. paratroopers of F company (from John Wayne's battalion) of the 82nd airborne are mown down like ninepins as they parachute into the square of the village which is swarming with German troops. In reality, only about thirty troopers landed in or around the square and less than a dozen were killed or wounded, not the whole company as the film suggests. See more...
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Bill Millin, Lord Lovat's piper, earned the nickname 'Mad Piper' due to the fact that he was spared by German snipers on D-Day because they thought him to be crazy playing bagpipes in the middle of a war.
Despite his portrayal as an American soldier in various movies, John Wayne actually never got to serve in the Armed Forces. Although he tried to enlist during WW2, he was not accepted due to his age (34 at that time), an old football injury, and his status as a family father.
The private of the 82nd Airborne F-Company who accidentally lands on the St Mere Eglise bell tower has become sort of a local celebrity. On the 50th anniversary of D-Day, a dummy on a parachute was hung up on the tower in his memory, and as far as I have heard, it is still there.
There is a remarkable lack of gore in the battle sequences. Even when shells or grenades go off right beside soldiers they fall over without a drop of blood on them and their uniforms still perfectly intact. This was partially due to the American military, in exchange for its assistance with the production, putting pressure on the producers to tone down the gruesome aspects of the battle scenes. US military authorities were still unhappy with the final cut of the Omaha Beach sequences, claiming that they exaggerated the casualties suffered.
In the original release of the film, the scene depicting the American G.Is charging up Omaha beach has a clearly visible shadow of a camera keeping pace with the action. However in the recent colourised video release of the film, the pesky shadow has been digitally removed.
Andre Bourvil, who welcomes Lord Lovat and his commandos at Sword Beach, was one of France's most renowned actors, particularly in comedies. He died in 1970, at age 53.
Former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was considered for the role of himself in the film, and he indicated his willingness, however, it was decided that makeup artists couldn't make him appear young enough to play his WWII self.
Richard Todd, who plays Major John Howard, was among the paratroopers who relieved the real Howard and his troops after their successful capture of Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of D-Day.
When the Normandy coastline is taken under fire, and Lt. Colonel Ocker (Peter van Eyck) asks what is going on, Major Pluskat screams something into the phone which has not been subtitled. What he says is: "Yes. We're under fire. Yeah - under fire."
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