Shot in the 1960s, The Longest Day is praised as one of the greatest war movies ever made. However, its production faced numerous challenges. It’s reported that uncomfortable tension developed between Western legend John Wayne and producer Darryl Zanuck, ultimately leading Wayne to take action against Zanuck.
The Longest Day (1962)
Production for The Longest Day kicked off in March 1961 after securing the book rights. Presented in a docu-drama style, the film carefully identifies each key figure as they gear up for the historic D-Day invasion. With its broad narrative, it delivers a thorough and realistic depiction of this crucial moment in history.
The film traces the Allies from their preparations through the beach landings and fierce battles at notable sites such as Pointe du Hoc and Pegasus Bridge, highlighting the vast scale of the operation. It became a passionate project for producer Darryl Zanuck, who brought together an impressive cast that included stars like Henry Fonda, Sean Connery, Richard Burton, Kenneth More, and the legendary John Wayne.
John Wayne publicly punishes Darryl Zanuck
In contrast to his colleagues, John Wayne had just a brief role in The Longest Day. While most of the cast was compensated with $25,000, Wayne turned down this amount and opted for a substantial $250,000 for his small part. To everyone’s surprise, producer Darryl Zanuck agreed to Wayne’s terms, resulting in him earning ten times more than the film’s leading actors for his short appearance.
John Wayne never served in the US military
The large fee stirred significant controversy, particularly because John Wayne lacked military service, unlike several other cast members. This disparity was not well received by the audience. Even though the Western legend was paid handsomely, he was eventually credited only at the film’s conclusion.
Years afterwards, Wayne remarked, “It was highway robbery. But I needed the money at the time, and that b****** Zanuck had it coming.”
An earlier snub
How did this rivalry between Darryl Zanuck and John Wayne start?
The feud between Darryl Zanuck and John Wayne all goes back to Wayne’s decision to undertake the dual roles of producer and director for the 1960 film, The Alamo, where he also starred as Davy Crockett. It focused on the 1836 battle of the same name and Wayne was deeply invested in the project, channeling considerable personal funds into it. However, the film failed commercially, failing to recover its costs and marking a significant setback for Wayne.
Darryl Zanuck called out John Wayne specifically
Sometime after The Alamo was released in theaters, Darryl Zanuck participated in an interview, where he mentioned John Wayne. In particular, he commented on how he didn’t like when actors decide to make their own production companies.
He didn’t leave his comments as vague generalizations – he said “poor old Duke” was one of many who’d done this.
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Having heard Zanuck’s comments, Wayne decided that he wanted to make him pay… Literally.
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