Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004) (TV)

Director:

Robert Harmon

Writer (WGA):

Lionel Chetwynd (written by)

Release Date:

31 May 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | War

Plot:

IKE: COUNTDOWN TO D-DAY depicts the tense 90 days leading up to the D-Day invasion and how Dwight Eisenhower, against all odds, brilliantly orchestrated the most important military maneuver in modern history.

Plot Keywords:

D Day | Military | Major | WWII | Corporal

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Tom Selleck	...	Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
James Remar	...	Gen. Omar Bradley
Timothy Bottoms	...	Walter Bedell "Beetle" Smith
Gerald McRaney	...	Lt. Gen. George S. Patton
Ian Mune	...	Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Bruce Phillips	...	Gen. Bernard Law Montgomery
John Bach	...	Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Nick Blake	...	Air Marshal Arthur W. Tedder
Kevin J. Wilson	...	RAdm. Bert Ramsay
Christopher Baker	...	Group Capt. Maj. James Stagg
George Shevtsov	...	Gen. Charles DeGaulle
Gregor McLennan	...	Capt. Chapman
Paul Gittins	...	Maj. Gen. Henry Miller
Craig Hall	...	Cpl. William Hayes
Stephen Brunton	...	Cpl. William Younger

Also Known As:

Countdown to D-Day (International: English title) (informal short title)
Ike (International: English title) (informal short title)
Ike: Thunder in June (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language.

Runtime:

120 min (including commercials) | Brazil:88 min

Country:

USA | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | Brazil:14 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Airport - 511 Harvard Lane, Ardmore 2022, Auckland, New Zealand

Company:

Film Factory New Zealand Limited

Trivia:

Tom Selleck, a non-smoker, temporarily took up the habit to play Dwight Eisenhower, who was, according to Selleck in the DVD's bonus feature, a four-pack-a-day smoker at the time. In 1949, Eisenhower was advised by his doctor and friend, Howard Snyder, to cut down on the cigarettes to one pack per day. Eisenhower initially did so, but after a few days, he decided that counting cigarettes was worse than smoking and quit permanently in 1949. He never smoked again.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Charles de Gaulle is shown refusing to put French troops under Dwight D. Eisenhower's command, but in fact he had done so, and French naval and ground forces, including an armored division, participated in D-Day. Also, when Eisenhower briefs de Gaulle on 4 June 1944, de Gaulle is shown objecting to different parts of the battle plan. In fact he had no such objections, and complimented the "Anglo-Saxons" on their attention to detail.

Quotes:

King George VI: I am impressed by the detail the comprehensiveness of your planning. The expected losses, the sheer carnage.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower: I also ache at that thought your majesty, I remember my first trip to Europe as a young man, and I felt blessed to be here, to see it, to touch the origins of my own country that I love so dearly. I hope one day all young Americans will have the same opportunity...

Movie Connections:

Features Sahara (1943/I)

"There is no true glory in war."

Ike is a dialog movie, a movie about decisions, if you're looking for a action film with no substance, this movie is not for you.

Tom Selleck in decisively his greatest role, broke all molds, portraying the compassion, thoughfulness, and deliberation of Supreme Commander General Dwight D Eisenhower.

The film showed no battle, except the inner battle Eisenhower faced, alone, concerning the decisions he had to make, the risks, that were ultimately successful. The supporting roles were well played, the ending emotionally touching, the film both fascinating, deliberate, and decisively rich with consternation.

The film was both heartfelt and moving, and very finely made. Tom Selleck deserves an Emmy for his performance.

For more information on the 34th president of the United States

[url]http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/de34.html[/url]

Timeline:

[url]http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/timeline/index.html[/url]