June 6, 2024
On this 80th anniversary of D-Day, the DGA remembers two-time Guild President and Director George Stevens. Best known for classics like Gunga Din before the war, Stevens answered the call from Gen. Eisenhower to document the Battle of Europe with his camera.
As the Allied Expeditionary Forces' producer, he captured the only existing color footage of the D-Day invasion, as well as the liberation of Paris, the historic US-Soviet link up, the German surrender in France, and the harrowing scenes from Dachau concentration camp later shown at Nuremberg.
After witnessing such profound events, Stevens reflected "films were much less important to me and, in a way, perhaps more important." His son, George Stevens Jr. noted, "The fact that all these men had a war in mid-career made them more interesting Directors. War is a deep and rich experience, and what makes a director great other than their life experiences?"
Stevens' D-Day footage ensures the sacrifices and achievements of that defining day will never be forgotten.
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