This is an original Japanese STB / tatekan signboard poster produced for the first Japanese theatrical release of The Longest Day (史上最大の作戦), Darryl F. Zanuck’s epic WWII all-star drama recreating the Normandy / D-Day landings. Featuring an extraordinary international cast including John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery, and many more, this is one of the great large-scale war films of classic cinema—presented here in a highly desirable theatre signboard format.
Film background
Released in 1962, The Longest Day is a sweeping, multi-perspective account of 6 June 1944, depicting the Allied operation from both command rooms and frontline beaches. Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and based on Cornelius Ryan’s bestselling book, the film’s scale is matched by its cast—an era-defining ensemble spanning American, British, French, and German roles—creating a huge, documentary-like war spectacle that remains a benchmark for the genre.
Poster design
A striking, unusually modern Japanese design split across two panels. The upper section is dominated by a vast field of deep purple with monumental red title typography (史上最大の作戦), plus period copy emphasising the “48 great stars” and the Normandy landing operation. The lower panel shifts into a stark, cinematic composition: the words THE LONGEST DAY cut across a beachhead scene—smoke, chaos, and advancing troops—anchored by the distinctive minimalist motif and the 20th Century Fox mark. In STB form, the graphic impact is exceptional: bold from a distance, and richly atmospheric up close.
About STB (Tatekan) posters
STBs (tatekans) are tall, two-panel Japanese cinema signboard posters measuring roughly 51 × 145 cm (often also cited around 20 × 58 in / 50.8 × 147.3 cm). Formed from two B2 sheets and intended for display in signboards and theatre units, they were made for visibility rather than permanence—which is exactly why surviving examples are so prized by collectors today.
Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 63 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
