Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Written by Robert Rodat

Produced by Steven Spielberg ,Ian Bryce ,Mark Gordon ,Gary Levinsohn

Starring Tom Hanks ,Edward Burns ,Matt Damon ,Tom Sizemore

Music by John Williams

Production companies  DreamWorks Pictures ,Paramount Pictures ,Amblin Entertainment ,Mutual Film Company

Distributed by  DreamWorks Pictures (North America) ,Paramount Pictures (International)

Release date July 24, 1998

Running time 169 minutes

Country United States

Language English

Budget $70 million

Box office $482.3 million

STORY LINE

An elderly veteran walks through a cemetery, accompanied by his family. Coming to a specific grave, he is overcome with emotion and begins recalling his time as a soldier. On the morning of June 6, 1944, the U.S. Army lands at Omaha Beach as part of the Normandy invasion. Captain John H. Miller leads his command, Company C, 2nd Ranger Battalion in a breakout from the beach. The staff at the United States Department of War in Washington, D.C. learns that James Francis Ryan of the 101st Airborne Division is missing and presumed to be the last survivor of four brothers who are all in the military. General George C. Marshall orders Ryan to be found and sent home so that his family will not lose all its sons.

Miller is ordered to lead a detachment in finding Ryan. As they arrive in the contested town of Neuville between German defenders and the 101st Airborne, Caparzo is killed by a German sniper. Miller and his men find a paratrooper named Ryan but not the one for whom they are searching, and are directed to a rally point where James Francis Ryan's unit should be. Miller learns that Ryan is defending a key bridge in the town of Ramelle. En route to Ramelle, Miller decides against the judgment of his soldiers to neutralize a German machine gun nest, which results in Wade's death. A surviving German soldier is spared by the intervention of Upham, the detachment's interpreter, who is unused to the horrors of combat. Miller blindfolds the soldier, who has been nicknamed "Steamboat Willie", and orders him to surrender to the next Allied patrol. When Reiben threatens to desert, Miller defuses the situation by calmly telling a story that reveals his civilian background as a teacher and baseball coach, which he has not previously spoken of, and which has been the subject of much speculation among his men.

Upon arriving in Ramelle, Miller's detachment makes contact with Ryan and informs him of his brothers' deaths. Though upset, Ryan refuses to abandon his post, which soon comes under siege by attacking Germans. Miller and his unit fight alongside the 101st as the German armor advantage takes a toll on the Americans. Jackson, Mellish and Horvath are killed in the fighting. In an attempt to destroy a bridge with pre-placed explosives, Miller is wounded by "Steamboat Willie." As the Germans approach the bridge, American P-51 Mustang fighter planes, Sherman tanks, and infantry overpower them and end their advance. Upham confronts Steamboat Willie, who begins to try talking Upham into letting him go; now aware of the difficult choices soldiers make during wartime, Upham shoots and kills him, but lets the rest of the German squad live.

Before dying from his wounds, Miller tells Ryan to "earn this," referring to the sacrifices others have made so Ryan can experience a post-war life. Ryan is revealed to be the elderly veteran from the beginning of the film and the grave to be Miller's. Ryan expresses gratitude for the sacrifices made by Miller and his men and says he hopes he "earned it," then salutes Miller's gravestone.

AWARDS

The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards at the 71st annual ceremony, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, and Best Original Screenplay. The film won five of these, including Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, and Best Director for Spielberg, his second win in that category.

After the film lost the Best Picture award to Shakespeare in Love, many film pundits criticized the Academy's decision not to award the film with the Best Picture Oscar and has continued to be considered as one of the biggest snubs in the ceremony's history.In a poll in 2015, Academy members indicated that, given a second chance, they would award the Oscar for Best Picture to Saving Private Ryan.As of 2021, it is one of only three films to ever win the PGA, DGA, Golden Globe, and Best Director Oscar while not winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards, the others being Brokeback Mountain and La La Land.

The film also won the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Director, the BAFTA Award for Special Effects and Sound, the Directors Guild of America Award, a Grammy Award for Best Film Soundtrack, the Producers Guild of America Golden Laurel Award, and the Saturn Award for Best Action, Adventure, or Thriller Film.

REVIEW

My grandfather fought in WW2 somehow surviving D-Day. He was apart of Operation Neptune and stormed the beaches of Normandy. He told us a lot of war stories but rarely ever spoke about that day. Before he passed away he did an interview with a local newspaper and detailed what he saw despite it being very difficult for him to speak about. He loved watching war movies... not sure exactly why. Some about that soldier life never really leaves them I guess. He absolutely hated Pearl Harbor cause of the horrible way they portray the military to be a bunch of toothbrush wielding babies who don't know what to do in the event of being attacked. He had a friend stationed there who lost his life and thinks that movie is a disgusting display of ignorance. Soldiers don't take girlfriends on private plane rides. And they most definitely know how to swim. Maybe I'll give that movie a good ripping one day.

But Saving Private Ryan was a respectable "I can't watch this" reaction. He said no movie has come that close to capturing what that day was like. He said it was too realistic. Whether or not the story is based on real or fiction, that intro was 100% realistic. I'm not sure if he ever did finish watching it but he appreciated it for capturing that chaos like no other movie has before. I watched the movie a dozen times now and keep it in my collection as a reminder of my grandfather. A scene he was technically in. Which makes me appreciate how strong of a person he really is.

War is hell and this movie not only shows that while being an entertaining experience but also captured what soldiers are left behind with. My grandfather was not afraid of anything. I've seen this man walk into a cellar full of black widows to get firewood and not even shake them off. The only time he ever experienced fear was when he went to bed. His nightmares of his time during the war would haunt him in his sleep. This movie helped me understand why.

Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/reviews

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saving_Private_Ryan